Gold Price Analysis

Gold extends early Asian pullback to refresh intraday low around $1,887, down 0.23% on a day, during Monday‘s initial trading session. Gold traders seem to react to the latest headlines challenging market sentiment to reverse Friday’s recovery moves, backed by surprise negative of the US jobs report. Among them, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen‘s U-turn on Fed rate and President Joe Biden’s likely meddling in the Brexit issue take the front seat. Also, chatters surrounding US and UK diplomats criticism of Beijing, over the covid outbreak and Aussie-China trade tussle respectively, join mixed updates over the coronavirus (COVID-19) and vaccinations to weigh on the market sentiment.

Given the recent risk-off mood putting a safe-haven bid under the US dollar, gold prices may have to trim some more of their latest gains, due to the inverse relations with the greenback. However, the market‘s indecision over the Fed’s next move can keep exerting downside pressure on the USD, favoring gold in turn, amid a light calendar moving forward.

Gold prices have started out the week consolidating the firm bid from the end of last's week exodus of the US dollar.

At the time of writing, XAU/USD is trading at $1,890 and flat on the day.

Gold ended 1.1% higher on Friday to $1,891.39 following a recovery from the $1,856.04 lows to a high of $1,896.24 highs after US Nonfarm Payrolls data showed hiring increased below what was expected.

The data is tempering expectations the Federal Reserve will tighten monetary policy sooner, rather than later and investors now figure that the Fed does not need to begin tapering its monthly purchase of $120 billion in bonds.

Nonfarm payrolls increased by a solid 559,000 jobs last month, helped by higher COVID-19 vaccination rates, but that was below the consensus forecast for 650,000 jobs added in May.

This data comes on the heels of the weekend press quoted Janet Yellen, Treasury Secretary, who commented that President Joe Biden should push forward with his $4 trillion spending plans even if they trigger inflation that persists into next year and higher interest rates.

This week sees the May US Consumer Price Index release. Following May's reaction in FX and rates markets that looked through the jump in inflation, the same may be true this month.

Analysts at Brown Brothers Harriman explained that headline inflation is expected to decelerate to 5.84% YoY from 6.08% in April.

''If so, it would be the lowest since March but still well above the 2-4% target range.''

The US dollar will be tested on the European Central Bank as well making for a Super Thursday ahead of the next major event risk of the month which is the FOMC decision.

The June 16 Federal Open Market Committee meeting will be under the spotlight where the Fed would be expected to say that substantial progress towards its goals has not been achieved.

For gold specifically, it is worth taking into consideration waning demand flows from India and China. India is still battling against COVID and the China SGE gold onshore spreads have also collapsed, potentially due to concerns of more stringent curbs in China.

Despite a weak dollar on the knee jerk of the jobs data, these factors, along with easing inflation fears leaves the door open or additional pain in the yellow metal.

As for positioning, following weeks of large scale short covering in gold, non-commercial length remained largely unchanged in a sign that speculative flows into the complex are slowing, analysts at TD Securities said.

''Notwithstanding, a weak nonfarm payrolls print may have reinvigorated interest from money managers, putting a halt to the deepening pullback on Friday for the time being, but a continued rise in interest will be necessary to avoid a deeper pullback.'

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