Gold edges higher above $4,550 on US-Iran peace optimism
- Gold price drifts higher to around $4,575 in Tuesday’s early Asian session.
- Optimism for a breakthrough in the US-Iran peace deal lifts the Gold price.
- Traders await the US April PCE Price Index inflation report on Thursday for fresh impetus.
Gold price (XAU/USD) gains ground to near $4,575 during the early Asian session on Tuesday. The precious metal edges higher as hopes for US-Iran peace negotiations weakened the US Dollar (USD).
US President Donald Trump said on Monday that negotiations with Iran over an interim deal to extend their ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz were “proceeding nicely.” Trump had urged Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt and Jordan to join the Abraham Accords and establish diplomatic relations with Israel amid his administration’s ongoing negotiations with Iran.
However, the US and Israel still need to finalize critical details, including whether ships transiting the Hormuz Strait will be allowed free passage and how quickly billions of dollars of Iranian funds will be unfrozen.
“Trump has been raising market hopes for some sort of deal with Iran, which could lead to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. That prospect has weighed on oil prices and, by extension, given gold a welcome lift from an inflation perspective,” said Tim Waterer, chief market analyst at KCM Trade.
The US April Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index report will take center stage later on Thursday. Any signs of hotter inflation in the US could reinforce a potential rate hike from the US Federal Reserve (Fed) and undermine the USD-denominated commodity price.
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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