Gold was flat in Asian trade amid renewed fighting in the Middle East and after the Federal Open Market Committee's latest minutes
Spot gold and silver prices are solidly lower in late-afternoon U.S. trading Wednesday, as renewed U.S.-Iran escalation, a sharp crude-oil rally and hawkish Fed minutes pushed Treasury yields and the U.S. dollar higher.
Gold's sustained strength reflects a convergence of structural forces that are unlikely to reverse quickly. Central bank buying has been a persistent driver, with sovereign wealth funds and central banks in emerging economies diversifying away from dollar-denominated reserves and adding gold at rates that have sustained baseline demand regardless of the speculative positioning cycle.
Although gold prices are holding support above $4,000 an ounce, June proved to be a difficult month as rising opportunity costs continued to push investors out of gold-backed exchange-traded funds, according to the latest report from the World Gold Council.
Russia's state gold reserves fell below $300 billion at the end of last month amid a broader drop in the country's total reserve assets, according to the latest data from the Central Bank of Russia (CBR).The CBR valued the country's gold reserves at $298.99 billion at the end of last month, according to a report released on Tuesday.
Spot gold and silver prices are lower ahead of the North American market open Wednesday, as renewed U.S.-Iran escalation pushed crude oil, Treasury yields and the U.S. dollar higher, overwhelming the safe-haven bid from Strait of Hormuz risk.
Gold rose in early Asian trade amid news of renewed fighting in the Middle East.
As many analysts expected, central banks used gold's further selloff last month to tactically increase their official gold reserves, with the People's Bank of China continuing to dominate the market.
Gold's sharp correction from its record highs may have rattled investors, but MKS PAMP is urging them not to mistake the recent selloff for the end of the precious metal's secular bull market.
Spot gold prices are modestly higher and spot silver prices are weaker ahead of the North American market open Tuesday, as traders faded part of last week's payrolls-led rally while Treasury yields, the U.S. dollar and crude oil prices moved higher. At the time of writing, spot gold was trading near $4,169.39 an ounce, up 0.10%, while spot silver was trading near $61.397, down 1.03% on the session.
Gold fell in early Asian trade. The yellow metal's prices were likely at risk after successive sessions of gains, Hola Prime said.
Although gold prices have been unable to break initial resistance above $4,200, one market strategist expects the worst of the selling pressure from the months-long correction may now be over.