The gold market is weaker on Wednesday, balancing record highs and technical signals pointing towards a potential short-term correction. Factors influencing this include rising Treasury yields, a stronger U.S. Dollar, and varying expectations of U.S. interest rate cuts.
At 10:58 GMT, XAU/USD is trading $2272.25, down $8.565 or -0.38%. The high of the session is $2288.435, a record.
As investors anticipate further U.S. economic data, Treasury yields remain a focal point. The 10-year Treasury note yield, briefly surpassing 4.4%, reflects investor attention to economic indicators and Federal Reserve policies. The dollar’s strength, reaching over four months high, adds pressure to the gold market, complicating the landscape for bullion investors.
Expectations of Federal Reserve rate cuts are met with a cautious yet optimistic tone from officials. Policymakers at the Federal Reserve acknowledge the possibility of rate reductions while underscoring the robustness of recent economic performance. This careful balance, reflecting steady growth in manufacturing and a strong labor market, indicates a thoughtful and measured approach to monetary policy.
Despite the pressures of rising yields and a strong dollar, gold’s role as an inflation hedge and safe-haven remains intact. The metal’s continuous record highs and 10.8% gain this year emphasize its appeal in uncertain times, including geopolitical tensions like the Ukraine-Russia conflict. Investors are leaning on gold, viewing inflation as a more significant factor than interest rates, with speculation and quantitative signals driving part of this momentum.
Considering these factors, the gold market shows a tug-of-war between bullish safe-haven buying and bearish pressures from a strengthening dollar and rising yields. The technical setup hints at a possible bearish reversal, yet gold’s fundamental role as a hedge against inflation and political uncertainty could sustain its upward trend.
The near-term gold market trend will likely be influenced by upcoming economic data releases, Fed policy signals, and ongoing global tensions. Investors should closely monitor these elements for insights into gold’s short-term direction.
Gold (XAU/USD) is edging lower on Wednesday after touching a record high earier in the day. Given the prolonged move up in terms of price and time, a higher-high, lower-close will form a potentially bearish closing price reversal top.
Confirming the chart pattern on Thursday will indicate a shift in momentum to down. This could trigger the start of a 50% to 61.8% correction of the rally from $2146.155 to $2288.435. This makes $2217.29 to $2200.51 the first target.
On the upside, an intraday surge through $2288.435 will signal a resumption of the uptrend.
James Hyerczyk is a U.S. based seasoned technical analyst and educator with over 40 years of experience in market analysis and trading, specializing in chart patterns and price movement. He is the author of two books on technical analysis and has a background in both futures and stock markets.