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Gold Hits All-time High as Fed Rate-cut Hopes Bolster Appeal

Gold bars from the vault of a bank are seen in this illustration picture taken in Zurich November 20, 2014. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/File Photo
Gold bars from the vault of a bank are seen in this illustration picture taken in Zurich November 20, 2014. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/File Photo
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Gold Hits All-time High as Fed Rate-cut Hopes Bolster Appeal

Gold bars from the vault of a bank are seen in this illustration picture taken in Zurich November 20, 2014. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/File Photo
Gold bars from the vault of a bank are seen in this illustration picture taken in Zurich November 20, 2014. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/File Photo

Gold prices rose more than 1% to hit a record high on Thursday, helped by expectations of an interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve next week after US data signaled a slowing of the economy.
Spot gold was up 1.6% at $2,552.63 per ounce, as of 11:40 a.m. ET (1540 GMT). US gold futures were up 1.5% at $2,581.40, Reuters reported.
The US Labor Department said initial claims for state unemployment benefits rose 2,000 to a seasonally adjusted 230,000.
US producer prices increased slightly more than expected in August amid higher costs for services, but the trend remained consistent with subsiding inflation.
"We are headed towards a lower interest rate environment so gold is becoming a lot more attractive... I think we could potentially have a lot more frequent cuts as opposed to a bigger magnitude," said Alex Ebkarian, chief operating officer at Allegiance Gold.
Markets are currently pricing in an 85% chance of a 25-basis-point US rate cut at the Fed's Sept. 17-18 meeting, and a 15% chance of a 50-bps cut, the CME FedWatch tool showed.
Zero-yield bullion tends to be a preferred investment amid lower interest rates.
"The labor market is continuing to falter and if the labor market deteriorates, the journey that they'll embark on in cutting rates is going to go for an extended period of time," said Phillip Streible, chief market strategist at Blue Line Futures.
Elsewhere, palladium gained 2.3% to $1,031.00 per ounce, hitting its highest in over two months.
Traders said the metal was benefiting from a short-covering rally after Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that Moscow should consider limiting exports of uranium, titanium and nickel in retaliation against the West.
"Putin did not mention palladium. But since the metal is a by-product of Russian nickel production, such export curbs could drive down production of both metals and deepen the current deficit in the palladium market," said WisdomTree commodity strategist Nitesh Shah.

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China Mulls Draft Law to Promote Private Sector Development

A Chinese national flag flutters on a financial street in Beijing. (Reuters)
A Chinese national flag flutters on a financial street in Beijing. (Reuters)
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China Mulls Draft Law to Promote Private Sector Development

A Chinese national flag flutters on a financial street in Beijing. (Reuters)
A Chinese national flag flutters on a financial street in Beijing. (Reuters)

Chinese lawmakers are deliberating a draft of the country's first basic law specifically focused on the development of the private sector, the country’s Xinhua news agency reported.

“The law will be conducive to creating a law-based environment that is favorable to the growth of all economic sectors, including the private sector,” said Justice Minister He Rong, while explaining the draft on Saturday during the ongoing session of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the national legislature.

The draft private sector promotion law covers areas such as fair competition, investment and financing environments, scientific and technological innovation, regulatory guidance, service support, rights and interests protection and legal liabilities.

The draft has incorporated suggestions solicited from representatives of the private sector, experts, scholars and the general public, the minister said.

China left its benchmark lending rates unchanged as expected at the monthly fixing on Friday.

Persistent deflationary pressure and tepid credit demand call for more stimulus to aid the broad economy, but narrowing interest margin on the back of fast falling yields and a weakening yuan limit the scope for immediate monetary easing.

The one-year loan prime rate (LPR) was kept at 3.10%, while the five-year LPR was unchanged at 3.60%.

In a Reuters poll of 27 market participants conducted this week, all respondents expected both rates to stay unchanged.

Morgan Stanley said in a note that the 2025 budget deficit and mix are more positive than expected and suggest Beijing is willing to set a high growth target and record fiscal budget to boost market confidence, but further policy details are unlikely before March.

Last Friday, data released by the country's central bank said total assets of China's financial institutions had risen to 489.15 trillion yuan (about $68.03 trillion) by the end of third quarter this year.

The figure represented a year-on-year increase of 8%, said the People's Bank of China.

Of the total, the assets of the banking sector reached 439.52 trillion yuan, up 7.3% year on year, while the assets of securities institutions rose 8.7% year on year to 14.64 trillion yuan.

The insurance sector's assets jumped 18.3% year on year to 35 trillion yuan, the data showed.

The liabilities of the financial institutions totaled 446.51 trillion yuan, up 8% year on year, according to the central bank.

Separately, data released by the National Energy Administration on Thursday showed that China's electricity consumption, a key barometer of economic activity, rose by 7.1% year on year in the first 11months of the year.

During the period, power consumption of the country's primary industries increased by 6.8% year on year, while that of its secondary and tertiary sectors rose by 5.3% and 10.4%, respectively.

Residential power usage saw strong growth of 11.6% during this period, the administration said.

In November alone, power usage climbed 2.8% from one year earlier, according to the data.