Gold futures edged higher Wednesday as traders awaited minutes of the Federal Reserve’s April meeting for clues on interest-rate policy.
Gold for June delivery on Comex GCM5, +0.17% rose $2.10, or 0.2%, to $1,208.80 an ounce, while July silver SIN5, +0.49% gained 5.4 cents, or 0.3%, to $17.125 an ounce.
Gold on Monday rose to its highest level in more than three months, but gave back some of those gains on Tuesday. The yellow metal has been stuck in trading range between resistance at $1,225 an ounce and support at $1,180 (see chart below).
During that time, gold’s been buffeted by competing forces: rising bond yields, which are seen as a negative for the commodity, and a weaker dollar, which is seen as a positive, noted Matt Weller, senior technical analyst at Forex.com, in a note.
It is rare, however, to see the dollar and bond yields move in opposite directions for a prolonged period, Weller noted. The two factors are likely “to come into alignment sooner rather than later, perhaps around the Fed’s highly-anticipated mid-June meeting,” he said.
Meanwhile, traders will likely parse the release of the April minutes of the policy-setting Federal Open Market Committee that are due at 2 p.m. Eastern Time. Economists said the subdued tone of the Fed’s policy statement following that April meeting means the minutes, which will offer a summary of the panel’s policy debate, could virtually eliminate any remaining expectations for a rate hike in June.
In other metals trade, July platinum PLN5, +0.51% rose $5.40, or 0.5%, to $1,156.30 an ounce, while June palladium PAM5, +0.95% gained $7.40, or 1%, to $782.50 an ounce.
July copper HGN5, -0.04% dropped 0.25 cent, or 0.1%, to $2.835 a pound.
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It is rare, however, to see the dollar and bond yields move in opposite directions for a prolonged period, Weller noted. The two factors are likely “to come into alignment sooner rather than later, perhaps around the Fed’s highly-anticipated mid-June meeting,” he said.
Meanwhile, traders will likely parse the release of the April minutes of the policy-setting Federal Open Market Committee that are due at 2 p.m. Eastern Time. Economists said the subdued tone of the Fed’s policy statement following that April meeting means the minutes, which will offer a summary of the panel’s policy debate, could virtually eliminate any remaining expectations for a rate hike in June.
In other metals trade, July platinum PLN5, +0.48% rose $5.40, or 0.5%, to $1,156.30 an ounce, while June palladium PAM5, +0.89% gained $7.40, or 1%, to $782.50 an ounce.
July copper HGN5, -0.05% dropped 0.25 cent, or 0.1%, to $2.835 a pound.