NEW YORK: Gold eased on Monday after Friday’s robust US jobs report bolstered expectations for a Federal Reserve interest rate hike this month, while investors awaited key inflation data for further clues on the monetary policy outlook.
Spot gold was down 0.3 percent at USD4,412.73 per ounce by 11:51 a.m. E.T (1551 GMT). US gold futures for December delivery fell 0.4 percent to USD4,458.70, with trading volumes low due to a US holiday.
“Gold and silver have moved in the opposite direction to energy prices, extending their declines after Friday’s strong US jobs report lifted bond yields and reinforced expectations of a Fed rate hike on 16 September,” said Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank.
“In today’s session, gold has twice found buying interest below USD4,400, well ahead of key support around USD4,320, while resistance continues to emerge above USD4,500.”
Data last week showed US job growth accelerated sharply in August, while the unemployment rate held steady at 4.1 percent.
Traders see a 60 percent chance of an interest rate hike at the central bank’s policy meeting next week, according to the CME FedWatch Tool, compared with a probability of 50 percent before the jobs data was released on Friday.
The US producer price index data is due on Thursday and the consumer price index data is scheduled for the next day.
Inflation worries remained high as a weekend exchange of strikes on shipping sent oil prices higher, while Iran said it will announce a new restricted zone in the Gulf in the coming days, along with maps of a new shipping corridor through the Strait of Hormuz.
Although gold is typically seen as an inflation hedge, higher interest rates tend to diminish non-yielding bullion’s appeal to investors.
However, US President Donald Trump on Friday said that unless the Fed cut rates, something that he has demanded previously, he would stop trading with countries with which the United States had a deficit.
Among other metals, spot silver inched up 0.2 percent to USD66.30 per ounce, platinum pushed up 0.4 percent to USD1,827.70, and palladium climbed 0.2 percent to USD1,389.26.
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