Gold marginally higher as markets brace on reciprocal tariff deadline

LONDON (March 24) Gold’s price (XAU/USD) stabilizes near $3,030 at the time of writing on Monday as traders assess fresh tariff headlines over the weekend. News emerging that the Trump administration will ease off on the broad scope of tariffs being imposed on April 2 brings sighs of relief in markets. Instead, United States (US) President Donald Trump is said to be looking for more specifically targeted tariffs on specific sectors per country or region. 

This helps ease the fear of broad reciprocal tariffs. The idea behind these tariffs is to get companies to reshore back to the US. However, a 25% tariff is not high enough to make the supply chains of corporations untenable, and the Trump administration would actually need to impose import taxes of perhaps 100% to 200%, as well as offer big government subsidies, to get companies to reshore their manufacturing, Marketwatch reports. 

Daily digest market movers: Takeovers sector

• Johannesburg-based firm Gold Fields said Monday it put forward a non-binding proposal to buy the Perth-based company Gold Road Resources for 3.05 Australian Dollars (AUD) a share in cash on March 7, valuing its equity at 3.3 billion AUD and implying a total enterprise value of 2.4 billion AUD. Gold Road’s board rejected the offer, Bloomberg reports.
• Chinese metals producer Zijin Mining Group Co. shares rose more than 5% after the company posted a record profit on surging Gold and Copper prices. Heightened global economic and geopolitical risks, coupled with tariffs, are increasing uncertainty, the company said in a statement after net income surged 52% last year. Rising demand for Gold Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), as well as central bank purchases, will push bullion higher this year, Reuters reports. 
• US tariffs due April 2 are poised to be more targeted than the sprawling ones, according to US officials familiar with the matter. Still, traders remain wary with officials in China and Australia warning of widespread shocks to the global economy from US trade policy, Bloomberg reports. 

FXStreet