Gold takes step back on hopes of US-China trade talks
- Gold price retraces over 1% on Monday as some relief ripples through markets.
- US Treasury Secretary Bessent said over the weekend that several deals are on the table with Asian countries.
- Gold eases with the idea that trade tariff tensions could ease further from here.
Gold price (XAU/USD) is easing at the start of the week, pushing the price to $3,280 at the time of writing on Monday. The correction comes after a television interview at ABC with United States (US) Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Sunday, who mentioned that several big deals were on the table with Asian countries. “If there are 180 countries, there are 18 important trading partners, let's put China to the side, because that's a special negotiation, there's 17 important trading partners, and we have a process in place” said Bessent, and added “some of those are moving along very well, especially with the Asian countries.”
Additionally, US Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said on Sunday that the Trump administration is having daily conversations with China over tariffs, per Reuters. Rollins noted ongoing talks between the two nations and that trade deals with other nations were “very close.” It appears that more easing in the tariff story could be underway, which takes the wind out of the Gold surge.
However, Gold’s price decline could be limited as the Chinese Foreign Ministry reiterated on Monday that President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump did not have a call recently. “The US and China have not conducted negotiations or consultations on tariffs,” the Ministry noted.
Looking ahead to the rest of the week, the focal point will be on the April Nonfarm Payrolls (NFP) release on Friday. The US data as a whole will draw much more attention as a barometer to assess the next step of the Federal Reserve (Fed), with the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) delivering its next interest rate decision on May 7. The US data last week already started to show signs of a shift, with, for example, Durable Goods revealing a substantial change in consumer sentiment.
Daily digest market movers: Gold sector expanding with rally
- Toubani Resources, an African Gold miner capitalised at $61 million on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX), is trading up after securing commitments for a hefty $160 million debt package in a joint venture alongside a family office, Financial Review reports.
- Thailand’s bond market is on course for its best monthly inflows in more than three years, helped by interest-rate-cut bets and a stronger baht due to surging Gold prices, Bloomberg reports.
- China is stepping up scrutiny of Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing’s plans to sell its Panama ports to a BlackRock Inc.-backed group, while US President Donald Trump sought preferential treatment for US ships in the waterway, adding to uncertainty over whether the blockbuster deal will proceed.
Gold Price Technical Analysis: Not over yet
Although Bullion is softening again this Monday, traders and analysts are still calling out that more upside is possible for the precious metal. Despite several trade deals being on the table and negotiations underway, US President Trump mentioned on Friday that a delay on the exemption of tariffs is not being discussed at this moment. Meanwhile, the rhetoric between China and the US is not showing signs of actual talks taking place after Chinese retailer Shein lifted its prices for the US markets by more than 100% to pass on the tariff import costs too the US customer.
The daily Pivot Point at $3,318 is the first hurdle that needs to be recovered this Monday. From there, it is quite a stretch to $3,424 for hitting the R1 resistance. The all-time high at $3,500 will be a firm cap on the upside, which makes the R2 resistance at $3,529 a near-implausible level to reach this Monday.
On the downside, the S1 support is providing a cushion at $3,266, roughly converging with last week’s low of $3,260. Further down, the technical pivotal floor near $3,245 (April 11 high) comes into play. Finally, the S2 support at $3,213 should prevent any further downturn to the pivotal level at $3,167 (April 3 high).
XAU/USD: Daily Chart
Gold FAQs
Gold has played a key role in human’s history as it has been widely used as a store of value and medium of exchange. Currently, apart from its shine and usage for jewelry, the precious metal is widely seen as a safe-haven asset, meaning that it is considered a good investment during turbulent times. Gold is also widely seen as a hedge against inflation and against depreciating currencies as it doesn’t rely on any specific issuer or government.
Central banks are the biggest Gold holders. In their aim to support their currencies in turbulent times, central banks tend to diversify their reserves and buy Gold to improve the perceived strength of the economy and the currency. High Gold reserves can be a source of trust for a country’s solvency. Central banks added 1,136 tonnes of Gold worth around $70 billion to their reserves in 2022, according to data from the World Gold Council. This is the highest yearly purchase since records began. Central banks from emerging economies such as China, India and Turkey are quickly increasing their Gold reserves.
Gold has an inverse correlation with the US Dollar and US Treasuries, which are both major reserve and safe-haven assets. When the Dollar depreciates, Gold tends to rise, enabling investors and central banks to diversify their assets in turbulent times. Gold is also inversely correlated with risk assets. A rally in the stock market tends to weaken Gold price, while sell-offs in riskier markets tend to favor the precious metal.
The price can move due to a wide range of factors. Geopolitical instability or fears of a deep recession can quickly make Gold price escalate due to its safe-haven status. As a yield-less asset, Gold tends to rise with lower interest rates, while higher cost of money usually weighs down on the yellow metal. Still, most moves depend on how the US Dollar (USD) behaves as the asset is priced in dollars (XAU/USD). A strong Dollar tends to keep the price of Gold controlled, whereas a weaker Dollar is likely to push Gold prices up.