Gold prices pressured by strong dollar; copper falls further

Gold prices fell slightly in Asian trade on Tuesday, extending recent losses as strength in the dollar, on expectations of smaller interest rate cuts, pressured metal prices. 

Industrial metals also retreated, with copper facing sustained pressure from concerns over top importer China, after Beijing provided middling cues on plans for more stimulus. Positive copper import data did little to offset this trend. 

Broader metal prices were also mostly negative, and were nursing losses over the past two weeks as signs of resilience in the U.S. economy dented expectations of outsized interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve. 

Spot gold fell 0.1% to $2,645.74 an ounce, while gold futures expiring in December fell 0.1% to $2,662.10 an ounce by 23:52 ET (03:52 GMT).  Gold kept off peaks as dollar hits 2-mth high

Gold prices remained below their September peaks, struggling to make new highs amid sustained pressure from the dollar . The greenback hit an over two-month high on Monday. 

Some hawkish-leaning comments from Fed officials also boosted the dollar. Governor Christopher Waller said he supported a cautious stance towards reducing rates further in the coming months, citing recent signs of resilience in the U.S. economy and sticky inflation. 

Traders were seen pricing in an over 80% chance the Fed will cut rates by 25 basis points in November, smaller than the bank’s 50 bps cut in September, CME Fedwatch showed. Traders were also seen positioning for a higher terminal rate for the Fed. 

Higher rates bode poorly for gold, given that they increase the opportunity cost of investing in non-yielding assets. This notion pulled gold off record highs, and also pressured other metal prices.

Platinum futures fell 0.6% to $997.65 an ounce, while silver futures fell slightly to $31.302 an ounce on Tuesday.  Copper extends losses as China woes persist 

Benchmark copper futures on the London Metal Exchange fell 0.2% to $9,633.50 a ton, while December copper futures fell 0.5% to $4.3818 a pound. 

The red metal was nursing steep losses over the past two weeks, especially as top importer China offered up middling cues on plans for more stimulus. China’s Ministry of Finance said it will ramp up fiscal spending and debt in the coming months, but did not specify the scope or timing of the planned measures, underwhelming some investors.

This notion saw copper fall even as trade data showed an increase in Chinese copper imports through September.

But China’s overall trade balance fell more than expected, hit by a sharp decline in export growth. 

Source: Investing.com