Gold Steadies Near Record as Size of Fed Rate Cuts in Doubt
Gold held near a record high, as traders' uncertainty about the Federal Reserve's interest-rate decision is the highest since 2007.
Bullion was near $2,580 an ounce in early Asia hours ahead of the Fed's Sept. 17-18 gathering. Whether policymakers will cut interest rates by a quarter-point or a half-point is considered a tossup in US interest-rate markets. Lower rates tend to benefit gold, which doesn't pay interest.
With less than two months until the presidential election, the Fed's next move comes against a thorny political backdrop. Three Democratic senators on Monday urged the Fed to aggressively cut rates to protect the US economy from potential harm.
Gold has gained more than a quarter this year and hit a fresh record on Monday, when it notched up a third day of gains. Central-bank buying and strong haven demand due to conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine have helped the advance, while interest from retail investors is also picking up.
Spot gold was little changed at $2,582.31 as of 7:18 a.m. in Singapore after rising as high as $2,589.70 on Monday. The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index was stable, after it fell to its weakest level since January on Monday and then pared losses. Silver and platinum were flat, while palladium rose.
Source : Bloomberg
