Gold gains on weak US jobs, fueling Fed rate cut bets

Mitrade
Updated
coverImg
Source: DepositPhotos

  • Gold steady at $3,360 after 2% Friday surge on weak US jobs, Fed rate cut hopes.

  • July payrolls rose 73,000; 90% chance Fed cuts; gold rises on weak dollar, yields.

  • Platinum, silver rise; US copper falls 0.7% amid 20% plunge, surging inventories.

Gold Holds Steady in Asian Trade After Friday’s Sharp Gains

Gold prices remained steady during Monday’s Asian trading session following a substantial rally in the previous session. Spot gold hovered around $3,360.26 per ounce, while December gold futures inched up 0.2% to $3,41270 per ounce by 01:03 ET (05:03 GMT). The metal surged more than 2% on Friday, recovering much of last week’s earlier losses and marking a weekly gain after two consecutive weeks of declines.

Investor optimism was boosted by expectations of Federal Reserve interest rate cuts amid disappointing U.S. employment data and escalating trade tensions under President Donald Trump.

Weak U.S. Jobs Data and Rate Cut Bets Support Gold

Data released Friday revealed that U.S. nonfarm payrolls increased by a modest 73,000 in July, significantly missing forecasts. Additionally, job growth figures for May and June were revised downward. The unemployment rate edged up to 4.2%, intensifying concerns about a cooling U.S. economy. These factors have pushed markets to price in roughly a 90% chance of a Federal Reserve rate reduction in September.

Lower rates decrease the appeal of yield-bearing assets compared to non-yielding gold, enhancing its attractiveness. Concurrently, falling Treasury yields and a softer U.S. dollar—down 0.4% on Monday after sliding 0.8% on Friday—also contributed to nearly a 2% boost in gold prices, reinforcing bullion’s status as a safe haven amid tariff-driven inflation fears.

Mixed Moves in Base Metals Amidst Tariff Impact

Meanwhile, other metals posted varied results. Platinum futures nudged up 0.2% to $1,318.65 per ounce, and silver futures climbed 0.6% to $37.150 per ounce. Copper showed contrasting performances: London Metal Exchange benchmark copper futures gained 0.3% to $9,672.75 per ton, where as U.S. copper futures dropped 0.7% to $4.42 per pound.

Last week, U.S. copper prices plunged 20% after President Trump exempted refined copper from his slated 50% import tariff.

According to analysts at ING, an arbitrage collapse has resulted in a significant copper surplus in U.S. warehouses. Comex copper inventories have reached a 21-year high, suggesting the excess stock could be re-exported, exerting bearish pressure on LME prices as more copper shipments may flood those warehouses.

* The content presented above, whether from a third party or not, is considered as general advice only.  This article should not be construed as containing investment advice, investment recommendations, an offer of or solicitation for any transactions in financial instruments.

goTop
quote
Do you find this article useful?
Related Articles
placeholder
Dollar and long-term Treasuries fall as Trump intensifies Fed clash; gold gainsThe dollar and long-term U.S. Treasury bonds declined on Tuesday following President Donald Trump’s unprecedented move to dismiss Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook.
Author  Mitrade
Aug 26, Tue
The dollar and long-term U.S. Treasury bonds declined on Tuesday following President Donald Trump’s unprecedented move to dismiss Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook.
placeholder
Gold Prices Rise as Tariff Concerns Shake Bullion MarketsGold prices edged higher during Asian trading on Friday, poised for weekly gains as rising trade tensions and new U.S. import duties added to global economic uncertainty.
Author  Mitrade
Aug 08, Fri
Gold prices edged higher during Asian trading on Friday, poised for weekly gains as rising trade tensions and new U.S. import duties added to global economic uncertainty.
placeholder
Gold Slides on US-EU Trade Deal Boosting Risk Appetite Gold prices steadied during Monday’s Asian trading session after slipping for three straight days. The recent U.S.-European Union trade agreement improved investor sentiment, diminishing the appeal of gold as a safe-haven asset.
Author  Mitrade
Jul 28, Mon
Gold prices steadied during Monday’s Asian trading session after slipping for three straight days. The recent U.S.-European Union trade agreement improved investor sentiment, diminishing the appeal of gold as a safe-haven asset.
placeholder
Stocks Climb, Euro Strengthens After US-EU Trade AccordGlobal equities advanced and the euro strengthened on Monday as the United States and the European Union reached a pivotal trade accord, boosting investor sentiment amid a week packed with crucial central bank meetings by the Federal Reserve and the Bank of Japan.
Author  Mitrade
Jul 28, Mon
Global equities advanced and the euro strengthened on Monday as the United States and the European Union reached a pivotal trade accord, boosting investor sentiment amid a week packed with crucial central bank meetings by the Federal Reserve and the Bank of Japan.
placeholder
Asian Stocks Pull Back from Peaks as Dollar Gains Momentum Before Critical Week Asian shares saw a decline on Friday, with Japanese markets stepping back from record highs as investors opted to secure profits. This comes ahead of a pivotal week that includes U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff deadline and multiple central bank meetings. The dollar strengthened against the yen after recovering from a two-week low, buoyed by positive U.S. economic data.
Author  Mitrade
Jul 25, Fri
Asian shares saw a decline on Friday, with Japanese markets stepping back from record highs as investors opted to secure profits. This comes ahead of a pivotal week that includes U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff deadline and multiple central bank meetings. The dollar strengthened against the yen after recovering from a two-week low, buoyed by positive U.S. economic data.