- Gold price edges higher and snaps a three-day losing streak amid a softer USD.
- Bets that the Fed will resume its rate-cutting cycle soon also support the bullion.
- Traders now look to Tuesday’s US macro data and Fed speak for a fresh impetus.
Gold price (XAU/USD) attracts some dip-buyers during the Asian session on Tuesday and for now, seems to have snapped a three-day losing streak. The US Dollar (USD) struggles to capitalize on its recent recovery gains from a multi-month low and retreats slightly from a three-week high touched on Monday. Apart from this, the growing acceptance that the Federal Reserve (Fed) will resume its rate-cutting cycle soon, amid worries over a tariff-driven US economic slowdown, lends support to the non-yielding yellow metal.
Meanwhile, the global risk sentiment remains well supported by hopes for less disruptive US trade tariffs, the Russia-Ukraine peace deal, and optimism over China’s stimulus. This might hold back traders from placing fresh bullish bets around the safe-haven Gold price and cap any further gains. Nevertheless, the aforementioned fundamental backdrop suggests that the path of least resistance for the XAU/USD is to the upside. Hence, any corrective slide could be seen as a buying opportunity and remain cushioned.
Daily Digest Market Movers: Gold price draws support from the emergence of some USD selling
- The global risk sentiment remains well supported by hopes that US President Donald Trump’s so-called reciprocal tariffs, set to take effect on April 2, will be narrower and less strict than initially feared.
- Russian state media RIA reported that a joint statement from the US and Russia is expected on Tuesday after day-long talks in Saudi Arabia focused on a narrow proposal for a Black Sea maritime ceasefire deal.
- According to a Financial Times report, China is considering including services in a subsidy program to stimulate consumption, further boosting investors’ confidence and undermining the safe-haven Gold price.
- The US Dollar retreats from a nearly three-week high touched on Monday in reaction to the better-than-expected release of US Composite PMI, which rose to 53.5 in March from the 51.6 previous month.
- The Federal Reserve last week lowered its 2025 growth forecast and hiked its inflation outlook amid uncertainty over Trump’s tariffs, though signaled that it is likely to deliver two 25 basis points rate cuts in 2025.
- Meanwhile, concerns about US economic growth saw traders lift bets that the Fed could resume its policy-easing cycle soon, which caps further USD gains and lends support to the non-yielding yellow metal.
- Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic said on Monday that he anticipates slower progress on inflation in coming months and sees the central bank cut the benchmark rate only a quarter of a percentage point in 2025.
- Traders now look to Tuesday’s US economic docket – featuring the release of the Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index, New Home Sales, and the Richmond Manufacturing Index – for some impetus.
- Apart from this, speeches by influential FOMC members could drive the USD demand and produce short-term opportunities around the XAU/USD pair later during the North American session.
- The focus, however, will remain glued to the US Personal Consumption Expenditure (PCE) Price Index on Friday, which could provide fresh cues about the Fed’s future rate-cut path.
Gold price bulls have the upper hand while above the $3,000 psychological mark pivotal support
From a technical perspective, the XAU/USD pair has been showing some resilience near the $3,000 mark. The said handle is likely to act as a key pivotal point, which if broken decisively might prompt some technical selling and drag the Gold price to the $2,982-2,978 region. The corrective fall could extend further towards the $2,956-2,954 resistance breakpoint, now turned support.
On the flip side, the $3,033 area, or the overnight swing high, now seems to act as an immediate hurdle ahead of the all-time peak, around the $3,057-3,058 zone touched last week. Given that oscillators on the daily chart are holding comfortably in positive territory, some follow-through buying will be seen as a fresh trigger for bulls and set the stage for an extension of a multi-month-old uptrend.
Risk sentiment FAQs
In the world of financial jargon the two widely used terms “risk-on” and “risk off” refer to the level of risk that investors are willing to stomach during the period referenced. In a “risk-on” market, investors are optimistic about the future and more willing to buy risky assets. In a “risk-off” market investors start to ‘play it safe’ because they are worried about the future, and therefore buy less risky assets that are more certain of bringing a return, even if it is relatively modest.
Typically, during periods of “risk-on”, stock markets will rise, most commodities – except Gold – will also gain in value, since they benefit from a positive growth outlook. The currencies of nations that are heavy commodity exporters strengthen because of increased demand, and Cryptocurrencies rise. In a “risk-off” market, Bonds go up – especially major government Bonds – Gold shines, and safe-haven currencies such as the Japanese Yen, Swiss Franc and US Dollar all benefit.
The Australian Dollar (AUD), the Canadian Dollar (CAD), the New Zealand Dollar (NZD) and minor FX like the Ruble (RUB) and the South African Rand (ZAR), all tend to rise in markets that are “risk-on”. This is because the economies of these currencies are heavily reliant on commodity exports for growth, and commodities tend to rise in price during risk-on periods. This is because investors foresee greater demand for raw materials in the future due to heightened economic activity.
The major currencies that tend to rise during periods of “risk-off” are the US Dollar (USD), the Japanese Yen (JPY) and the Swiss Franc (CHF). The US Dollar, because it is the world’s reserve currency, and because in times of crisis investors buy US government debt, which is seen as safe because the largest economy in the world is unlikely to default. The Yen, from increased demand for Japanese government bonds, because a high proportion are held by domestic investors who are unlikely to dump them – even in a crisis. The Swiss Franc, because strict Swiss banking laws offer investors enhanced capital protection.
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