Gold hits new high after data shows consumer confidence low
LONDON (September 25) Gold (XAU/USD) rallies to another record high of $2.670 per troy ounce on Wednesday after an unexpected drop in US Consumer Confidence data on Tuesday increased bets of more aggressive easing and deeper interest rate cuts from the Federal Reserve (Fed).
Lower interest rates are positive for Gold, as they reduce the opportunity cost of holding the non-interest-paying asset, making it more attractive to investors.
The biggest stimulus push since the Covid pandemic from the People’s Bank of China announced on Tuesday, including aggressive cuts to borrowing costs amongst a package of measures to inflate the flagging economy, also supported Gold’s rise.
The escalation of tensions in the Middle East after more bombing by Israel of Hezbollah targets in Lebanon is further pushing safe-haven flows into the yellow metal.
Gold rallies after US consumers lose confidence
Gold reaches a new peak after more bad news about the US economy suggests the Fed may need to continue drastically cutting interest rates.
The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index fell to 98.7 in September from an upwardly revised 105.6 in August. The result was well below the 103.9 consensus estimate.
Following the release of the data, the market-based probabilities of the Fed making another double dose 50 basis points (bps), or 0.50%, rate cut increased to around 60% from 50% before, according to the CME FedWatch tool.
Commentary from Federal Reserve Governor Michelle Bowman (voter - hawkish) on Tuesday may have taken some of the edges off the bad news however, after she said, "with no clear signs of material weakening or fragility, in my view, beginning the rate-cutting cycle with a 1/4 percentage point move would have better reinforced the strength in economic conditions."
Bowman’s comments scored a 7.0 on FXStreet’s FedTracker, which gauges the tone of Fed officials’ speeches on a dovish-to-hawkish scale from 0 to 10, using a custom AI model.
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