|

Gold steadies near $4,000 as Fed delivers split 25 bps rate cut

  • Fed cuts rates by 25 bps to the 3.75%–4% range; decision not unanimous as Miran sought 50 bps and Schmid preferred no change.
  • Statement highlights moderate economic growth, slowing job gains, and inflation “somewhat elevated,” reinforcing cautious easing stance.
  • Fed to end balance sheet reduction on December 1, hinting at a shift toward neutral liquidity policy.

Gold price rallies as the Federal Reserve (Fed) decided to cut interest rates by 25 basis points on Wednesday, as expected, though not unanimously. At the time of writing, XAU/USD trades volatile within the $3,990-$4,010 range as traders brace for Fed Chair Jerome Powell's press conference.

Traders eye Powell’s remarks for guidance after divided vote and signal to end balance sheet runoff

Most officials voted to reduce the fed funds rates to the 3.75%-4% range, while Fed Governor Stephen Miran voted for a 50-bps cut and Jeffrey Schmid of the Kansas City Fed opted to hold rates unchanged.

In the statement, the Fed mentioned that "economic activity has been expanding at a moderate pace." "Job gains have slowed this year, and the unemployment rate has edged up but remained low through August; more recent indicators are consistent with these developments. Inflation has moved up since earlier in the year and remains somewhat elevated,” the Fed stated.

Regarding the balance sheet reduction, “The Committee decided to conclude the reduction of its aggregate securities holdings on December 1.”

Gold Price Reaction

XAU/USD seesawed within the $3,978-$4,010 range following the Fed’s decision, with traders waiting for Powell. The next key technical resistance seen is the day’s high at $4,030, followed by $4,050 and $4,100. On the downside, the first key support would be $3,900, followed by the current week’s low of $3,886

Economic Indicator

Fed Interest Rate Decision

The Federal Reserve (Fed) deliberates on monetary policy and makes a decision on interest rates at eight pre-scheduled meetings per year. It has two mandates: to keep inflation at 2%, and to maintain full employment. Its main tool for achieving this is by setting interest rates – both at which it lends to banks and banks lend to each other. If it decides to hike rates, the US Dollar (USD) tends to strengthen as it attracts more foreign capital inflows. If it cuts rates, it tends to weaken the USD as capital drains out to countries offering higher returns. If rates are left unchanged, attention turns to the tone of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) statement, and whether it is hawkish (expectant of higher future interest rates), or dovish (expectant of lower future rates).

Read more.

Last release: Wed Oct 29, 2025 18:00

Frequency: Irregular

Actual: 4%

Consensus: 4%

Previous: 4.25%

Source: Federal Reserve

Author

Christian Borjon Valencia

Markets analyst, news editor, and trading instructor with over 14 years of experience across FX, commodities, US equity indices, and global macro markets.

More from Christian Borjon Valencia
Share:

Editor's Picks

GBP/USD flirts with weekly highs in the Fed's aftermath

GBP/USD reversed early losses following the Federal Reserve decision to keep rates on hold and neared the 1.3360 level before shedding some ground. Focus shifts to Governor Kevin Warsh's speech, while the Bank of England will announce its monetary policy decision on Thursday.

EUR/USD extends rally pass 1.1450 on Fed's Warsh

EUR/USD trades at fresh weekly highs above 1.1450, following the Federal Reserve monetary policy decision to keep interest rates on hold. The statement showed policymakers remain confident in economic progress while blaming inflation on energy prices. The divided vote among officials put in doubt a September hike, leading to sharp US Dollar losses.

Gold  hovers around $4,100 as Fed decision hits the USD

Gold surged following the Federal Reserve's decision to keep the benchmark interest rate unchanged at 3.50%-3.75%. Policymakers noted that inflation remains elevated and that economic activity is expanding at a solid pace despite elevated uncertainty, spurring doubts about a rate hike in September. XAU/USD peaked above $4,100, now battling to retain the level.

No soft target: Warsh vows to return inflation to 2%
The Fed left interest rates unchanged at 3.50%-3.75%, but the decision carried a distinctly hawkish edge as three officials voted for an immediate 25-basis-point increase. Chair Kevin Warsh reinforced that message, insisting there was no tolerance for a softer inflation target and warning that the Fed would not hesitate to act.
How the CLARITY Act unlocks Wall Street’s tokenization pipeline
The United States (US) Digital Asset Market Clarity Act (CLARITY Act), awaiting a full Senate floor vote, promises to unlock Wall Street’s potential to tokenize financial assets, including equities, US Treasuries, private credit, real estate and commodities at a scale that could supercharge the real-world asset (RWA) market from the current $17 billion level to $5.5 trillion by 2030, according to
US Dollar mid-year outlook: Exceptional currency, exceptional risks?
The US Dollar enters the second half of 2026 in a markedly different position from a year ago. The King currency has recovered, reflecting persistent US inflation, changing expectations for Fed policy, geopolitical tensions and renewed demand for defensive assets.