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Gold Hits Two-week High on Fed Rate Cut Bets

Gold bullion displayed in a store in the German city of Pforzheim (dpa)
Gold bullion displayed in a store in the German city of Pforzheim (dpa)
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Gold Hits Two-week High on Fed Rate Cut Bets

Gold bullion displayed in a store in the German city of Pforzheim (dpa)
Gold bullion displayed in a store in the German city of Pforzheim (dpa)

Gold prices touched a two-week high on Thursday, as softer US economic data increased the likelihood of interest rate cuts from the Federal Reserve this year.
Spot gold was up 0.5% at $2,337.87 per ounce as of 0802 GMT, after hitting its highest since June 7 earlier in the session. US gold futures rose 0.2% to $2,351.30, Reuters said.
"I am still favoring moves to the upside for the gold market in light of where we currently stand on the interest rate curve, which is at the peak," said Tim Waterer, chief market analyst at KCM Trade.
"The gold market seems content to consolidate recent gains rather than reach higher at this stage, at least until we see some further evidence of softening US macro data, which could alter the interest rate outlook."
Last week's data showed a moderation in the labor market and price pressures, followed up with soft retail sales data on Tuesday, suggesting that economic activity remained lackluster in the second quarter.
The Fed is looking for further confirmation that inflation is cooling as they steer cautiously toward what most expect to be a rate cut or two by the end of this year.
Lower interest rates reduce the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding bullion.
"Mixed comments from Fed officials could inject volatility in the short term. We hold a positive view for gold with a price target of $2,500 per ounce by the end of 2024," ANZ analysts said in a note.
The market's immediate focus is on the US weekly jobless claims data due at 1230 GMT as well as flash purchasing managers' indexes on Friday.
Spot silver rose 1.7% to $30.25 per ounce, platinum was up 0.7% at $986.65 and palladium gained 1.3% to $916.75.

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Kazakhstan Anticipates Completion of ACWA Power’s Wind Energy Project

ACWA Power announced in March that it would execute the project, which will aid Kazakhstan in reaching its goal of sourcing 50% of its energy from clean resources by 2050. (Photo: ACWA Power)
ACWA Power announced in March that it would execute the project, which will aid Kazakhstan in reaching its goal of sourcing 50% of its energy from clean resources by 2050. (Photo: ACWA Power)
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Kazakhstan Anticipates Completion of ACWA Power’s Wind Energy Project

ACWA Power announced in March that it would execute the project, which will aid Kazakhstan in reaching its goal of sourcing 50% of its energy from clean resources by 2050. (Photo: ACWA Power)
ACWA Power announced in March that it would execute the project, which will aid Kazakhstan in reaching its goal of sourcing 50% of its energy from clean resources by 2050. (Photo: ACWA Power)

Kazakh Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Madiyar Menilbekov, announced that his country eagerly anticipates the completion of ACWA Power’s first wind energy project in the Zhetysu region. This project, led by the Saudi company, will have a total capacity of 1 gigawatt and an investment value of approximately $1.5 billion.
ACWA Power announced last March that it would execute this project, which will aid Kazakhstan in reaching its goal of sourcing 50% of its energy from clean resources by 2050. Construction is expected to commence in the summer of 2025.
Menilbekov told Asharq Al-Awsat that both countries “have established a solid political dialogue at a high level, along with cooperation in trade, economics, culture, and parliamentary exchange.” He expects this high-level dialogue to continue at the upcoming COP 16 summit in Riyadh.
He further emphasized that trade, economic, and investment cooperation is the cornerstone of the bilateral relationship, noting: “Both countries share a similar outlook on economic development, reflected in Kazakhstan’s Strategic Program 2050 and Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.”
The Kazakh ambassador highlighted that last September, the Islamic Development Bank approved financing for projects in Kazakhstan focused on water resource development, enhancing agricultural productivity, and ensuring food security, with total allocations amounting to $1.153 billion.
In tourism, he noted significant progress toward establishing direct flights between the two countries. Air Astana launched flights between Shymkent and Jeddah in October and announced a route from Almaty to Medina, bringing the total to six direct flights. Additionally, Kazakh companies in construction, oil services, and IT have recently opened offices across Saudi Arabia. The Farabi Innovation Center was inaugurated in Riyadh to attract talented entrepreneurs and innovative startups from Nur-Sultan and Central Asia to the Kingdom.
Menilbekov explained that since gaining independence, Kazakhstan’s GDP has grown 17-fold, with foreign trade reaching $139.8 billion last year. He added: “Since 1993, Kazakhstan has attracted a total of $441 billion in foreign direct investment, allowing our economy to remain one of the most dynamic in Central Asia and the post-Soviet region.”
According to Menilbekov, Kazakhstan is the world’s largest producer and exporter of natural uranium, responsible for more than 45% of global production and exports. He also noted that Kazakhstan produces 18 of the 34 raw materials identified by the European Union as “critical materials.”
Menilbekov further mentioned that Kazakhstan possesses 200 million hectares of agricultural land, with about 100 million hectares currently under regular cultivation.