- Gold prices fall despite stronger US Dollar amid economic slowdown signs.
- US ISM Manufacturing PMI remains in contraction; employment sub-component improvement offers market some relief.
- Despite a drop in 10-year Treasury yields to 3.84%, Gold only briefly recovers after dipping to $2,473.
Gold prices fell during the North American session as traders returned to their desks following the Labor Day holiday. Data from the United States (US) hinted that business activity contracted, though traders bought the Greenback. The XAU/USD trades at $2,490, down 0.34%.
Earlier, the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) revealed the August Manufacturing PMI, remained below the 50-line contraction/expansion level, an indication of an economic slowdown. Despite this, an Employment sub-component of the report improved slightly.
This is a relief for Federal Reserve (Fed) officials, who have remained worried about labor market weakness. Fed Chair Jerome Powell said in a speech in Jackson Hole that employment risks are tilted to the upside.
Bullion prices ignored the fall in US Treasury bond yields yet recovered some ground after hitting a low of $2,473. The US 10-year Treasury note yields 3.84%, dropping eight basis points after the ISM’s report.
According to the CME FedWatch Tool, markets are pricing in a 65% chance of the Fed cutting its rate by 25 bps at the upcoming September meeting. This will be a headwind for the Greenback and a tailwind for the non-yielding metal, which is expected to rise moderately, as 35% of the traders had positioned for a 50 bps cut.
"If the US jobs report is significantly weaker, speculation about a US recession and faster rate cuts will resurface, further supporting Gold," analysts at Commerzbank noted.
The US economic docket will be busy this week with the release of JOLTS job openings, the ADP National Employment Change, and the Nonfarm Payrolls (NFP) figures.
Daily digest market movers: Gold price traders await busy US economic calendar
- ISM Manufacturing PMI for August improved from 46.8 to 47.2, below estimates of 47.5.
- July’s JOLTS job openings are expected at 8.10 million, down from 8.184 million in June.
- Private hiring, revealed by the ADP National Employment Change report, is foreseen increasing from 122K in July to 150K in August.
- August’s NFP figures are expected to rise from 114K to 163K, while the Unemployment Rate could dip, according to the consensus, from 4.3% to 4.2%.
- December 2024 Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) fed funds future rates contract hints that investors are eyeing 98 basis points of Fed easing this year.
Technical outlook: Gold price set to dive further below $2,500
Gold price is upwardly biased, even though momentum shifted in sellers’ favor and opened the door for a drop to $2,470. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) hints that buyers are in charge, but in the near term the yellow metal could weaken.
In that event, if XAU/USD drops below $2,500, the next support would be the August 22 low at $2,470. Once surpassed, the next stop would be the confluence of the August 15 swing low and the 50-day Simple Moving Average (SMA) near the $2,427-$2,431 area.
Conversely, if XAU/USD stays above $2,500, the next resistance would be the all-time high, and the following resistance would be the $2,550 mark.
Gold FAQs
Gold has played a key role in human’s history as it has been widely used as a store of value and medium of exchange. Currently, apart from its shine and usage for jewelry, the precious metal is widely seen as a safe-haven asset, meaning that it is considered a good investment during turbulent times. Gold is also widely seen as a hedge against inflation and against depreciating currencies as it doesn’t rely on any specific issuer or government.
Central banks are the biggest Gold holders. In their aim to support their currencies in turbulent times, central banks tend to diversify their reserves and buy Gold to improve the perceived strength of the economy and the currency. High Gold reserves can be a source of trust for a country’s solvency. Central banks added 1,136 tonnes of Gold worth around $70 billion to their reserves in 2022, according to data from the World Gold Council. This is the highest yearly purchase since records began. Central banks from emerging economies such as China, India and Turkey are quickly increasing their Gold reserves.
Gold has an inverse correlation with the US Dollar and US Treasuries, which are both major reserve and safe-haven assets. When the Dollar depreciates, Gold tends to rise, enabling investors and central banks to diversify their assets in turbulent times. Gold is also inversely correlated with risk assets. A rally in the stock market tends to weaken Gold price, while sell-offs in riskier markets tend to favor the precious metal.
The price can move due to a wide range of factors. Geopolitical instability or fears of a deep recession can quickly make Gold price escalate due to its safe-haven status. As a yield-less asset, Gold tends to rise with lower interest rates, while higher cost of money usually weighs down on the yellow metal. Still, most moves depend on how the US Dollar (USD) behaves as the asset is priced in dollars (XAU/USD). A strong Dollar tends to keep the price of Gold controlled, whereas a weaker Dollar is likely to push Gold prices up.
Information on these pages contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Markets and instruments profiled on this page are for informational purposes only and should not in any way come across as a recommendation to buy or sell in these assets. You should do your own thorough research before making any investment decisions. FXStreet does not in any way guarantee that this information is free from mistakes, errors, or material misstatements. It also does not guarantee that this information is of a timely nature. Investing in Open Markets involves a great deal of risk, including the loss of all or a portion of your investment, as well as emotional distress. All risks, losses and costs associated with investing, including total loss of principal, are your responsibility. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of FXStreet nor its advertisers. The author will not be held responsible for information that is found at the end of links posted on this page.
If not otherwise explicitly mentioned in the body of the article, at the time of writing, the author has no position in any stock mentioned in this article and no business relationship with any company mentioned. The author has not received compensation for writing this article, other than from FXStreet.
FXStreet and the author do not provide personalized recommendations. The author makes no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of this information. FXStreet and the author will not be liable for any errors, omissions or any losses, injuries or damages arising from this information and its display or use. Errors and omissions excepted.
The author and FXStreet are not registered investment advisors and nothing in this article is intended to be investment advice.
Recommended content
Editors’ Picks
EUR/USD accelerates losses to 1.0930 on stronger Dollar
The US Dollar's recovery regains extra impulse sending the US Dollar Index to fresh highs and relegating EUR/USD to navigate the area of daily troughs around 1.0930 in the latter part of Friday's session.
GBP/USD plummets to four-week lows near 1.2850
The US Dollar's rebound keep gathering steam and now sends GBP/USD to the area of multi-week lows in the 1.2850 region amid the broad-based pullback in the risk-associated universe.
Gold trades on the back foot, flirts with $3,000
Gold prices are accelerating their daily decline, steadily approaching the critical $3,000 per troy ounce mark as the Greenback's rebound gains extra momentum and US yields tighten their retracement.
Can Maker break $1,450 hurdle as whales launch buying spree?
Maker holds steadily above $1,250 support as a whale scoops $1.21 million worth of MKR. Addresses with a 100k to 1 million MKR balance now account for 24.27% of Maker’s total supply. Maker battles a bear flag pattern as bulls gather for an epic weekend move.
Strategic implications of “Liberation Day”
Liberation Day in the United States came with extremely protectionist and inward-looking tariff policy aimed at just about all U.S. trading partners. In this report, we outline some of the more strategic implications of Liberation Day and developments we will be paying close attention to going forward.
The Best brokers to trade EUR/USD
SPONSORED Discover the top brokers for trading EUR/USD in 2025. Our list features brokers with competitive spreads, fast execution, and powerful platforms. Whether you're a beginner or an expert, find the right partner to navigate the dynamic Forex market.