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Gold Down 1% Due to Stronger Dollar

FILED - 16 March 2023, Bavaria, Munich: Gold bars and gold coins of different sizes lie in a safe on a table at the precious metal dealer Pro Aurum. Photo: Sven Hoppe/dpa
FILED - 16 March 2023, Bavaria, Munich: Gold bars and gold coins of different sizes lie in a safe on a table at the precious metal dealer Pro Aurum. Photo: Sven Hoppe/dpa
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Gold Down 1% Due to Stronger Dollar

FILED - 16 March 2023, Bavaria, Munich: Gold bars and gold coins of different sizes lie in a safe on a table at the precious metal dealer Pro Aurum. Photo: Sven Hoppe/dpa
FILED - 16 March 2023, Bavaria, Munich: Gold bars and gold coins of different sizes lie in a safe on a table at the precious metal dealer Pro Aurum. Photo: Sven Hoppe/dpa

Gold prices fell on Wednesday under pressure from a stronger dollar and uncertainty ahead of a key US inflation report that could provide more clarity about the Federal Reserve's September policy meeting.

Spot gold was down 1% at $2,500.03 an ounce by 1205 GMT. Prices on Tuesday rose 0.3% to $2,524.57, a record high for the closing price.

The US currency steadied on Wednesday, making dollar-priced commodities less attractive for buyers using other currencies. Recent declines in the dollar had pushed the currency to its weakest in more than a year, Reuters reported.

The dollar index, which measures performance against a basket of currencies, was last up 0.4%.

"There are a lot of moving parts today, and items like Nvidia results are hanging over the market for direction clues on (interest) rates," one gold trader said. "The Fed is rightly cautious right now and that's not helping people with direction. Cash is king today."

Markets are focused on the looming US personal consumption expenditure (PCE) data, the Fed's preferred measure of inflation, due on Friday.

Gold is up 21% so far this year, heading for the biggest annual growth since 2020, with support coming from expectations of US rate cuts, safe-haven demand driven by geopolitical and economic uncertainty as well as robust purchases by central banks.

The rally, which started in March and saw spot prices hitting a record high of $2,531.60 on Aug. 20, was initially led by strong demand in China until high prices muted its imports and shifted the focus to Western investor buying.

With a rate cut widely expected, physically backed gold exchange-traded funds (ETFs) started purchases again after several years of outflows and are heading for a fourth consecutive month of inflows in August.

Gold ETFs saw modest net inflows of 8 metric tons ($403 million) last week, led by North American funds, according to the World Gold Council.

Among other precious metals, spot silver retreated by 2.3% to $29.31 an ounce, platinum lost 1.8% to $936.55 and palladium was down 2.4% at $946.75.

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FAO Aims for Key Outcomes at COP16 in Saudi Arabia

Preparations in the Saudi capital ahead of hosting the COP16 conference on combating desertification (from the “COP16” page on the X platform)
Preparations in the Saudi capital ahead of hosting the COP16 conference on combating desertification (from the “COP16” page on the X platform)
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FAO Aims for Key Outcomes at COP16 in Saudi Arabia

Preparations in the Saudi capital ahead of hosting the COP16 conference on combating desertification (from the “COP16” page on the X platform)
Preparations in the Saudi capital ahead of hosting the COP16 conference on combating desertification (from the “COP16” page on the X platform)

Dr. Abdul Hakim Elwaer, Assistant Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), stated that the organization will take an active role at COP16, the UN conference on combating desertification, scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia in early December.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, he expressed confidence that the conference—the first of its kind in the Middle East—would produce significant outcomes.

Elwaer’s comments came during a roundtable organized by FAO’s regional office in Cairo, attended by a select group of media representatives. The session focused on FAO’s participation in the upcoming conference and the importance of the Rio Trio —the integrated framework of the three major UN conventions addressing climate change, biodiversity conservation, and desertification.

Fida Haddad, FAO’s Program Officer for Land Rehabilitation and Climate Change, highlighted the interconnectedness of the three conventions and noted that COP16 would place a strong emphasis on land and water rehabilitation and their sustainable management.

Haddad pointed out that approximately 90% of the Middle East is affected by arid conditions. Despite this, local communities and Arab governments have made notable progress in addressing desertification and drought. She also announced that, for the first time, FAO has successfully placed food systems on the COP16 agenda, enabling discussions on how land rehabilitation can enhance food supply chains and systems.

Elwaer underscored FAO’s central role in achieving the second Sustainable Development Goal (SDG): eradicating hunger. He emphasized that FAO actively engages in the UN conventions on climate change, biodiversity, and desertification, which collectively contribute to this mission.

FAO’s focus, according to Elwaer, is on transforming food and agricultural systems to become more inclusive, efficient, and sustainable, aiming for better production, nutrition, and livelihoods. He highlighted the organization’s success in integrating these priorities into the agendas of the three conventions and collaborating with host countries on joint initiatives.

He further noted that Saudi Arabia’s hosting of COP16 is particularly significant for the region, which faces pressing challenges such as water scarcity, desertification, and food insecurity. The conference presents an opportunity for Middle Eastern nations to highlight these issues, explore solutions, and ensure their inclusion in global environmental discussions, not only at this event but in future COP sessions, he underlined.

Elwaer emphasized the growing global attention on desertification, as it is now impacting regions previously unaffected, such as southern Europe and parts of Latin America. These areas are witnessing alarming declines in arable land and forests, prompting them to seek lessons from the Arab world, which has developed resilience strategies to combat desertification over centuries.

FAO will have a strong presence at COP16, with two dedicated pavilions—one in the Blue Zone for official delegations and another in the Green Zone to engage civil society and conference participants, he said.

He added that in collaboration with Saudi Arabia and the UN, FAO will lead coordination on Food Day and Governance Day, scheduled for December 5 and 6, respectively. The organization will also participate in other specialized sessions throughout the conference.