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Gold eyes biggest weekly drop in over 5 months

Gold rates struck a twoweek short on Friday, set for their biggest weekly loss in over 5 months, as rates of interest cut expectations started to dwindle after a. hawkish tone in the U.S. Federal Reserve minutes.

Spot gold drifted 0.4% higher at $2,336.86 per. ounce, since 0546 GMT, after hitting its least expensive considering that May 9. earlier. Bullion hit a

record high

of $2,449.89 on Monday, but has fallen about 5% ever since.

U.S. gold futures was the same at $2,337.80.

The hawkish tone in minutes from May's Fed policy conference. flagging policymakers' inability to with confidence cut rates ... has. increased Treasury yields and the dollar, and metals seem to. have taken notification, stated Ilya Spivak, head of international macro at. Tastylive.

Bullion is known as an inflation hedge however higher rates. increase the chance cost of holding non-yielding gold.

While the policy action in the meantime would include. maintaining the U.S. central bank's benchmark policy rate at. its current level, the minutes launched on Wednesday also. reflected conversations of possible further walkings.

Traders' bets suggested rising scepticism that the Fed will. lower rates more than when in 2024.

Spivak noted that Chinese reserve purchasing remains a notable. tailwind in general. The pace of uptake slowed to 9% year-on-year. in April from 11% at 2023-end, but the PBOC (People's Bank of. China) is still a major source of demand. That may keep losses. limited for now.

The gold/silver ratio has actually now dropped, so momentum patterns. might switch off to favor gold once again, he added.

Area silver rose 1.3% to $30.49.

Platinum edged 0.3% greater to $1,022.35 and. palladium gained 0.6% to $974.73. All three metals were. headed for weekly losses.

Russia's Nornickel plans to develop a PGMs refinery in. Bahrain, a source knowledgeable about the matter informed .

(source: Reuters)