Gold Price Analysis: XAU/USD stays pressured below $1,950

Gold began the week mostly unchanged around $1,940 before probing $1,930.
US dollar strength, vaccine hopes and equity gains exert downside pressure.
Bulls stay hopeful as cases in Europe rise off-late, US policymakers jostle over aid package.
A lack of major data keeps risk catalysts in the spotlight.

Anil Panchal FXStreet

Gold drops to $1,931 amid the early Monday morning in Asia. The yellow metal flashed the second consecutive weekly loss while closing around $1,940 on Friday. The US dollar’s pullback from the multi-month low could be considered as the major reason for the bullion’s latest weakness. Additionally, Wall Street’s gains and market’s wait for the key events also probe the bulls after they stepped back from the record high.

Bears cheer even small news, bulls await a major push…

US President Donald Trump’s latest comments suggesting the authorized emergency use of convalescent plasma could be considered as the latest push to the commodity bears. The news strengthens vaccine hopes. The update becomes additionally important considering the recently receding coronavirus (COVID-19) numbers from the US and Australia. However, the strong bounce-back of the virus in Germany, France and Spain keeps the risk aversion on the table.

On the other hand, US President Trump keeps attacking (verbally) China with the latest comments, shared by Fox Business News, suggesting the possibility of decoupling the US economy from China. Even so, the hopes of the phase-one deal talks stay on the policymakers’ chart and hence keep the risks a little lower.

Elsewhere, the US policymakers are yet to finalize when they will start negotiating the COVID-19 aid package. The recent hurdle came from the Democratic Party wherein House Speaker Nancy Pelosi took a U-turn from her previous readiness to cut the demands in half. It’s worth mentioning that the US data have been positive off-late, PMIs and Existing Home Sales being the latest, whereas numbers from the rest of the globe haven’t been quite impressive.

Against this backdrop, S&P 500 Futures gain 0.15% after the Wall Street benchmark flashed the biggest run-up of the year 2020, with consecutive four weeks of rising.

While no major data/events are up for release on Monday, the Jackson Hole Symposium, up for Thursday and Friday, will be the key for the week. Also, the American policymakers are eyed for any decision on the stimulus and hence traders are holding their breath for fresh impetus.

Technical analysis

A short-term symmetrical triangle formation between $1,925 and $1,974 restricts gold’s immediate moves with bearish MACD favoring the sellers.

Additoinal important levels

Overview
Today last price	1931.05
Today Daily Change	-9.38
Today Daily Change %	-0.48%
Today daily open	1940.43

Trends
Daily SMA20	1974.8
Daily SMA50	1863.6
Daily SMA100	1786.31
Daily SMA200	1666.81

Levels
Previous Daily High	1956.05
Previous Daily Low	1911.64
Previous Weekly High	2015.65
Previous Weekly Low	1911.64
Previous Monthly High	1984.8
Previous Monthly Low	1757.7
Daily Fibonacci 38.2%	1928.6
Daily Fibonacci 61.8%	1939.09
Daily Pivot Point S1	1916.03
Daily Pivot Point S2	1891.63
Daily Pivot Point S3	1871.62
Daily Pivot Point R1	1960.44
Daily Pivot Point R2	1980.45
Daily Pivot Point R3	2004.85

Author

Anil Panchal

FXStreet

Anil Panchal has nearly 15 years of experience in tracking financial markets. With a keen interest in macroeconomics, Anil aptly tracks global news/updates and stays well-informed about the global financial moves and their implications.

AUD/USD consolidates above 0.6950 amid risk aversion

AUD/USD consolidates in the Asian session on Thursday, trading just above 0.6950 as traders assess developments in the Middle East crisis. The Pentagon reportedly ordered readiness for potential strikes against Iran. This keeps the geopolitical risk premium in play, which, along with hawkish FOMC Minutes and elevated US bond yields, will likely keep the US Dollar underpinned at the expense of the pair.

USD/JPY slips below 158.00 as USD retreats

USD/JPY returns to the red below 158.00 in the Asian session on Thursday amid speculation that authorities will step in to prop up the Japanese Yen. Meanwhile, the US Dollar eases from near an 18-month high on profit taking, ignoring Wednesday's hawkish FOMC Minutes and the risk of a further escalation of tensions in the Middle East, adding to the pair's pullback.

Gold bulls remain on the sidelines as hawkish Fed and Middle East jitters underpin USD

Gold trims its intraday gains and trades near $4,125 during the early European session on Thursday, up around 0.35% for the day. A combination of factors helps the US Dollar retain a bullish undertone, which keeps a lid on the precious metal's bounce from a two-month low, touched the previous day.

Ripple and Stellar test key support amid rising downside risks

Ripple (XRP) and Stellar (XLM) remain under pressure and extend their corrections on Thursday as weakening derivatives metrics and broader macroeconomic headwinds weigh on sentiment. XRP and XLM approach a key support zone after three consecutive days of losses so far this week.

The UK 30-year gilt just hit a 1998 high. Is that good or bad for the British Pound?

The yield on the UK's 30-year government bond, or gilt, went through 6% on October 1 for the first time since early 1998, and on Monday the Pound was at its strongest against the Euro since June 2025. The gilt market's 28-year high is mostly someone else's. Since early May, the 30-year gilt yield has risen about 0.15 of a percentage point and the US 30-year about 0.7.