XAU/USD outlook: Gold hits new five-week high on break above pivotal barriers at $3,400 zone

The EUR/USD pair posts modest gains around 1.1710 during the early Asian session on Monday. The Euro strengthens against the Greenback after the European Central Bank left its policy rates unchanged and took a more positive view on the Eurozone economy, which has shown resilience to global trade shocks. Financial markets are likely to remain subdued as traders book profits ahead of the long holiday period.

GBP/USD gains ground after three days of losses, trading around 1.3390 during the Asian hours on Monday. The pair depreciates as the Pound Sterling holds ground ahead of the release of the United Kingdom Gross Domestic Product for the third quarter.

Gold is closing in on $4,400 early Monday, renewing lifetime highs, helped by renewed geopolitical tensions. Israel-Iran conflict and US-Venezuela headlines drive investors toward the traditional store of value, Gold. 

The festive period officially starts next week, with many traders vacating their desks until the first full week of January, making way for thin trading volumes and very few top-tier releases.

You don’t need another 2008 for the system to reset. You just need enough nations to stop settling trade in dollars. And that’s already happening. "If gold is the anchor, what actually moves value in a post-dollar world?” It’s a question most gold investors overlook. We think in terms of storage and preservation, but in the new rails being built, settlement speed matters just as much as soundness of money.

XRP rebounds as bulls target a short-term breakout above $2.00 on Friday. XRP ETFs record the highest inflow since December 8, signaling growing institutional appetite.