Gold Edges Higher as Fed Backs September Easing

A jeweller shows a gold bar at his shop in downtown Kuwait City on May 20, 2024. (Photo by YASSER AL-ZAYYAT / AFP)
A jeweller shows a gold bar at his shop in downtown Kuwait City on May 20, 2024. (Photo by YASSER AL-ZAYYAT / AFP)
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Gold Edges Higher as Fed Backs September Easing

A jeweller shows a gold bar at his shop in downtown Kuwait City on May 20, 2024. (Photo by YASSER AL-ZAYYAT / AFP)
A jeweller shows a gold bar at his shop in downtown Kuwait City on May 20, 2024. (Photo by YASSER AL-ZAYYAT / AFP)

Gold prices ticked up on Monday, extending gains from the last session as Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's dovish remarks solidified expectations of an interest rate cut next month.

Spot gold rose 0.2% to $2,516.09 per ounce by 0027 GMT. US gold futures gained 0.2% to $2,551.30.

The dollar hovered near its lowest level in about eight months, making gold cheaper for other currency holders, while benchmark 10-year yields also slipped, Reuters reported.

On Friday, Powell signalled support for policy easing, saying that "the time has come" for the Fed to cut rates amid rising risks to the job market, even as inflation was in reach of the U.S. central bank's 2% target.

Traders have fully priced in a Fed easing for next month, with a 64% chance of a 25-basis-point cut and about 36% chance of a bigger 50-bp reduction, according to the CME FedWatch tool.

A low interest rate environment tends to boost non-yielding bullion's appeal.



Oil Climbs on Mideast Escalation Fears, US Rate Cut Expectations

The sun is seen behind a crude oil pump jack in the Permian Basin in Loving County, Texas, US, November 22, 2019. REUTERS/Angus Mordant
The sun is seen behind a crude oil pump jack in the Permian Basin in Loving County, Texas, US, November 22, 2019. REUTERS/Angus Mordant
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Oil Climbs on Mideast Escalation Fears, US Rate Cut Expectations

The sun is seen behind a crude oil pump jack in the Permian Basin in Loving County, Texas, US, November 22, 2019. REUTERS/Angus Mordant
The sun is seen behind a crude oil pump jack in the Permian Basin in Loving County, Texas, US, November 22, 2019. REUTERS/Angus Mordant

Oil prices extended gains on Monday on fears a major spillover in fighting from the Gaza conflict into the Middle East could disrupt regional oil supplies, while imminent US interest rate cuts lifted the global economic and fuel demand outlook.

Brent crude futures climbed 37 cents, or 0.5%, to $79.39 a barrel by 2300 GMT while US crude futures were at $75.19 a barrel, up 36 cents, or 0.5%.

"Israel's pre-emptive strike on Lebanon over the weekend to prevent an imminent attack from Hezbollah should ensure a stronger open this morning as (WTI) crude looks to extend its rally initially towards $77.50, before $80.00," IG analyst Tony Sycamore said in a note, Reuters reported.

Both oil benchmarks gained more than 2% on Friday after US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell endorsed an imminent start to interest rate cuts.

"The prospect of easing monetary policy boosted sentiment across the commodity complex," ANZ analysts said in a note, adding it expects the Fed will implement a progressive series of rate cuts.

Still, oil prices were down last week as a poor outlook for major economies weighed on fuel demand, the bank added.

The US Energy Department said on Friday it bought nearly 2.5 million barrels of oil to help replenish the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

The number of operating US oil rigs were unchanged at 483 last week, Baker Hughes said in its weekly report.