- Precious metal remains stuck in tight $5 range.
- USD strength is offset by risk aversion.
- US markets are closed due to memorial day.
Although the XAU/USD pair was able to finish the previous week a little above the critical $1300 psychological level, it failed to hold there following a bearish gap as markets returned to action on Monday. Since the early trading hours of the Asian session, the ounce of precious metal traded between $1300 and $1295 and was last seen trading at $1298, where it was down $3.5, or 0.3%, on the day.
Political jitters in Italy continues to push investors to safer assets. After rising more than 20 basis points, the 10-year Italian T-bond yield refreshed its multi-year high above 2.7% while the FTSE MIB equity index dropped more than 2.5% as the latest developments point to a new election at the end of the summer. However, despite gold's safe-haven status, the pair is having a rough time gaining traction with the FX interest shifting to the buck. The US Dollar Index, which was able to advance to a new 2018 peak at 94.44 in the last hour, is now up 0.15% at 94.35.
On the other hand, the latest news from the Korean peninsula suggests that the highly-anticipated Trump-Kim summit is likely to happen on the pre-set date of June 12, which could be seen as another reason why the safe-haven demand is having the anticipated impact on the market action. The pair could extend its consolidation into the next day as American traders enjoy the long memorial day weekend.
Technical levels to consider
A daily close above $1300 (psychological level) could allow the pair to advance to $1308, where the crucial 200-DMA is located. A clear break above that level could bring in more buyers and lift the pair to the next short-term target of $1320 (20-DMA). On the downside, $1295 (daily low) aligns as the first interim support ahead of $1287 (May 23 low) and $1281 (May 21 low).
Information on these pages contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Markets and instruments profiled on this page are for informational purposes only and should not in any way come across as a recommendation to buy or sell in these assets. You should do your own thorough research before making any investment decisions. FXStreet does not in any way guarantee that this information is free from mistakes, errors, or material misstatements. It also does not guarantee that this information is of a timely nature. Investing in Open Markets involves a great deal of risk, including the loss of all or a portion of your investment, as well as emotional distress. All risks, losses and costs associated with investing, including total loss of principal, are your responsibility. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of FXStreet nor its advertisers. The author will not be held responsible for information that is found at the end of links posted on this page.
If not otherwise explicitly mentioned in the body of the article, at the time of writing, the author has no position in any stock mentioned in this article and no business relationship with any company mentioned. The author has not received compensation for writing this article, other than from FXStreet.
FXStreet and the author do not provide personalized recommendations. The author makes no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of this information. FXStreet and the author will not be liable for any errors, omissions or any losses, injuries or damages arising from this information and its display or use. Errors and omissions excepted.
The author and FXStreet are not registered investment advisors and nothing in this article is intended to be investment advice.
Recommended content
Editors’ Picks
EUR/USD treads water just above 1.0400 post-US data
Another sign of the good health of the US economy came in response to firm flash US Manufacturing and Services PMIs, which in turn reinforced further the already strong performance of the US Dollar, relegating EUR/USD to the 1.0400 neighbourhood on Friday.
GBP/USD remains depressed near 1.2520 on stronger Dollar
Poor results from the UK docket kept the British pound on the back foot on Thursday, hovering around the low-1.2500s in a context of generalized weakness in the risk-linked galaxy vs. another outstanding day in the Greenback.
Gold keeps the bid bias unchanged near $2,700
Persistent safe haven demand continues to prop up the march north in Gold prices so far on Friday, hitting new two-week tops past the key $2,700 mark per troy ounce despite extra strength in the Greenback and mixed US yields.
Geopolitics back on the radar
Rising tensions between Russia and Ukraine caused renewed unease in the markets this week. Putin signed an amendment to Russian nuclear doctrine, which allows Russia to use nuclear weapons for retaliating against strikes carried out with conventional weapons.
Eurozone PMI sounds the alarm about growth once more
The composite PMI dropped from 50 to 48.1, once more stressing growth concerns for the eurozone. Hard data has actually come in better than expected recently – so ahead of the December meeting, the ECB has to figure out whether this is the PMI crying wolf or whether it should take this signal seriously. We think it’s the latter.
Best Forex Brokers with Low Spreads
VERIFIED Low spreads are crucial for reducing trading costs. Explore top Forex brokers offering competitive spreads and high leverage. Compare options for EUR/USD, GBP/USD, USD/JPY, and Gold.