Gold holds steady after scaling 7-week high, US inflation data in focus

Gold held steady in early Asian trade on Monday ​after hitting a seven-week ​peak on Friday, as investors awaited key inflation ​reports due later this week for interest rate clues.

FUNDAMENTALS

Spot gold was little changed at $4,339.59 per ounce, as of 0017 GMT, after a more ‌than 7% ⁠gain last ⁠week.

Bullion hit its highest since June 17 on Friday after weaker-than-expected U.S. jobs data reduced expectations for interest rate hikes.


U.S. gold futures were ​flat at $4,399.40.

Data on Friday showed the U.S. economy unexpectedly shed jobs in July and previously reported job gains for ​the prior two months were revised sharply ⁠lower.

Following ‌the data release, futures markets flipped the odds ​of a ​rate hike at the September 15-16 Federal ⁠Open Market Committee meeting from likelier-than-not to a worse-than-even chance.

​A lower interest rate environment boosts the attractiveness ​of gold against income-generating assets, as bullion itself earns no interest.

Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond President Thomas Barkin said hiring data for July represented a continuation of recent trends.

Key U.S. inflation data due this week include the ‌Consumer Price Index (CPI) and the Producer Price Index (PPI).

On the geopolitical front, Iran said it was nearing ​a final pact ​with Oman defining ⁠new shipping lanes between them through the Strait of Hormuz but repeated that the U.S. must meet other conditions, including compensation and ​an end to sanctions and military threats, before the strategic waterway is reopened.

Among other metals, spot silver rose 0.5% to $63.85 per ounce, platinum gained 0.2% to $1,748.25 and palladium slipped 0.5% to $1,371.16.

DATA/EVENTS (GMT)

0800 China Total Social Financing Jul

0800 China M2 Money Supply YY Jul

0800 China New Yuan Loans Jul