Last week gold was on the negative side as its prices tracked lower in London on the morning of Friday November 18, with continued strength in the dollar pushing it to six-month lows.
The spot gold price was recently quoted at $1,208.45/1,208.70 per oz, down $6.55 on Thursday’s close. And reached $1203 earlier in the day -it’s lowest since May.
The dollar index was recently at 101.35, up 0.35% – it is holding around its highest for 14 years amid expectations that the US Federal Reserve will raise interest rates next month.
The US dollar has strengthened alongside increasing expectations of a US rate hike in December.
Fed officials who spoke last Friday had indicated that rates should go up next month and that the Fed could adjust its outlook as and when more details of president-elect Donald Trump’s policies become visible,.
“The market is almost fully priced for a rate hike in December at 98%.
Bullion has fallen 5.4 percent this month as of Friday's close, pressured by nerves around the U.S. election and speculation over the timing of an interest rate hike by the Federal Reserve.
The overnight Fed comments gave the dollar the support required to continue its stunning run higher and it is hard to see gold being able to rally the support required to break away from $1,200 as we head toward the December FOMC meeting.
US Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen said that US interest rates could rise “relatively soon” due to an improving domestic labour market and stronger growth.
Should the US dollar continue to rally, gold is likely to remain under pressure.
These low prices have induced some interest in the physical market this increasing the demand for gold. Russia purchased the most gold in 18 years in October – central bank holdings rose to 50.9 million ounces from 49.6 million ounces, ANZ said in a note.
Gold prices rose in Asian trade on Monday, snapping a 3-session losing streak, buoyed by physical buying after the metal slid to a 5-1/2- month low on Friday.
Gold is highly sensitive to rising rates, which lift the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding assets such as bullion, while boosting the dollar, in which it is priced. Hence any positive development over the interest rate hike immediately puts pressure on gold this pushing its prices down
Meanwhile, gold premiums in India, the second largest consumer of the precious metal, jumped to two-year highs in the week to Nov. 18 as jewellers ramped up purchases on fears the government might curb imports after withdrawing higher-denomination notes from Circulation.
Spot gold seems to have found a support at $1,204 per ounce; it may hover above this level for one day or bounce moderately.
Gold moth continue to struggle against a backdrop of a firmer U.S. stock market, a stronger dollar and rising global rates and there are chances for prices to weaken below $1,200 in the next few weeks leading into the Federal Open Market Committee.
But ETF investors are continuing to pull out – holdings have dropped by 54 tonnes or 2.5% to 2,109 tonnes as of November 18 after rising 33 tonnes in October, 27 tonnes in September and 16 tonnes in August.
With US markets set to close later this week for Thanksgiving holidays, volatility is likely to be pronounced into the end of the month, Commerzbank noted.
