Gold edges higher as traders weigh record COVID-19 infections

Gold edged higher as investors assessed the resilience of the global economic recovery, with COVID-19 cases hitting a pandemic record.

More than 1.44 million infections worldwide on Monday smashed the previous high after factoring out a statistical blip in Turkey last year. While the highly-transmissible omicron is spreading rapidly around the world, studies suggest that illness caused by the new strain isn’t as severe as in previous waves.

Bullion is heading for its first annual loss in three years as central banks start to dial back pandemic-era stimulus to contain inflation. The S&P 500 notched its 69th record close of 2021 on Monday, suggesting investors remain relatively sanguine about risks from omicron.