Gold sticks to gains above $5,000 as China's buying and Fed rate-cut bets drive demand
- Gold scales higher for the second straight day and draws support from a combination of factors.
- China's gold buying, dovish Fed bets, and a modest USD weakness continue to underpin the bullion.
- A positive risk tone acts as a headwind for the safe-haven XAU/USD as traders await key US data.
Gold (XAU/USD) surges past the $5,000 psychological mark during the Asian session on Monday in reaction to the weekend data, showing that the People's Bank of China (PBOC) extended its buying spree for a 15th month in January. Moreover, dovish US Federal Reserve (Fed) expectations and concerns about the central bank's independence drag the US Dollar (USD) lower for the second straight day, providing an additional boost to the non-yielding yellow metal. Despite a combination of supporting factors, the commodity remains below last week's swing high.
Signs of easing tensions in the Middle East boost investors' appetite for riskier assets, which is evident from a generally positive tone around the equity markets. This, in turn, is seen acting as a headwind for the safe-haven Gold. Traders also seem reluctant to place aggressive directional bets and opt to wait for this week's important US macro releases – the delayed Nonfarm Payrolls (NFP) report on Wednesday and the latest consumer inflation figures on Friday. The crucial data will offer cues about the Fed's rate-cut path, which will drive the USD and the XAU/USD pair.
Daily Digest Market Movers: Gold benefits from sustained central bank buying, Fed rate cut bets, weaker USD
- Data from the People's Bank of China (PBOC) showed on Saturday that the central bank continued its gold purchases for the 15th straight month in January, highlighting steady demand amid fiscal concerns in major economies. China's gold holdings surged 40,000 troy ounces to 74.19 million last month, and the value of reserves increased to $369.58 billion.
- According to the CME Group's FedWatch Tool, traders are currently pricing in a greater possibility that the US Federal Reserve will lower borrowing costs at least more times in 2026. The bets were reaffirmed by last week's US data, which pointed to signs of weakness in the labor market and backed the case for further policy easing by the US central bank.
- US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that he might sue his newly selected Fed chair nominee, Kevin Warsh, if he didn’t lower rates. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Thursday refused to rule out the possibility of a criminal investigation of Kevin Warsh if he ends up refusing to cut interest rates, fueling concerns about the central bank's independence.
- Apart from this, the broader dedollarization trend drags the US Dollar lower for the second straight day, away from a two-week top touched last Thursday. This, in turn, drives some follow-through flows towards the non-yielding Gold at the start of a new week. However, the upbeat mood across the global equity markets acts as a headwind for the commodity.
- Despite differences over the agenda, indirect talks between the US and Iran on the future of the latter's nuclear program ended on Friday with a broad agreement to maintain a diplomatic path. This helps ease concerns about a military confrontation in the Middle East and boosts investors' appetite for riskier assets, capping the upside for the safe-haven precious metal.
- The XAU/USD bulls also seem reluctant ahead of the delayed release of the closely-watched US monthly jobs data – popularly known as the Nonfarm Payrolls (NFP) report on Wednesday. Apart from this, the US consumer inflation figures on Friday will play a key role in influencing the USD price dynamics and providing a fresh impetus to the XAU/USD pair.
Gold needs to find acceptance above 200-hour SMA to back case for further appreciating move
The precious metal is flirting with the 200-hour Simple Moving Average (SMA) pivotal resistance, and a sustained strength above will be seen as a fresh trigger for bullish traders. The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) line remains above the Signal line and above zero, while the positive histogram is contracting, suggesting fading upside momentum.
The Relative Strength Index (RSI) prints 64 (bullish) without reaching overbought. The 200-hour SMA slopes lower, keeping the intraday tone offered and acting as immediate resistance. A sustained close back above the 200-period SMA would improve the near-term outlook, whereas rejection there would keep sellers in control.
(The technical analysis of this story was written with the help of an AI tool.)
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.
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