Gold price gains amid uncertainty on US trade policies

NEW YORK (February 17) Gold price climbed on Monday during the North American session, posting gains of 0.56% amid thin trading as markets in the United States (US) were closed in observance of Presidents’ Day. The XAU/USD traded at $2,898 after hitting a daily low of $2,878.

Last Friday, Gold registered its most significant loss since December 18, yet the outlook for the precious metal looks promising amid geopolitical uncertainties and US trade policies aimed at narrowing the deficit.

Data from the US was mixed last week with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and the Producer Price Index (PPI) coming slightly hot. Retail Sales disappointed investors, who rushed to price in further easing by the Federal Reserve (Fed).

Fed officials have become cautious as inflation remains above the 2% goal. Philadelphia Fed President Patrick Harker said that policy needs to be “steady” for now and emphasized that monetary policy is in a good place. Harker added that the labor market is solid and that policy should be focused on lowering inflation.

Recently, Fed Governor Michelle Bowman said she expects inflation to decline, though she acknowledged that upside risks remain.

This week, the US economic docket will feature further Fed speakers, housing data, the latest Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) Meeting Minutes, Initial Jobless Claims, and S&P Global Flash PMIs final reading for February.

Daily digest market movers: Gold price benefits from safe-haven demand

• The US 10-year Treasury bond yield tanked four basis points (bps) on Friday and sits at 4.478%.
• US real yields, which correlate inversely to Bullion prices, dropped four basis points to 2.039%, a tailwind for XAU/USD.
• The World Gold Council revealed that central banks purchased over 1,000 tonnes of Gold for the third consecutive year in 2024. Following Trump's electoral victory, purchases by central banks surged by more than 54% YoY to 333 tonnes, according to WGC data.
• Money market fed funds rate futures are pricing in 43 basis points of easing by the Fed in 2025.

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