Gold prices continue to move higher this week. In Tuesday’s North American trade, the spot price for an ounce of gold is $1326.90, up 0.32% on the day. There are no major events out of the US. On Wednesday, the US releases inflation and retail sales data. Traders should be prepared for some movement from XAU/USD during the North American session.
Gold headed lower last week, as the US dollar received a boost from a tumultuous week on global stock markets. Is the correction over? It’s too early too tell, but gold has posted gains in the Monday and Tuesday session, erasing most of last week’s losses. It’s no exaggeration to say that Wednesday’s inflation reports will be among the most important in recent memory, coming on the heels of the stock market meltdown. Much of the sell-off has been attributed to investor concerns over higher inflation, which could lead to a faster pace of rate hikes. If Wednesday’s inflation indicators are higher than expected, we can expect some volatility in gold prices and further sell-offs in the stock markets. The new head of the Federal Reserve, Jerome Powell, sought to send a reassuring message on Tuesday, saying that the Fed is on alert to any risks to financial stability. However, it’s clear that the Fed’s hand is limited when it comes to the volatile market movement which marked last week and could resume at any time.
