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PRECIOUS-Gold prices slip as trade, emerging market worries lift dollar
* Gold may fall to $1,190/oz -technicals
* Palladium hovers near 11-week highs hit on Monday (Recasts, adds comment) By Sethuraman N R BENGALURU, Sept 4 (Reuters) – Gold prices inched down on Tuesday as the dollar hit a one-week high on the back of intensifying global trade tensions and economic worries in emerging markets.
* Palladium hovers near 11-week highs hit on Monday (Recasts, adds comment) By Sethuraman N R BENGALURU, Sept 4 (Reuters) – Gold prices inched down on Tuesday as the dollar hit a one-week high on the back of intensifying global trade tensions and economic worries in emerging markets.
Gold prices are down about 8 percent this year amid rising U.S. interest rates, trade disputes and the Turkish currency crisis, with investors parking their money in the dollar which is being viewed as a safe-haven asset. Spot gold was down 0.1 percent at $1,199.20 an ounce at 0347 GMT, while U.S. gold futures had dropped 0.1 percent to $1,205 an ounce. “The emerging market economic crisis is making currencies very weak and benefiting the dollar, which continues to pressure gold,” said Peter Fung, head of dealing at Wing Fung Precious Metals in Hong Kong. The dollar index , which measures the greenback against a basket of currencies, was up 0.1 percent at 95.182.
A firmer U.S. dollar makes gold more expensive for holders of other currencies, with safe-haven demand for gold this year overshadowed by the metal’s relationship with the greenback. “Gold should track the dollar’s movement very closely and interest rate expectations too are weighing on the metal,” Fung said. Markets are closely watching U.S. economic data, including a manufacturing survey on Tuesday and an employment report on Friday, which could influence gold’s moves as investors look for clues on the pace of U.S. interest rate increases. Meanwhile, worries over an escalation in trade conflicts between the United States and other countries have kept participants in broader markets on edge. “With all the noise building around the trade dispute, along with unsettling economic prospects for Turkey and Argentina that will likely drag on more emerging market economies … gold should be in demand,” said Stephen Innes, Asia-Pacific trading head at OANDA.
After a 16-percent slide in the peso last week, Argentine President Mauricio Macri on Monday announced new taxes and steep cuts to spending in an “emergency” bid to balance next year’s budget. Meanwhile, Turkey’s central bank signalled on Monday it would take steps to combat “significant risks” to price stability, comments seen as hinting at interest rate hikes. Spot gold may fall to $1,190 per ounce, as suggested by its wave pattern and a projection analysis, according to Reuters technical analyst Wang Tao. Spot silver dropped 0.2 percent to $14.43 on Tuesday, after falling to an over two-week low at $14.37 on Monday. Platinum was up 0.4 percent at $786.70, while palladium was down 0.1 percent at $977.50, after hitting an 11-week high of $985.50 on Monday. (Reporting by Nallur Sethuraman in Bengaluru Editing by Richard Pullin and Joseph Radford)
via PRECIOUS-Gold prices slip as trade, emerging market worries lift dollar |
By Apeksha Nair
BENGALURU, July 13 (Reuters) - Gold prices were muted on
Friday, stuck in a tight trading range, as the dollar extended
rally from the previous session when strong U.S. inflation data
and trade war concerns boosted demand for the greenback.
Spot gold was down 0.1 percent at $1,245.54 an ounce,
as of 0652 GMT. For the week, the metal was down 0.7 percent.
U.S. gold futures for August delivery slipped 0.1
percent to $1,245.50 an ounce.
"The dollar has been a prime mover of gold prices...Market
sentiments have been largely positive on the greenback as
investors pivoted from the safe haven asset despite rising
geopolitical risks," said Benjamin Lu, a commodities analyst at
Singapore-based broker Phillip Futures, in a note.
The dollar was buoyant near a 10-day peak versus a basket of
currencies on Friday, supported by Treasury yields that edged
higher on expectations the U.S. inflation rate will rise.
U.S. consumer price data on Thursday showed a steady buildup
of inflation that could keep the Federal Reserve on a path of
gradual interest rate increases.
A stronger dollar and higher U.S. rates reduce demand for
non-interest bearing gold as the metal becomes more expensive
for holders of other currencies.
Elsewhere, the European Central Bank will keep rates at a
record low for as long as needed to raise inflation, minutes of
the bank's latest meeting showed.
Meanwhile, Most Asian share markets rose on Friday, but
China's markets wobbled as investors braced for the impact of
broadening, tit-for-tat Chinese-U.S tariffs.
The United States and China could reopen talks on trade but
only if Beijing is willing to make significant changes, U.S.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Thursday.
"The trade war issue is still creating a lot of uncertainty.
If the situation continues and we're not seeing any real
movements in gold prices because of it, we might see prices
actually move lower," said Cameron Alexander, an analyst with
Thomson Reuters-owned metals consultancy GFMS.
* Dollar near 6-1/2 month peak