Gold prices fell sharply on Thursday, as U.S. dollar gains and climbing Treasury yields sparked concerns over the Federal Reserve's anticipated path of interest rate cuts this year.
The precious metal's decline came ahead of a critical inflation report due on Friday, with investors bracing for potential surprises that could force the Fed to recalibrate its monetary policy outlook.
At the center of attention is the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price index for April, set to be released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). The core PCE is the Fed's preferred inflation gauge, capturing changes in consumer spending across a wide range of goods and services.
Treasury yields surged on Thursday, reflecting muted demand at this week's $183 billion bond auctions, as investors grew wary of persistent inflationary pressures amid improving economic growth prospects.
Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari's comments, which did not rule out another rate hike, had a strong impact on market sentiment. Yields climb, with the 10-year note yield reaching a one-month high of 5.471% and the 2-year note yielding 4.958%.
According to the CME's FedWatch tool, markets are pricing in a near-certainty that the Fed will maintain its current benchmark interest rate of 5.25%-5.5% at the June meeting. However, the probability shifts substantially in favor of rate cuts later in the year, with a 12.3% chance of a cut in July and a 47% chance in September.
As of 6:50 PM ET, the gold futures contract for August 2024 is currently fixed at $2,359, down $15.20 or 0.64%, and an additional decline of $4.70 (0.20 %) in Australia. The U.S. dollar index gained 0.51% to 105.164, a major factor in gold’s price decline today.
All eyes are now on Friday's PCE report, which will likely shape the Fed's future policy decisions. Market participants are also eagerly awaiting the central bank's updated economic projections and "dot plot" forecasts for interest rates, due after the June 12 FOMC meeting. The current "dot plot" envisions three rate cuts this year, a scenario that could be revised based on incoming data.
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