PRECIOUS-Gold trades near two-week high on cooling US rate-hike bets
SPDR Gold GLD | 0.00 | |
ALBILAD GOLD ETF 9405.SA | 0.00 |
July 6 (Reuters) - Gold prices held near a two-week high on Monday after a cooler-than-expected U.S. jobs report last week slightly tempered expectations of interest rate hikes by the Federal Reserve.
FUNDAMENTALS
* Spot gold XAU= was steady at $4,175.02 per ounce by 0028 GMT, after posting a weekly gain of more than 2% following four straight weeks of declines on Friday. U.S. gold futures GCcv1 for August delivery climbed 1.5% to $4,186.80 per ounce.
* Data on Thursday showed U.S. job growth slowed sharply in June and payroll gains for the prior two months were revised lower, pointing to a cooling labor market and prompting financial markets to dial back expectations for a near-term Fed rate hike.
* Traders now see about a 55% chance of a rate increase in September, down from more than 60% before the data, according to the CME FedWatch tool. FEDWATCH/
* Lower interest rates tend to be favorable to gold, as it is a non-yielding asset.
* The release of the minutes from the Fed's June 16-17 meeting, Kevin Warsh's first as Fed chair, on Wednesday will be in focus for investors later this week.
* JPMorgan said demand for gold from key sectors would not be as strong as it had expected, limiting the rise in gold prices this year to $4,300/oz in the third quarter and $4,500/oz in the fourth quarter.
* Physical gold demand in India eased on Friday after a modest pick-up earlier in the week, as prices rebounded from a three-month low, while buying interest in China improved slightly. GOL/AS
* Elsewhere, spot silver XAG= extended gains to a fifth session, up 0.1% at $62.4773 per ounce and earlier hitting its highest since June 23.
* Spot platinum XPT= added 0.4% to $1,645.05 per ounce and palladium XPD= was up 0.1% to $1,275.18 per ounce. Both these metals were on track for their fourth straight daily gain.
DATA/EVENTS (GMT) |
|
0600 |
Germany Industrial Orders MM May |
0600 |
Germany Manufacturing O/P Cur Price SA May |
0600 |
Germany Consumer Goods SA May |
0830 |
UK S&P GLOBAL PMI MSC Composite Output Jun |
1345 |
US S&P Global Comp, Svcs PMI Final Jun |
1400 |
US ISM N-Mfg PMI Jun |
