Gold Retreats From $1320 Line

Gold started Friday trading just below resistance at $1320, and has dipped lower, losing much of the gains we saw a day earlier. In the European session, the spot price stands at $1309.60 per ounce. On the release front, today's highlight is UoM Consumer Sentiment. The markets are expecting a strong gain in June, which could bolster the US dollar.

Gold prices pushed higher on Thursday, following news of a Malaysian Airlines plane crash over Ukraine. The aircraft was apparently shot down by a missile, and Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian separatists have traded accusations about which side is responsible. The incident could ignite tensions between Ukraine and Russia, and comes just days after European countries slapped new sanctions against Russia. Gold often reacts to geopolitical events, and if the crisis in Ukraine intensifies, traders should expect gold prices to move higher.

US Unemployment Claims dropped slightly to 302 thousand, beating the estimate of 310 thousand. This figure marks a seven-week low, as the economy continues to churn out impressive employment data. At the same time, the housing sector is struggling, and Building Permits fell to 0.96 million, its lowest level since January. The markets had expected a much stronger reading, with an estimate of 1.04M. Housing Starts followed suit, coming in at 0.89 million, compared to an estimate of 1.02 million. Finally, the Philly Fed Manufacturing Index sparkled, jumping to 23.9 points, well above the estimate of 15.6 and its best showing since February 2011.

Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen concluded two days of testimony on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, testifying before the House Financial Services Committee. Yellen declined to answer questions about when the Fed would begin to raise rates, but she did acknowledge that most economists expect the Fed to make a move in the third quarter of 2015. On Tuesday, the dollar moved higher when Yellen said that the economy still required monetary stimulus, but rates could increase sooner than expected if inflation and job numbers improved more quickly than anticipated. The Fed's asset purchase program (QE) has flooded the economy with over $2 trillion, keeping interest rates at ultra-low levels, but the Fed has been steadily reducing the program since last December. Currently, the Fed is pumping $45 billion/month into the economy, and the next taper is expected in August, with plans to terminate QE in October.

XAU/USD 1309.60 H: 1320.16 L: 1308.63