(Bloomberg) -- Gold snapped a four-day advance as investors looked beyond the prospect of a US interest-rate cut next week to a more uncertain outlook for the coming year.
US consumer price data on Wednesday rose in line with expectations, bolstering bets for a 25-basis-point rate cut when the Federal Reserve meets next week. But the trajectory of monetary policy in 2025 remains highly uncertain as the world braces for Donald Trump’s return to the White House.
“Markets are pricing in a potential Fed pause in January 2025 and the risk of a slower pace of Fed cuts going forward,” said Christopher Wong, FX strategist at Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp.
Lower borrowing costs typically aid non-yielding bullion. Bullion fell as much as 0.7% to trade near $2,700 an ounce, after gaining more than 3% over the previous three sessions.
Gold is on track for its biggest annual gain since 1979, with support from Fed easing, haven demand, and sustained buying by the world’s central banks. China reported that it resumed buying for its reserves in November after a six-month pause, buoying prices that had retreated in the wake of Trump’s election victory.
Traders were also monitoring a rare dislocation between the New York and London markets for gold and silver, with premiums for futures contracts jumping on Wednesday. The possibility of precious metals being subject to US import tariffs under the Trump administration has triggered the divergence, analysts said.
Gold for immediate delivery was down 0.2% to $2,712.47 an ounce at 12:48 p.m. in Shanghai, following a 0.9% gain on Wednesday. The commodity’s latest record was set at the end of October, with prices peaking just above $2,790.
The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index was down 0.2%. Silver edged higher to trade above $32 an ounce, while platinum and palladium also gained.
--With assistance from Andrew Janes.
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