- Gold price trades higher on Tuesday as market turmoil on the Moody’s downgrade for the US credit rating remains sticky.
- President Trump alluded that the US might withdraw completely in further attempts to solve the Ukraine-Russia impasse.
- Gold trades in a tight range, holding above $3,225 in Tuesday’s trading.
Gold (XAU/USD) price trades around $3,235 on Tuesday at the time of writing, after earlier in Asian trading, sliding lower after several Federal Reserve (Fed) officials on Monday, commented on the US credit rating downgrade by rating agency Moody’s. Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta President Raphael Bostic said the downgrade could have a ripple effect through the economy, and that another 3 to 6 months of waiting time is needed to see how uncertainty settles, Bloomberg reports.
In the geopolitics front, the image of the US got dented a bit further after United States (US) President Donald Trump commented on his two-hour phone call with Vladimir Putin on ending the impasse in Ukraine. President Trump said that negotiations would start immediately, though if they break down again, the US would back away from any further efforts and negotiations. Trump said there were “some big egos involved,” and without progress, “I’m just going to back away,” repeating a warning that he could abandon the process and concluded with “This is not my war,” Reuters reports.
That statement suggests that the US President make a complete U-turn, as it was one of his campaign promises, to end the war in his first 100 days. Now that President Trump seems unable to resolve the situation, it looks like Trump will rather pull out and walk away from it.
Daily digest market movers: Whipsaw in the bond market
- Gold fell as the haven-demand boost from Moody’s Ratings downgrade of the US faded, and attention turned back to the easing of trade tensions between the two largest economies, Reuters reports.
- The Trump administration has granted the final federal permit for a Gold mine being developed by Perpetua Resources Corp., which also has a reserve of antimony, a critical mineral used in munitions. The US Army Corps of Engineers issued the Clean Water Act permit needed for the Stibnite project in Idaho, which was facilitated by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, the chair of the National Energy Dominance Council, according to a statement from his department, Bloomberg reports.
- US Treasuries are treading steady on Tuesday after whipsawing on Monday with the downgrading of US debt by Moody’s Ratings. US equity-index futures are down 0.3% while Gold dips 0.5% due to weak demand for havens, Bloomberg reports.
Gold Price Technical Analysis: Trying to get back above
The dented image of the US Dollar (USD) and the US as a whole should be something from which Gold as a safe haven should benefit. Though the headwinds coming from high yields make it difficult for the precious metal to bank on that. Instead, expect to see a sideways pattern for now, until the next catalyst presents itself.
On the upside, the pivotal technical level at $3,245 (April 1 high) is acting as resistance, already proved on Monday to be difficult to reclaim. Once through there, the R1 resistance at $3,250 and the R2 resistance at $3,271 are the following levels to watch, though a major catalyst would be needed to get it there.
On the other side, the daily S1 support stands at $3,207, ahead of the $3,200 big figure. In case that level does not hold, expect a move lower to the intraday S2 support at $3,185 and the April 3 high at $3,167, before the 55-day Simple Moving Average (SMA) at $3,151.
XAU/USD: Daily Chart
Fed FAQs
Monetary policy in the US is shaped by the Federal Reserve (Fed). The Fed has two mandates: to achieve price stability and foster full employment. Its primary tool to achieve these goals is by adjusting interest rates.
When prices are rising too quickly and inflation is above the Fed’s 2% target, it raises interest rates, increasing borrowing costs throughout the economy. This results in a stronger US Dollar (USD) as it makes the US a more attractive place for international investors to park their money.
When inflation falls below 2% or the Unemployment Rate is too high, the Fed may lower interest rates to encourage borrowing, which weighs on the Greenback.
The Federal Reserve (Fed) holds eight policy meetings a year, where the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) assesses economic conditions and makes monetary policy decisions.
The FOMC is attended by twelve Fed officials – the seven members of the Board of Governors, the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, and four of the remaining eleven regional Reserve Bank presidents, who serve one-year terms on a rotating basis.
In extreme situations, the Federal Reserve may resort to a policy named Quantitative Easing (QE). QE is the process by which the Fed substantially increases the flow of credit in a stuck financial system.
It is a non-standard policy measure used during crises or when inflation is extremely low. It was the Fed’s weapon of choice during the Great Financial Crisis in 2008. It involves the Fed printing more Dollars and using them to buy high grade bonds from financial institutions. QE usually weakens the US Dollar.
Quantitative tightening (QT) is the reverse process of QE, whereby the Federal Reserve stops buying bonds from financial institutions and does not reinvest the principal from the bonds it holds maturing, to purchase new bonds. It is usually positive for the value of the US Dollar.
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