Gold hits one-month low as Fed rate hike hint strengthens greenback

NEW YORK/LONDON — Heightened expectations that the US Federal Reserve will raise interest rates again this year drove gold to a one-month low on Wednesday, extending losses after the biggest one-day loss in almost two years during the previous session.

Palladium prices rose to a premium over platinum for the first time since 2001 as speculators piled into the market.

Spot gold was down 0.70% at $1,284.61 per ounce at 2:07 p.m. EDT ( 1807 GMT), earlier hitting its lowest since Aug. 25 at $1,282.23.

US gold futures for December delivery settled down $13.90, or 1.07%, at $1,287.80 per ounce.

The US dollar touched a onemonth high against a basket of currencies after Federal Reserve chief Janet Yellen said on Tuesday it would be “imprudent” to keep rates on hold until US inflation hits 2%. That continued to pressure bullion prices into a second day, as traders awaited more statements from Fed off icials this week.

“I think they will most likely tell us that the Fed is ready to pull the trigger,” said Bart Melek, head of commodity strategy at TD Securities, in Toronto, Canada.

Markets are pricing in a 76% chance the Fed will raise borrowing costs in December, compared with less than 20% only a month ago.

Gold is highly sensitive to rising US interest rates, as they increase the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding bullion versus the dollar.

Strong US data on durable goods orders also pressured gold, Mr. Melek said.

“That generally has traders confident that the US economy is actually doing OK. That implies that the Fed may be ready to hike the rates,” Mr. Melek said of US durable goods orders.

Profit taking “from shorterterm technically-oriented traders” also weighed on gold, said Jeffrey Christian, managing partner of CPM Group in New York.

US stocks pared gains Wednesday after US President Donald Trump’s administration called for slashing tax rates.

Despite its headwinds, lingering US- North Korea tensions limited losses in gold, said Yuichi Ikemizu at ICBC Standard Bank in Tokyo.

“I think the ( North Korea) situation is more serious than the Fed’s policies. So gold is supported around here and I expect prices to go back up to $1,300.”

Silver was flat at $ 16.80 per ounce, having dropped 2.40% in the previous session, its biggest one day fall since mid-August. Earlier, the metal hit its lowest since mid-August at $16.69. Platinum fell 0.20% at $ 920.20 per ounce, while palladium rose 1.40% to $926.88 per ounce. —