Gold prices rose on Wednesday as the dollar pulled back from a one-month peak after comments by US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell were seen as less hawkish than expected. Spot gold was up 0.4% at $1,880.97 per ounce, as of 0744 GMT. US gold futures also rose 0.4% at $1,880.10.
The US Fed may continue to raise rates or maintain present rates to tackle inflation but probably in a less aggressive way, said Hareesh V, head of commodity research at Geojit Financial Services. There were no major takeaways for gold from Fed Chair Powell’s comments as prices had already corrected due to last week’s positive economic data, Hareesh added.
Lower interest rates are seen as beneficial for gold since they reduce the opportunity cost of holding zero-yield bullion. Powell said on Tuesday the latest US employment report showed the process for getting inflation back near the central bank’s 2% target will take “quite a bit of time”, noting further interest rate increases were needed.
Gold prices rose on Tuesday after the dollar retreated from a one-month high while Powell was speaking, as most traders seemed to agree that there were no ‘hawkish surprises’. However, “the risks of two or three rate hikes remain on the table and that should keep gold somewhat grounded,” Edward Moya, senior market analyst at OANDA, said in a note dated Tuesday.
The dollar remained under pressure on Wednesday and was last down 0.2%, making greenback-priced gold a more attractive bet for buyers holding other currencies. Gold traders are tracking the performance of the dollar and the global economic situation to get a direction while awaiting fresh cues, Hareesh said.
Gold claws back some ground after steep losses
Elsewhere, spot silver rose 1.1% to $22.43 per ounce, after hitting its lowest level in two months in the previous session. Platinum was 1.2% higher at $985.10 and palladium gained 1.3% to $1,667.36.
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