Gold price advances to one-week top amid rising Middle East tensions, Fed rate cut bets

Most recent article: Gold rises on geopolitical fears and Fed rate cut bets

• A combination of factors assists the Gold price to gain positive traction for the third successive day. 
• Geopolitical risks and Fed rate cut bets lend support, though a positive risk tone might cap the upside. 
• Traders also prefer to wait on the sidelines ahead of this week's release of the key US inflation figures. 

Gold price (XAU/USD) attracts some buyers for the third successive day on Monday and climbs to a one-week top, around the $2,439-2,440 area during the early part of the European session. Persistent geopolitical risks stemming from the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East turn out to be a key factor benefitting the safe-haven precious metal. Apart from this, rising bets for bigger interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve (Fed) further act as a tailwind for the non-yielding commodity. 

That said, a positive risk tone might hold back traders from placing aggressive bullish bets around the Gold price. Traders might also prefer to wait for this week's release of the latest US inflation figures – the Producer Price Index (PPI) and the Consumer Price Index (CPI) on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively. Hence, it will be prudent to wait for some follow-through buying before positioning for an extension of the recent bounce from the 50-day Simple Moving Average (SMA) support. 

Daily Digest Market Movers: Gold price is underpinned by rising Middle East tensions

• The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) intercepted approximately 30 projectiles that were identified as crossing from Lebanon into northern Israel early Monday morning.
• The Israeli Air Force and Military Intelligence Directorate have been placed on high alert following observations in Western Iran, suggesting an imminent attack. 
• Hamas leaders are asking mediators of the cease-fire negotiations with Israel to present a plan based upon previous talks instead of engaging in new ones.
• The US is strengthening its capabilities in the Middle East by sending an additional guided missile submarine to the region in light of escalating regional tensions.
• The developments raise the risk of a broader conflict in the region and lend some support to the safe-haven Gold price amid dovish Federal Reserve expectations. 
• Market participants have fully priced in a 25-basis points Fed rate cut move at the September policy meeting and see an equal chance of a bigger, 50-bps rate cut. 
• Fed Governor Michelle Bowman said on Sunday that the central bank may not be ready to cut rates in September amid upside risks for inflation and continued strength in the labor market.
• This, however, fails to assist the US Dollar in attracting meaningful buyers or provide any impetus to the non-yielding yellow metal at the start of a new trading week. 
• Bullish traders, meanwhile, prefer to wait on the sidelines and keenly await the release of the latest US inflation figures this week before positioning for any further gains. 
• The US Producer Price Index (PPI) and the US Consumer Price Index (CPI) are due on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively, followed by the US Retail Sales on Thursday. 
• This might determine the Fed's future policy decisions, which, along with geopolitical developments, should provide a fresh directional impetus to the XAU/USD.

Technical Outlook: Gold price needs to surpass $2,448-2,450 hurdle for bulls to regain control

From a technical perspective, the recent bounce from the 50-day Simple Moving Average (SMA) support favors bullish traders. Moreover, oscillators on the daily chart are holding in positive territory. That said, the lack of strong follow-through warrants some caution before positioning for any meaningful appreciating move. In the meantime, any subsequent move up is more likely to confront some resistance near the $2,448-2,450 region. Some follow-through buying should pave the way for a move towards challenging the all-time top near the $2,483-2,484 area touched in July. This is followed by the $2,500 psychological mark, which if cleared decisively will set the stage for a further near-term appreciating move.

On the flip side, the $2,412-2,410 horizontal resistance breakpoint now seems to protect the immediate downside ahead of the $2,400 round-figure mark. Any further decline might continue to attract dip-buyers and remain cushioned near the 50-day SMA support, currently pegged near the $2,373-2,372 region. The latter should act as a key pivotal point, below which the Gold price could slide to the late July low, around the $2,353-2,352 area, which now coincides with the 100-day SMA support. A convincing break below will shift the near-term bias in favor of bearish traders and prompt aggressive technical selling.