Gold tumbles 2.5% to two-week low as global yields rise, US Fed rate-hike bets mount
Three-day decline is on pace for the longest losing streak since early July
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GOLD fell to the lowest in almost two weeks as a global bond sell-off sent yields higher, with traders betting the US Federal Reserve may need to raise interest rates to contain inflationary pressure from elevated oil prices.
Bullion dropped as much as 2.5 per cent to the lowest since Aug 19 as global bond yields climbed to the highest since 2008 and the US dollar edged higher. Both are headwinds for non-yielding gold. The precious metal’s three-day decline is on pace for the longest losing streak since early July.
Gold’s slide began on Aug 28 when US Fed chair Kevin Warsh doubled down on his vow to fight inflation. The drop extended over the week starting Aug 31 as renewed hostilities in the Middle East sent oil prices higher, stoking concerns over persistent price pressures.
Traders ramped up their bets on rate hikes, currently pricing an almost 70 per cent chance that the US Fed will boost rates by a quarter-point at its meeting in September.
US Fed governor Michael Barr said on Tuesday (Sep 1) that the US central bank should be prepared to raise rates if inflation fails to subside, warning price pressures are at risk of becoming entrenched after being above target for more than five years.
Gold’s weakness “is a follow-through from Warsh’s Jackson Hole speech and comments from Barr on inflation,” with the renewed sell-off in global bonds adding pressure on bullion, said Ryan McKay, senior commodity strategist at TD Securities.
Spot gold fell 2.4 per cent to US$4,328.79 an ounce as of 2.43 pm in New York. Silver dropped 3.5 per cent to US$64.24. Platinum and palladium both fell. The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index was 0.2 per cent higher. BLOOMBERG
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