Gold steadies ahead of key US data

GOLD prices steadied on Monday (Jan 22) as traders braced for fresh data on United States economic growth and the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge due later this week, ahead of the central bank’s interest rate verdict next week.

Spot gold edged 0.1 per cent higher to US$2,030.87 per ounce by 0116 GMT.

US gold futures rose 0.2 per cent to US$2,033.00.

The US dollar index fell 0.1 per cent, making greenback-denominated gold less expensive for foreign currency holders.

Yields on benchmark US 10-year Treasury notes slipped from an over a month high to 4.1149 per cent.

Bullion recorded its biggest weekly decline in six last week, after US central bankers pushed back against expectations of early interest rate cuts.

Last week, Chicago Fed president Austan Goolsbee said that the Fed needs more inflation data in hand before any rate cut judgment could be made. Atlanta Fed president Raphael Bostic said the baseline for cuts to start was in the third quarter.

US consumer sentiment improved in January to the highest level since the summer of 2021, a survey showed last week, on the heels of solid labour market and retail sales data indicating the economy remained firm.

Fed officials are in blackout this week ahead of the next meeting on Jan 30 to 31.

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Gold set for weekly drop on tempered rate-cut view

The odds of a Fed rate cut in March have dropped to 55 per cent from about 71 per cent two weeks ago, according to LSEG’s interest rate probability app IRPR.

Investors will be watching out for US Q4 advance GDP estimates due on Thursday and personal consumption expenditures data on Friday.

Lower interest rates decrease the opportunity cost of holding bullion.

Spot silver rose 0.1 per cent to US$22.63 per ounce, platinum climbed 0.4 per cent to US$902.21, and palladium gained 0.4 per cent to US$950.47. REUTERS