Gold likely to be embraced as a Safe Haven

Gold prices have been steadily on decline since early June when the metal traded just shy of $1,300 an ounce.

This week too gold ended on a negative note even though the week began with a different picture.
Gold prices were lying stable at $1,225.24 per oz on Wednesday morning after a prices rise on Tuesday, closing up 0.2%.

However on Friday, gold dipped $5.60 to $1219.10 in Asia before it bounced back to $1227.00 just after morning’s jobs data was released, but it then fell to a new session low of $1207.30 in late morning New York trade and ended with a loss of 1%.  

Spot gold was down 0.7 percent to $1,215.81 per ounce by 1336 GMT, after touching an intraday low of $1,214.40, the weakest since May 9. It has dropped about 2 percent this week and is set for its biggest weekly fall since the week of May 5.

Gold hit a two-month low on Friday after stronger than expected United States jobs data increased the likelihood of another U.S. interest rate increase.

U.S. hiring picked up in June while wage gains disappointed yet again, a mix that may continue to be a puzzle for the economy and policy makers, Labor Department figures showed Friday.

While payroll gains were broad-based and boosted by the biggest jump in government jobs in almost a year, wages were below forecasts, even with the jobless rate close to the lowest since 2001.

It is quite evident from the unrelenatble hiring in June that thelabout market is resiliebt and may lead to a stronger acceleration in wages. At the same time, the month’s data could also reflect a new graduating class and the summer’s seasonal workers joining the labor force -- some likely welcomed by employers who are struggling to find workers.

The data suggested that the job market is attracting people off the sidelines, as the size of the labor force and number of unemployed people increased, indicating more people are actively looking for work. The number of people who went from out of the labor force to employed rose to 4.7 million, the highest in data going back to 1990.

While wage growth is running below the peak of previous expansions, the figures may be depressed by weak.

U.S. non-farm payrolls jumped by 222,000 jobs last month, the Labor Department said on Friday, beating expectations of a 179,000 gain.          

The data brought negative news for gold traders as there isn’t really anything in this number which is going to put the brakes on an interest rate hike.

Nevertheless, the report marks a relatively strong finish for the labor market in the second quarter that should support continued gains in consumer spending in the coming months. Federal Reserve policy makers raised interest rates last month and reiterated plans to start reducing their balance sheet and increase borrowing costs once more this year.

Recent selling has placed enormous pressure as prices broke through critical support levels.  Much of that selling was a result of a shift in market sentiment as the Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank relaxed their respective multiyear quantitative easing programs.

However, markets remain constructive for gold.The bigger picture for gold is encouraging. Despite the U.S. tightening cycle and VIX bear market, gold has recovered. It appears to be looking ahead to a beneficial endgame.

Gold certainly has a way of getting investors’ hopes up. Most recently, it neared $1,300 per ounce in early June, prompting optimism among bulls about a meaningful breakout to come. Alas, gold prices failed to push through that level, and now sit around the $1,250 mark. There are, of course, bullish and bearish arguments to be made but, on balance, gold is currently facing serious headwinds. That’s not to say, however, that there isn’t a long-term bullish case for gold. There is, but it may take years to play out. Simply put, the world is awash in too much debt, be it household, corporate or government.

According to an October 2016 report by the International Monetary Fund, gross global debt (excluding that of the financial sector) stood at $152 trillion, representing an all-time high 225% of world GDP. This overhang risks prolonged economic stagnation, if not a worse outcome. At some point, central banks will be forced to engineer higher inflation rates to lessen the burden of all this debt. Realizing this, investors can be expected to embrace gold as the ultimate safe haven.

GOLD EXPECTED TO SHINE IN THE SECOND HALF OF 2017

It was strong opening for gold this week as gold neared its highest in a month on Monday amongst holiday thinned trade. A soft dollar and a pullback in equities helped this rise in gold prices.

Gold hit its highest level since May 1 on Friday at$1,269.50 an ounce, as nervousness over U.S. President Donald Trump's negotiations with other world leaders at the G7 summit prompted investors to buy bullion as an alternative to nominally higher-risk assets such as shares.

Spot gold settled at $1,266.67 an ounce, little changed from $1,266.66 late on Friday.
Though there is not much rise expected in gold prices, but the news from G7 meeting pushed gold prices up.

Under pressure from the G7, Trump on Saturday backed a pledge to fight protectionism but refused to endorse a global accord on climate change, saying he needed more time to decide.

Apart from this, market players await next month’s FOMC meeting to get clearer picture on the U.S. Federal Reserve's stance on interest rate increases.Gold is highly sensitive to rising U.S. rates, which
Increase the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding bullion, While boosting the dollar, in which it is priced.

Meanwhile this week, market participants will stay focused on the labor market report in the US slated to release during the week. If the data turn out to be positive, there is probably nothing to prevent the (Fed) implementing its next rate hike in mid-June.

The latest FOMC minutes suggest that the Fed may start decreasing its balance sheet later this year.
It is true that the first two rounds of quantitative easing were positive for the gold market. However, the third one was a disaster for the yellow metal, as the confidence in the U.S. economy came back and the safe-haven demand for gold declined. Therefore, the impact of the unwinding of the Fed’s balance sheet on the gold market is not easy to determine – a lot will depend on the broad macroeconomic picture.

On the one hand, the Fed’s shrinking balance sheet would imply rising long-term real interest rates, which would be negative for gold prices. On the other hand, there may be some turmoil in the financial markets, which would support the gold market. Moreover, it may be the case that the U.S. dollar rally which started in 2014 was caused by the rising expectations about the Fed’s upcoming tightening.

If this is true and investors really bought the rumor and sell the fact, then the greenback may start depreciating, which would likely send the price of gold higher. Gold’s response to the current Fed’s tightening cycle suggests that it is not impossible scenario. However, the whole process is likely to be conducted in a very conservative and cautious way to minimize market volatility and disruption. Hence, investors should not bet on doom scenarios and expect that the price of gold will necessarily skyrocket.

Though gold was not preferred in an investor’s portfolio during 2016, it gold regained investor confidence during 2017, as doubts about the Trump’s administration’s ability to see through their policy agenda and political difficulties have emerged. Moreover, there has also been a number of geopolitical events such as European elections – the results in France and Netherlands have somewhat assuaged financial markets – and the flash point in the Korean peninsula.”

These geopolitical tensions and uncertainties have influenced gold prices.

The spot price of gold jumped nearly 2% on the 17th of May, the most significant daily increase since the Brexit vote on May 2016. Political developments will be closely watched by the market, and could be a potential driver of additional uplift in gold prices going forward.

Comments by St. Louis Fed President, James Bullard, that inflation remains subdued, and the Fed’s interest rate expectations might be too aggressive, have also been supportive of gold.

Gold is expected to hover around USD 1250 an ounce and is further expected to range between USD $1245 to USD $1300 over 2017-18.