The gold market has a big hill to climb as prices lose 3% after hitting all-time highs

 According to some analysts, next week will be an important test for the gold market as a hawkish Fed could put downward pressure on a market that is already sensitive following Monday's blow-off top.

After hitting a record high around $2,150 an ounce at the start of the week, gold prices are heading into the weekend down more than 3%, testing critical support just above $2,010 an ounce. With a $141 swing this week, the gold market saw the most volatility since mid-August 2020, just after gold established its previous record high.

Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank, said that Monday's rally and subsequent selloff was not helpful for gold's long-term price action.

"Technically, gold has a lot of work to do to make up for the damage that was done," he said

Along with overbought momentum, Hansen said the gold market has run too far ahead regarding potential rate cuts in 2024, which could keep prices below $2,050 an ounce in the near term.

Some cold water was poured on a potential rate cut in March after employment data on Friday showed that the U.S. economy created 199,000 jobs last month, beating expectations. At the same time, the unemployment rate dropped to 3.7%, down from 3.9% in October.

"At the very least, we are going to see volatile markets and the room for a positive surprise for gold will be limited," Hansen said.

Craig Erlam, senior market analyst at OANDA, said he is also expecting to see elevated volatility in gold in the near term.

"It really has been quite the week for the yellow metal and with US inflation and the Fed interest rate decision to come next week, the volatility may not be going anywhere," he said.

Phillip Streible, chief market strategist at Blue Line Futures, said that he is expecting to see some downward pressure on gold. He added that after Friday's employment report, it is unlikely Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell will shift his hawkish stance, even as the central bank is expected to leave interest rates unchanged.

Gold could be sensitive to updated dot plots

It's not just a hawkish Powell that threatens the gold market. Along with its monetary policy decision, the Federal Reserve will release its updated economic projections, including its interest rate forecast, also known as the dot plot.

In the last update in September, the central bank signaled that it sees only two potential rate cuts in 2024. However, markets are pricing in more than 100 basis points of easing next year. According to the CME FedWatch Tool, markets see a nearly 60% chance that the first cut comes in March.

"There is going to be a clash between the Fed and market expectations unless we see a major adjustment in the dot plots," said Hansen.

Along with the Fed meeting, analysts have said that November's Consumer Price Index data could also add to the market volatility. Some analysts have said that if core inflation remains above 3%, it will force the Federal Reserve to maintain its tightening bias.

Keep an eye on BOE and ECB

While the Federal Reserve is in the spotlight next week, the Bank of England and the European Central Bank will be releasing their monetary policy decisions, with markets expecting rates to remain unchanged. However, investors are still anxious to see if there is a shift in their tightening biases.

Although gold prices could struggle next week, some analysts note that the market is still in good shape.

In a recent interview with Kitco News, Joseph Cavatoni, North American market strategist at the World Gold Council, said that he doesn't see Monday's failed rally as very harmful. He said that the rally shows how much potential the precious metal has when it sees the right market conditions.

Streible said that although prices may go lower, he thinks the current price is an attractive entry point.

"Here is where you start to dip your toe in the market," he said. "The downside is limited in gold. Although Powell won't be ready to cut rates in March, a slowing economy means that interest rates are ultimately going lower and that is what will propel gold higher."

Hansen said he is watching to see if gold prices will hold support at $2,010, adding that a break of that level could trigger some essential stops in the marketplace and create new selling momentum. He said that if 2,010 breaks, investors should keep an eye on the 200-day moving average of $1,959 an ounce.

Streible said that he is looking for support to be tested around $1,980 an ounce.

Economic data to watch next week:

Tuesday: U.S. CPI

Wednesday: U.S. PPI, FOMC monetary policy decision

Thursday: Bank of England monetary policy decision, European Central Bank monetary policy decision

Friday: Empire State manufacturing survey, Flash PMI

By

Neils Christensen

For Kitco News

Time to Buy Gold and Silver

David

Gold at $2010 or $1985 is a 'buying opportunity' and 2024 will be a 'golden year' for metals – Graceland's Stewart Thomson

Gold prices are likely to take a breather for the next week or two, but any pullbacks should be seen as opportunities to buy ahead of the 2024 bull market, according to Stewart Thomson, President of Graceland Investment Management.

“The key ‘thrill of victory and agony of very temporary defeat’ weekly gold chart,” Thomson wrote.

He said that broadening patterns are an indication of loss of control in markets. “The wild Sunday night and Monday gold price action is “textbook” for the huge broadening pattern in play,” he said.

Thomson said that while stochastics is now showing a crossover sell signal, RSI is not. “The most likely scenario now is a pause for a week or two, and then another more significant rally to above the immense $2080 ‘line in the sand’,” he said.

He said that investors looking for tactical moves in the current market should consider gold equities. “Gold stock enthusiasts who did some selling into the $2080 gold price area should now focus on buying at $2010, $1985, and $1928.”

Thomson also shared “key buy zones” for the precious metal itself which he said should be the focus for long-term accumulators.

“From the $2145 area high, a drop to support at $2010 is a $130/oz price sale,” he wrote. “A drop to $1985 support is a $155/oz sale, and the $217/oz drop to $1928 support would be a truly epic price sale but this last one is unlikely to happen.”

“I’m not a big fan of sloping trendlines in the gold market, but they are helpful at times,” he added. “Note the green trendlines defining the volatile uptrend. A drop to the lower trendline would put gold at the big $2010-$1985 support area. It’s a ‘must buy’ zone for most gold stock enthusiasts. I call it a golden stocking stuffer for Christmas 2023!”

Looking at the U.S. dollar, Thomson said the DXY chart is indicating “some minor inverse H&S action” which would support a one- to two-week pause for gold.

“US rates aren’t confirming the action in the dollar,” he warned. “There’s a dead cat bounce, but the weekly chart suggests a much bigger dip in rates lies ahead.”

“The bottom line is that 2024 is likely to be a ‘golden year’ for the metals, and rates may stay low until 2026 or 2027 before the US government creates the next massive wave of inflation with its drug-like addiction to fiat, meddling, spending, and debt,” he said. “From there, the Fed would start hiking again and gold would take an initial hit but it would happen from a much higher level than where it is now. How high? Probably $3000+, and at that point, most money managers would have a keen interest in the miners, a ‘here to stay’ interest.”

Thomson concluded with a look at those miners, in the form of “the stunning GDX chart.”

“A textbook inverse H&S pattern (with breakout) is now the head of what could be a much bigger pattern,” he wrote. “While the gold bullion market action is wild, GDX and most gold stocks look great! The right shoulder build could take GDX to just under $29, but it doesn’t need to go that low.”

By

Ernest Hoffman

For Kitco News

Time to Buy Gold and Silver

David

Spot gold price rockets through resistance on Sunday evening, setting new all-time highs

Spot gold opened the Sunday evening session with massive momentum, obliterating key resistance levels and the previous high to set a new all-time high of $2,148.99 within the first half-hour of trading.

Gareth Soloway, Chief Market Strategist at InTheMoneyStocks.com and President of VerifiedInvesting.com, told Kitco News that the move was driven by a powerful combination of rate cut expectations and technical levels.

“Gold surged through its all-time highs on the back of hopes for lower rates sooner (vs higher for longer), future money printing expectations and stops being triggered on the break of $2,100,” he said. “The inverse head and shoulder pattern has triggered (assuming a daily close above $2,080).”

Soloway said a “calculated target for 2024 sits at $2,534,” which would represent a completion of the inverse head and shoulders pattern breakout.

“Investors are likely to favor gold as a way to protect against recession, inflation, money printing and the classic safety trade,” he added.

Matt Simpson, Market Analyst at CityIndex and Forex.com, wrote on X that traders need to be cautious about what this move means for gold prices as it happened while liquidity was low.

“Gold just made minced meat out of the 2022 / prior record high, rising $75 at the open and smashing above its 1-week implied volatility band,” Simpson said. “Lots of gold headlines are to be expected. But I remain suspicious of the move, given it occurred during low liquidity trade.”

Simpson admitted that he completely missed the move, but he’s also “happy to sit on the side line and avoid the inevitable chop that could follow.”

After setting the new all-time high shortly after 6:30 pm EST, spot gold has ratcheted steadily lower, last trading at $2,091.48, but still up nearly 1.00% on the session.

By

Ernest Hoffman

For Kitco News

Time to Buy Gold and Silver

David

Gold starts December with all-time highs; but can continue to ignore a hawkish Fed – analysts

A record closing price in November wasn't enough for gold investors, as solid momentum has pushed prices to an all-time high ahead of the weekend.

February gold futures last traded at $2,091.90 an ounce, up more than 4% from last Friday's close. Gold's previous record was at $2,089.20 in August 2020.

Gold is seeing renewed buying momentum as markets continue to price in a potential rate cut as early as March. The precious metal's rally comes even as the central bank maintains its tightening stance. Friday, Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell said that he is still not confident monetary policy is sufficiently restrictive enough to bring down inflation to 2%.

However, markets are paying little attention to what Powell is saying, as the CME FedWatch Tool shows that markets are now pricing in a more than 50% chance of a rate cut in the first quarter of 2024.

"The precious metal remains supported by Fed cut bets while technical factors continue to support the upside momentum,' said Lukman Otunuga, Manager of Market Analysis at Forexlive.com. "In the absence of any fresh fundamental catalyst, November's monthly close above $2000 could provide a foundation for bulls to send prices higher."

Naeem Aslam, chief investment officer of Zaye Capital Markets, said this could be the start of a bigger move for gold with "bright days ahead."

"We believe that the Fed has reached its peak of rate hike cycle regardless of what some members of the Fed continue to say," he said. "We believe that there are actual real chances that the Fed will cut the rate towards the back end of Q1 next year. However, the threat remains stubborn inflation. If we don't see CPI flirting with the 3% mark or even lower, the Fed may keep rates at the current level till the end of H1."

Although the Federal Reserve's aggressive monetary policy still poses a risk for gold, some analysts have said that a slowing economy means that, ultimately, the Federal Reserve's next move will be to cut rates, potentially sooner rather than later.

Robert Minter, director of ETF Investment Strategy at abrdn, said that cracks continue to appear in the U.S. commercial real estate market as the sector continues to feel the effects of the Federal Reserve's aggressive rate hikes and high vacancies as workers continue to work from home.

"If – that's a big ‘if,' but if we are seeing the beginning of commercial real estate bubble popping, there will be more money printing. That's part of what we are seeing with the gold price again today. Another part is the market pricing in no more rate hikes, and a higher potential for rate cuts in the near future. – then we could get a gold bull market like the last three times the Fed Funds rate cycle was in this spot," Minter said in a comment to Kitco News.

Minter added that the last three times the Federal Reserve has paused its tightening cycle, gold has rallied 57%, 235% and 69%, respectively. He pointed out that gold prices are so far up 5.4% since the Fed moved to a neutral stance.

Nicky Shiels, head of metals strategy at MKS PAMP, also noted that gold could be catching a safe-haven bid even as economic data remains fairly resilient.

"Gold is internalizing that people do not feel that way. Experts talk of a ‘rupture in our economic health and social fabric,' but less dramatically, people are simply feeling worse off than before and that's being expressed through havens," she said.

At the same time, analysts note that gold prices continue to move higher even as most retail investors shun the market. Analysts have said that gold prices will really move when this sentiment starts to shift.

Despite this optimism, some analysts recommend investors be cautious with gold at these levels and not to chase the market.

Barbara Lambrecht, commodity analyst at Commerzbank, said that gold prices could be limited ahead of next Friday's nonfarm payrolls report.

"This is because the current expectations of Fed rate cuts of 50 basis points by mid-2024 are more likely to be disappointed. Accordingly, we also envisage a correction in the gold market. This could be triggered by the US labor market report at the end of the week," she said.

Some economists have said that investors should also pay attention to the University of Michigan consumer sentiment survey as inflation expectations have been elevated in recent months.

Phillip Streible said he also thinks the market has gotten a little ahead of itself as a March rate hike seems unlikely. He noted that it is unlikely the Fed will cut rates until inflation is closer to its 2% target.

Economic data for next week:

Tuesday: ISM Service-sector PMI, U.S. JOLTS Job Openings

Wednesday: ADP private sector employment, Bank of Canada monetary policy decision

Thursday: Weekly jobless claims

Friday: nonfarm payrolls, University of Michigan consumer sentiment survey

  Gold prices to see a sustained push above $2,100 in 2024 – TD Securities

By

Neils Christensen

For Kitco News

Time to Buy Gold and Silver

David

Rally in gold and silver is far from over

From the beginning of October to the last day in November silver has had a profound and dramatically strong gain. This despite one moderately deep correction beginning on October 19, and concluding on November 13. Monday, November 13, was the exact day that Silver pivoted back to a bullish demeanor. During the short span of a couple of weeks, silver futures traded from their lows at $21.93 to their current fix of $25.67.

Gold also ran a very parallel course with its rally beginning during the first week of October when it was trading at a mere $1840 per ounce, to the conclusion of the first leg of this rally occurring on Friday, October 27 at approximately $2040. Like silver, a strong correction followed taking gold to $1960 during the middle of November. Both precious metals resumed the rally with a vengeance once they individually completed their correction.

While both metals gained tremendous ground in terms of percentage gains market sentiment seemed to be favoring gold as a haven asset over silver. Gold pricing had a much more substantial gain than silver while both precious metals had more than respectable performances.

Because of its high usage as a major industrial component silver has had strong demand. However, according to the World Council, the pace at which central banks worldwide have been accumulating gold is at a new record and astute investors need to step back and wonder why.

More importantly, the underlying reasons that these metals will continue to rise are fairly transparent. Our national debt has grown to a record level above $34 trillion. The cost to just service the interest on that debt is quickly becoming as expensive as the annual Defense Department’s budget. Both Chairman Powell and Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen are on record stating emphatically that this is not sustainable. Add to that the multiple geopolitical hotspots that continue to rage, a recent decline in the dollar, and an imminent pivot by the Federal Reserve from a highly restrictive policy to a more accommodative one that officials are beginning to speak about.

While the above-mentioned economic fabric will be beneficial to both precious metals it is gold that will continue to gain value at a much greater pace than silver. The key takeaway for precious metals investors is that continued accumulation of physical gold and silver will be of great benefit further down the road.

By

Gary Wagner

Contributing to kitco.com

Time to Buy Gold and Silver

David