Gold Weaker Ahead of FOMC Statement

December 13, 2016 Share Print 0

Gold prices are again modestly lower in early U.S. trading Tuesday and hovering not far above Monday’s 10-month low. Bearish technical charts and trader and investor optimism have been working against the safe-haven metal for several weeks. February Comex gold was last down $4.30 an ounce at $1,161.50. March Comex silver was last down $0.022 at $17.165 an ounce.

The marketplace is awaiting what is arguably the most important economic event of the month: the U.S. Federal Reserve FOMC meeting, which begins Tuesday morning and ends Wednesday afternoon with a statement. Most believe the Fed will raise interest rates for the first time in a year. In fact, the Fed funds futures market shows a 100% chance the Fed will raise U.S. interest rates this week. With a Fed rate hike so fully expected, markets have mostly factored it into their price structures. Thus, don’t be surprised to see many markets show a “buy the rumor, sell the fact” scenario following the actual announcement of the Fed rate hike. In gold and silver markets’ case, it would be “sell the rumor, buy the fact.”

The key “outside markets” on Tuesday see Nymex crude oil prices trading firmer, on some follow-through strength after spiking to a 16-month high on Monday and then backing off the high by the close. The U.S. dollar index is trading modestly higher in early U.S. trading. The greenback bulls remain technically strong.

U.S. economic data due for release Tuesday is light and includes the weekly Johnson Redbook and Goldman Sachs retail sales reports, and import and export price indexes.

via Kitco

This article is for general information purposes only. It is not investment advice or a solution to buy or sell securities. Opinions are the authors; not necessarily that of OANDA Corporation or any of its affiliates, subsidiaries, officers or directors. Leveraged trading is high risk and not suitable for all. You could lose all of your deposited funds.

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Alfonso Esparza

Senior Currency Analyst at Market Pulse

Alfonso Esparza specializes in macro forex strategies for North American and major currency pairs. Upon joining OANDA in 2007, Alfonso Esparza established the MarketPulseFX blog and he has since written extensively about central banks and global economic and political trends. Alfonso has also worked as a professional currency trader focused on North America and emerging markets. He has been published by The MarketWatch, Reuters, the Wall Street Journal and The Globe and Mail, and he also appears regularly as a guest commentator on networks including Bloomberg and BNN. He holds a finance degree from the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education (ITESM) and an MBA with a specialization on financial engineering and marketing from the University of Toronto.