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Gold steadies as rally slows on expectations of smaller United States rate cut

Gold rates held steady on Monday, off recent record highs as the market anticipated a smaller sized interest rate cut by the U.S. Federal Reserve next month, while traders awaited inflation data this week for additional clues on policy reducing.

Area gold was around $2,651.48 per ounce by 0940 GMT, off a record peak of $2,685.42 hit on Sept. 26. U.S. gold futures edged up about 0.2% at $2,671.70.

The market now waits for minutes of the Fed's last policy conference and data for the U.S. Customer Rate Index and Manufacturer Price Index this week.

This week's CPI information is vital for anticipating what the Fed would do, but I'm not expecting a surprise because the market is already pricing a nearly 100% opportunity that the Fed will look at rate (cut) by only 25 basis points, stated Kinesis Cash market expert Carlo Alberto De Casa.

Traders now see a 95% likelihood that the Fed will cut rates by just a quarter of a portion point next month, after a U.S. employment report pointed to a durable economy that likely does not require the reserve bank to deliver big interest rate cuts for the rest of this year.

The dollar recovering and going up would not be a good circumstance for gold but despite that bullion has handled to stay steady, validating a strong interest of financiers for bullion. Apart from that, geopolitical stress have also supported gold demand, said De Casa.

Israel bombed targets in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip on Sunday ahead of the 1 year anniversary of the Oct. 7 attacks that sparked its war.

Geopolitical dangers in the Middle East could support safe-haven flows for the yellow metal, which restrict the downside from a less-dovish market rate rates, IG market strategist Yeap Jun Rong said.

Area silver fell 0.9% to $31.89, platinum lost 0.3% at $984.65 and palladium increased 0.8% to $1,020.09.

(source: Reuters)