|

Gold: CTA positioning remains near its effective 'max long' position size – TDS

Gold now screens as a well-populated trade. The Street is unanimously bullish, but macro fund positioning may now be tapped out without an imminent recession, CTA positioning remains near its effective 'max long' position size, the top Shanghai traders have been selling their positions from near-record highs, and Asian physical markets remain on a buyer's strike, TDS senior commodity strategist Daniel Ghali notes.

Gold prices continue to creep higher

“Positioning risks are now elevated for most major cohorts on our radar ahead of inflation data and the Jackson Hole symposium, which represent the next notable catalysts for a repricing over the coming weeks. And yet, Gold prices continue to creep higher.”

“So, who's buying it? Chinese retail. Our tracking of fund flows for Chinese Gold ETFs points to a resurgence in demand, albeit at a slower clip than the behemoth buying activity that supported prices earlier this year. This is surprising, given that Asian currency depreciation pressures appeared to be a driving force behind the previous bid from this cohort.”

“But demand from Chinese retail may either have transitioned into a momentum trade, in which case they may struggle to find subsequent buyers, or may be associated with Fed pricing, in which case they are vulnerable to the repricing we expect.”

Author

FXStreet Insights Team

The FXStreet Insights Team is a group of journalists that handpicks selected market observations published by renowned experts. The content includes notes by commercial as well as additional insights by internal and external analysts.

More from FXStreet Insights Team
Share:

Markets move fast. We move first.

Orange Juice Newsletter brings you expert driven insights - not headlines. Every day on your inbox.

By subscribing you agree to our Terms and conditions.

Editor's Picks

EUR/USD rebounds after falling toward 1.1700

EUR/USD gains traction and trades above 1.1730 in the American session, looking to end the week virtually unchanged. The bullish opening in Wall Street makes it difficult for the US Dollar to preserve its recovery momentum and helps the pair rebound heading into the weekend.

GBP/USD steadies below 1.3400 as traders assess BoE policy outlook

Following Thursday's volatile session, GBP/USD moves sideways below 1.3400 on Friday. Investors reassess the Bank of England's policy oıtlook after the MPC decided to cut the interest rate by 25 bps by a slim margin. Meanwhile, the improving risk mood helps the pair hold its ground.

Gold stays below $4,350, looks to post small weekly gains

Gold struggles to gather recovery momentum and stays below $4,350 in the second half of the day on Friday, as the benchmark 10-year US Treasury bond yield edges higher. Nevertheless, the precious metal remains on track to end the week with modest gains as markets gear up for the holiday season.

Crypto Today: Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP rebound amid bearish market conditions

Bitcoin (BTC) is edging higher, trading above $88,000 at the time of writing on Monday. Altcoins, including Ethereum (ETH) and Ripple (XRP), are following in BTC’s footsteps, experiencing relief rebounds following a volatile week.

How much can one month of soft inflation change the Fed’s mind?

One month of softer inflation data is rarely enough to shift Federal Reserve policy on its own, but in a market highly sensitive to every data point, even a single reading can reshape expectations. November’s inflation report offered a welcome sign of cooling price pressures. 

XRP rebounds amid ETF inflows and declining retail demand demand

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.