Gold slides below $4,400 as Fed rate hike bets and Mideast jitters revive USD demand

Gold attracts fresh sellers following an intraday uptick to the $4,443 area on Tuesday.
Fed rate hike bets and geopolitical risks revive USD demand, undermining the bullion.
Traders seem reluctant and opt to wait for the release of the latest US inflation figures.

Haresh Menghani FXStreet

Gold (XAU/USD) turns lower for the third straight day after a modest intraday uptick and slides below the $4,400 mark during the first half of the European session on Tuesday. Hawkish US Federal Reserve (Fed) expectations, along with persistent geopolitical uncertainties, help the safe-haven US Dollar (USD) recover intraday losses, which, in turn, undermines the non-yielding bullion. The downside, however, seems limited as traders keenly await the release of the latest US inflation figures during the latter half of the week.

The US Producer Price Index (PPI) is due on Thursday and will be followed by the US Consumer Price Index (CPI) on Friday. The crucial data will be looked at for more cues about the Fed's policy path amid inflation risks stemming from higher energy prices. The outlook, in turn, will play a key role in influencing the near-term USD price dynamics and provide some meaningful impetus to the Gold price. Meanwhile, traders ramped up bets for a Fed rate hike later this month after the US Nonfarm Payrolls (NFP) report showed that job growth accelerated in August.

USD support seen as markets await key US CPI

Strategists at OCBC describe the latest US payrolls report as "supportive of the USD at the margin, but not sufficient on its own to drive a sustained leg higher." They argue that the stronger jobs data "reinforces the resilience of the US economy and should keep the risk of Fed tightening alive, which in turn may restrain USD downside." However, with "wage pressures still contained," OCBC expects markets will "require firmer inflation evidence before pricing a Sept hike with greater conviction." In this context, they note that "focus therefore shifts to this week’s CPI, where an upside surprise could provide the catalyst for renewed USD strength, while a softer print would likely keep price action more two-way."

Furthermore, the widening US-Iran confrontation keeps the geopolitical risk premium in play and should limit losses for the safe-haven Greenback. In the latest development surrounding the Middle East crisis, Iran threatened to retaliate against any new US attacks on its assets, warning that energy infrastructure across the Gulf was vulnerable. Adding to this, Iran’s security chief, Mohsen Rezaei, said that Tehran is preparing to enforce a full blockade around the Strait of Hormuz in response to economic sanctions, intensifying fears of a prolonged disruption to oil supplies.

Investors remain worried that elevated energy prices would rekindle inflationary pressures, underpinning prospects for Fed policy tightening. This, in turn, backs the case for the emergence of USD dip-buying and warrants caution for XAU/USD bulls. Hence, it will be prudent to wait for strong follow-through buying before positioning for any meaningful appreciating move for the Gold price and an extension of the recovery from an over one-month low, touched last week.

XAU/USD daily chart

Technical Analysis

The precious metal holds above the 200-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA) at roughly $4,288 and above a dense Fibonacci support band, keeping the near-term bias constructive despite fading momentum. Meanwhile, the Relative Strength Index (RSI) near 52 suggests a neutral-to-mildly positive tone. However, the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) below zero with a negative reading around -24 hints at waning upside pressure after the recent pullback.

The mixed technical setup suggests that the Gold price could face first resistance at the 23.6% Fibonacci retracement level of the June-August upswing, around $4,523. This is followed by the recent swing-high zone anchored by the upper Fibonacci reference near $4,697.36, where a break would reopen the path for a renewed leg higher. On the downside, initial support is seen at the 38.2% Fibo. retracement near $4,415, followed by the 50.0% level at about $4,328 and the 61.8% retracement around $4,241.94, with the 200-day EMA near $4,288 adding broader trend backing just below the market.

(The technical analysis of this story was written with the help of an AI tool. Know more.)

Economic Indicator

Consumer Price Index (YoY)

Inflationary or deflationary tendencies are measured by periodically summing the prices of a basket of representative goods and services and presenting the data as The Consumer Price Index (CPI). CPI data is compiled on a monthly basis and released by the US Department of Labor Statistics. The YoY reading compares the prices of goods in the reference month to the same month a year earlier.The CPI is a key indicator to measure inflation and changes in purchasing trends. Generally speaking, a high reading is seen as bullish for the US Dollar (USD), while a low reading is seen as bearish.

Why it matters to traders?

The US Federal Reserve (Fed) has a dual mandate of maintaining price stability and maximum employment. According to such mandate, inflation should be at around 2% YoY and has become the weakest pillar of the central bank’s directive ever since the world suffered a pandemic, which extends to these days. Price pressures keep rising amid supply-chain issues and bottlenecks, with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) hanging at multi-decade highs. The Fed has already taken measures to tame inflation and is expected to maintain an aggressive stance in the foreseeable future.

Author

Haresh Menghani

FXStreet

Haresh Menghani is a detail-oriented professional with 10+ years of extensive experience in analysing the global financial markets.

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