- Gold-backed ETFs see biggest net inflows since 2022, supporting prices.
- Traders eye US economic data, including Core PCE inflation gauge this week.
- Signs of buyer exhaustion emerge as Gold hovers near all-time highs.
Gold prices surged during the North American session after hitting a record high of $2,956 as the Greenback weakened and US Treasury bond yields fell. At the time of writing, XAU/USD trades at $2,949, up 0.49%.
Uncertainty keeps Bullion prices underpinned as investors consider trade policies US President Donald Trump proposed. Geopolitics continued to be in the second stage as the Ukraine-Russia conflict seems closer to being resolved, while increasing tensions in the Middle East fueled demand for Gold.
Gold prices have risen for the past eight weeks, spurred by the most significant net inflows into Gold-backed ETFs since 2022, revealed Bloomberg.
Even though XAU/USD could be poised to remain near all-time highs, it seems that buyers have lost a step as price action shows signs of exhaustion.
This week, the US economic docket will feature Federal Reserve (Fed) speakers, the Conference Board Consumer Confidence, housing data, Durable Goods Orders, the second reading of Q4 GDP, and the release of the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge—the Core Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index.
Daily digest market movers: Gold price capitalizes on US yields drop
- The US 10-year Treasury note yield has tumbled one basis point to 4.443%, a tailwind for the precious metal. US real yields, as measured by the yield in the US 10-year Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS), stay firm near 2.017%.
- The Conference Board Consumer Confidence is expected to drop from 104.1 to 103 in February.
- US business activity data in the United States (US) revealed last Friday was mixed with the S&P Global Manufacturing PMI expanding while the Services PMI shrank. Also, inflation expectations rose, and consumer sentiment deteriorated, revealed the University of Michigan (UoM).
- The Fed’s Meeting Minutes from Wednesday revealed that Trump’s trade and immigration policies fueled concerns over rising prices.
- The World Gold Council revealed that central bank purchases rose more than 54% YoY to 333 tonnes following Trump’s victory.
- Last week, Goldman Sachs upwardly revised Gold price projections to $3,100 by the end of 2025.
- Money market fed funds futures are pricing in 50 basis points of easing by the Fed in 2025.
XAU/USD technical outlook: Gold price hovers near all-time high
Gold price is tilted to the upside, though buyers seem to be losing some steam. Despite hitting an all-time high, XAU/USD paired some of those gains and retreated below $2,950 amid bulls’ lack of strength to drive the yellow metal to $3,000. In addition, the Relative Strength Index (RSI) is overbought. Once the RSI resumes its downward path toward neutrality, the precious metal will be under selling pressure.
In that outcome, Gold’s first support would be the $2,900 mark, followed by the February 14 swing low of $2,877, followed by the February 12 daily low of $2,864.
Tariffs FAQs
Tariffs are customs duties levied on certain merchandise imports or a category of products. Tariffs are designed to help local producers and manufacturers be more competitive in the market by providing a price advantage over similar goods that can be imported. Tariffs are widely used as tools of protectionism, along with trade barriers and import quotas.
Although tariffs and taxes both generate government revenue to fund public goods and services, they have several distinctions. Tariffs are prepaid at the port of entry, while taxes are paid at the time of purchase. Taxes are imposed on individual taxpayers and businesses, while tariffs are paid by importers.
There are two schools of thought among economists regarding the usage of tariffs. While some argue that tariffs are necessary to protect domestic industries and address trade imbalances, others see them as a harmful tool that could potentially drive prices higher over the long term and lead to a damaging trade war by encouraging tit-for-tat tariffs.
During the run-up to the presidential election in November 2024, Donald Trump made it clear that he intends to use tariffs to support the US economy and American producers. In 2024, Mexico, China and Canada accounted for 42% of total US imports. In this period, Mexico stood out as the top exporter with $466.6 billion, according to the US Census Bureau. Hence, Trump wants to focus on these three nations when imposing tariffs. He also plans to use the revenue generated through tariffs to lower personal income taxes.