Gold Price Forecast: XAU/USD looks to $2,600, as more gains remain in the offing


  • Gold price extends Thursday’s bullish breakout ahead of US sentiment data on Friday.
  • The US Dollar keeps the red with Treasury bond yields on renewed bets of outsized Fed rate cut bets.
  • Gold price achieves a symmetrical triangle target at $2,560, with more upside likely as the RSI stays bullish.

Gold price is sitting at the highest level on record near $2,570, with buyers contemplating the next move amid sustained weakness in the US Dollar (USD) and the US Treasury bond yields. Traders now look forward to the US Michigan preliminary Consumer Sentiment data for fresh directives.

Gold price capitalizes on increased bets jumbo Fed rate cut

Gold price extended the early bounce on Thursday, as the tide turned in favor of buyers following the release of the US Producers Price Index (PPI) and Jobless Claims data, which reinforced bets of an outsized interest rate cut by the US Federal Reserve (Fed) interest rate cut next week.

The PPI increased 0.2% MoM in August, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) said Thursday, beating the expected 0.1% increase. Excluding food and energy, PPI rose 0.3%, slightly hotter than the 0.2% consensus estimate. Annually, headline PPI rose 1.7%. Excluding food, energy and trade, the annual rate was 3.3%.

Meanwhile, the  Initial Jobless Claims came in at 230,000 for the week ended Sept. 7, up 2,000 from the previous period while aligning with the forecast. Dismal US data combined with the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) article on the Fed's rate cut dilemma brought back bets for a jumbo cut at the September meeting.

The US Dollar snapped its recovery mode and fell steeply on dovish Fed expectations, tracking the sell-off in the US Treasury bond yields.

The USD also bore the brunt of the resurgent demand for the Euro after the European Central Bank (ECB) on Thursday cut rates but President Christine Lagarde poured cold water on the expectations for another cut next month. The Hawkish cut by the ECB sent EUR/USD higher at the expense of the Greenback.

These factors added to the Gold price rebound, driving the bright metal to a fresh lifetime high of $2,560 on Thursday.

In Friday’s trading so far, Gold price witnessed a fresh leg higher and renewed record highs at $2,568, as Asian traders hit their desks and reacted to the overnight optimism surrounding the renewed dovish bets surrounding the Fed announcements next week.

However, buyers are catching their breath at the moment, as they turn slightly cautious heading into the weekend. Markets could resort to repositioning ahead of next week’s Fed policy meeting, fuelling a corrective decline in Gold price. Also, the end-of-the-week flows could play a pivotal role in the Gold price action alongside the release of the US Consumer Sentiment and Inflation Expectations data.  

Gold price technical analysis: Daily chart

As observed on the daily chart, Gold price finally yielded a breakout after closing Thursday above the upper boundary of the three-week-old trading range, pegged at the previous record high of $2,532.

Meanwhile, the 21-day Simple Moving Average (SMA), now at $2,513, continued to offer strong support to Gold buyers.

 With the range breakout in play, Gold price finally achieved the one-and-a-half-month-old symmetrical triangle target, measured at $2,560.

Despite the relentless rise, the 14-day Relative Strength Index (RSI) still holds in the bullish territory, with room for more upside until it prods the overbought boundary. The RSI indicator currently trades near 66.50.

If Gold price extends its bullish momentum, the next upside hurdle is seen at the $2,600 level, above which the $2,650 psychological level will be tested.

Should a correction ensue, the initial support is seen at the previous record high of $2,532, below which the 21-day SMA at $2,513 will be put to the test.

A sustained break below the latter is needed to challenge the key $2,500 threshold.

Gold FAQs

Gold has played a key role in human’s history as it has been widely used as a store of value and medium of exchange. Currently, apart from its shine and usage for jewelry, the precious metal is widely seen as a safe-haven asset, meaning that it is considered a good investment during turbulent times. Gold is also widely seen as a hedge against inflation and against depreciating currencies as it doesn’t rely on any specific issuer or government.

Central banks are the biggest Gold holders. In their aim to support their currencies in turbulent times, central banks tend to diversify their reserves and buy Gold to improve the perceived strength of the economy and the currency. High Gold reserves can be a source of trust for a country’s solvency. Central banks added 1,136 tonnes of Gold worth around $70 billion to their reserves in 2022, according to data from the World Gold Council. This is the highest yearly purchase since records began. Central banks from emerging economies such as China, India and Turkey are quickly increasing their Gold reserves.

Gold has an inverse correlation with the US Dollar and US Treasuries, which are both major reserve and safe-haven assets. When the Dollar depreciates, Gold tends to rise, enabling investors and central banks to diversify their assets in turbulent times. Gold is also inversely correlated with risk assets. A rally in the stock market tends to weaken Gold price, while sell-offs in riskier markets tend to favor the precious metal.

The price can move due to a wide range of factors. Geopolitical instability or fears of a deep recession can quickly make Gold price escalate due to its safe-haven status. As a yield-less asset, Gold tends to rise with lower interest rates, while higher cost of money usually weighs down on the yellow metal. Still, most moves depend on how the US Dollar (USD) behaves as the asset is priced in dollars (XAU/USD). A strong Dollar tends to keep the price of Gold controlled, whereas a weaker Dollar is likely to push Gold prices up.

 

Information on these pages contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Markets and instruments profiled on this page are for informational purposes only and should not in any way come across as a recommendation to buy or sell in these assets. You should do your own thorough research before making any investment decisions. FXStreet does not in any way guarantee that this information is free from mistakes, errors, or material misstatements. It also does not guarantee that this information is of a timely nature. Investing in Open Markets involves a great deal of risk, including the loss of all or a portion of your investment, as well as emotional distress. All risks, losses and costs associated with investing, including total loss of principal, are your responsibility. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of FXStreet nor its advertisers. The author will not be held responsible for information that is found at the end of links posted on this page.

If not otherwise explicitly mentioned in the body of the article, at the time of writing, the author has no position in any stock mentioned in this article and no business relationship with any company mentioned. The author has not received compensation for writing this article, other than from FXStreet.

FXStreet and the author do not provide personalized recommendations. The author makes no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of this information. FXStreet and the author will not be liable for any errors, omissions or any losses, injuries or damages arising from this information and its display or use. Errors and omissions excepted.

The author and FXStreet are not registered investment advisors and nothing in this article is intended to be investment advice.

Recommended Content


Recommended Content

Editors’ Picks

EUR/USD stays below 1.1000 after EU data

EUR/USD stays below 1.1000 after EU data

EUR/USD fluctuates in a tight range below 1.1000 in the European session on Monday. The data from the Eurozone showed that Retail Sales rose by 0.2% on a monthly basis in August as forecast, failing to boost the Euro.  Investors await comments from Fed officials.

EUR/USD News
GBP/USD struggles near 1.3100, Fedspeak awaited

GBP/USD struggles near 1.3100, Fedspeak awaited

GBP/USD is struggling near 1.3100 in European trading on Monday, erasing early gains. The pair is undermined by a negative shift in risk sentiment but the downside appears capped amid the US Dollar retreat ahead of speeches from several Fed policymakers.

GBP/USD News
Gold price keeps the red below $2,650, remains confined in a familiar trading range

Gold price keeps the red below $2,650, remains confined in a familiar trading range

Gold price remains on the defensive amid reduced bets for a 50 bps Fed rate cut in November. The USD consolidates last week’s strong gains and exerts some pressure on the XAU/USD. Geopolitical risks might continue to act as a tailwind and limit losses for the precious metal. 

Gold News
Is Dogecoin ready for a rally?

Is Dogecoin ready for a rally?

Dogecoin price extends gains on Monday after retesting its support level last week. This rise is supported by DOGE’s daily active addresses, an on-chain metric that has spiked to the highest level since early April. 

Read more
RBA widely expected to keep key interest rate unchanged amid persisting price pressures

RBA widely expected to keep key interest rate unchanged amid persisting price pressures

The Reserve Bank of Australia is likely to continue bucking the trend adopted by major central banks of the dovish policy pivot, opting to maintain the policy for the seventh consecutive meeting on Tuesday.

Read more
Five best Forex brokers in 2024

Five best Forex brokers in 2024

VERIFIED Choosing the best Forex broker in 2024 requires careful consideration of certain essential factors. With the wide array of options available, it is crucial to find a broker that aligns with your trading style, experience level, and financial goals. 

Read More

Majors

Cryptocurrencies

Signatures