Gold prices push further above $2,000 as dollar, yields sink on dovish Fed

investing.com:

Investing.com-- Gold prices rose slightly in Asian trade on Friday, extending a push above key levels after dovish signals from the Federal Reserve sparked steep losses in the dollar and Treasury yields.

The yellow metal rebounded from recent losses this week after the Fed said it was done raising interest rates, and will consider deeper interest rate cuts in 2024. The Fed’s comments saw markets pricing in at least three rate cuts by the central bank, with the first one coming as soon as March 2024.

The dollar slid to four-month lows after the Fed, while Treasury yields fell across the board with the 10-year rate breaking below 4%.

Gold benefited from this trade, as the prospect of lower rates pushed up the yellow metal’s appeal. Lower interest rates also reduce the opportunity cost of investing in gold, which offers no yields and is driven largely by sentiment and safe haven demand.

Spot gold steadied at $2,036.83 an ounce, while gold futures expiring February rose 0.3% to $2,050.95 an ounce by 00:25 ET (05:25 GMT). Both instruments were up between 1.6% and 2% this week.

But gold prices were still trading well below record highs of over $2,100 hit earlier this month.

Markets were now speculating over just when the central bank will begin cutting interest rates. Fed Fund futures prices point to an over 70% chance the bank will cut rates by 25 basis points in March 2024.

Goldman Sachs expects the bank to cut rates by 25 basis points three times, in three back-to-back meetings beginning in March 2024.

The rate cuts also come amid growing optimism over a soft landing for the U.S. economy, although any signs of economic resilience- particularly in inflation and the labor market- could delay the Fed’s rate cuts.

While gold