· Gold prices rose on Thursday as a pullback in the U.S. dollar and Treasury yields lifted demand for the safe-haven metal, while investors awaited U.S. non-farm payrolls data for April due later this week.
· Spot gold was up 0.4% at $1,794.30 per ounce by 0650 GMT. U.S. gold futures rose 0.6% to $1,794.20 per ounce.
· “The U.S. Federal Reserve is continuing to push back here, it is good for gold because it’s keeping yields lower. I think this will eventually lead to a weaker U.S. dollar,” said Stephen Innes, managing partner at SPI Asset Management.
· “A test of $1,800 is expected sooner rather than later the way this market is marching on to the beat of a very dovish Fed.”
· Benchmark U.S. 10-year Treasury yields slipped below 1.6% and hovered close to a one-week low hit on Tuesday, reducing the opportunity cost of holding non-interest bearing gold.
· The dollar index dipped 0.1%, moving further away from a near two-week high hit on Wednesday.
· Focus now shifts to Friday’s U.S. monthly jobs report, which is expected to show non-farm-payrolls increased by 978,000 last month.
· The U.S. economy may be growing more quickly and unemployment falling faster than the core of Fed policymakers projected in March, Fed Governor Michelle Bowman said on Wednesday.
· However, Chicago Fed President Charles Evans reiterated his worries about reaching the 2% inflation goal and said he expected monetary policy to stay accommodative for some time.
· Lower interest rates decrease the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding bullion.
· Spot gold is expected to retest resistance at $1,802 per ounce, with a good chance of breaking above this level and rising to $1,816, according to Reuters technical analyst Wang Tao.
· Gold Up, Investors Focus on Upcoming U.S. Jobs Data
· Gold Price Analysis: XAU/USD to confirm bullish bias on a move beyond $1,800
“There isn't any major market-moving economic data due for release from the US on Thursday. Hence, it remains to be seen if bulls are able to capitalize on the momentum or the commodity continues with its struggle to make it through the $1,800 round-figure mark.”
“Investors look forward to Friday's closely-watched US monthly employment details for April. The popularly known NFP report may provide clues on when the Fed would scale back its stimulus, which, in turn, should assist investors to determine the next leg of a directional move for the metal.”
“A move beyond the $1,800 mark will set the stage for a further near-term appreciating move and push the commodity to the $1,813-15 intermediate hurdle en-route the $1,845-50 resistance zone. Some follow-through buying has the potential to lift the XAU/USD further towards the $1,872-74 supply zone.”
“Immediate support is now pegged near the $1,782-80 region. This is followed by the overnight swing lows, around the $1,770 area. Failure to defend the mentioned support levels might prompt some technical selling and drag the metal back below the $1,760 level.”
· Palladium rose 0.4% to $2,984.97 per ounce, after scaling an all-time high of $3,017.18 on Tuesday on supply shortfalls.
· Silver was up 1% at $26.77 per ounce, while platinum dipped 0.5% to $1,230.66.
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