Gold has posted slight losses in the Tuesday session. In North American trade, spot gold is trading at $1250.26, down 0.39% on the day. On the release front, CB Consumer Confidence jumped to 121.1., above the estimate of 116.5 points. There was positive news from the manufacturing sector, as the Richmond Manufacturing Index jumped to 14 points, well above the forecast of 7 points. On Wednesday, the Federal Reserve releases its monthly rate statement, and we’ll also get a look at New Home Sales.
Gold continues to trade at high levels, as political turmoil in Washington has led to investors snapping up gold, a traditional safe-haven asset. On Monday, the metal touched a high of $1258.83, its highest level since June 15. Investors are increasingly concerned over Donald Trump, whose brash behavior and unconventional style has not been a good fit for the highest office in the land. Trump has failed to pass his healthcare bill, although the president is pulling out all the stops, as the Senate is expected to vote on a healthcare bill later on Tuesday. It’s been a rough ride so far for Trump, who has failed to pass any significant legislation, and investors are becoming more skeptical as to whether Trump will have any more success with his tax reform and fiscal spending plans. With the Democrats forming a rock-solid wall of opposition, dissension among Republican lawmakers, many of whom are uneasy about Trump, could doom attempts by the White House to get bills through Congress.
The Federal Reserve is in the spotlight, as it holds its monthly policy meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday, With the odds of a rate hike at just 3%, the markets will be focused on the Fed’s rate statement, which will be released on Wednesday. US numbers in the second quarter have been mixed, and inflation remains well below the Fed target of 2%. Given these economic conditions, investors are unsure if the Fed will raise rates in December, with the odds currently at 47%, according to the CME Group. Analysts will be looking for nuances in the language of the statement, and a dovish tilt from the Fed could hurt the dollar and boost the red-hot euro. Another issue for Fed policymakers is the $4.2 trillion bond portfolio, a result of the aggressive quantitative easing program which was put in place after the financial crisis in 2008. In June, the Fed outlined plans to reduce its bloated balance sheet, with experts circling September as the start date of the reduction. With gold prices closely linked to monetary policy, any clues in the rate statement regarding a rate hike or the start of winding up the balance sheet could have a significant effect on gold prices.
