Gold Advances as Inflation Data Fuels Fed Rate Cut Optimism
Gold gained on Wednesday after an inflation print came in line with expectations, boosting the likelihood of a Federal Reserve rate cut next week, while investors awaited U.S. Producer Price Index (PPI) data for further direction on monetary policy.
Spot gold climbed 0.9% to $2,717.29 per ounce, as of 01:41 p.m. ET (1841 GMT). Spot prices for bullion hit a record high of $2,790.15 an ounce on Oct. 31.
U.S. gold futures settled 1.4% higher at $2,756.70.
The U.S. consumer prices rose 0.3% on a monthly basis in November, data from the Labor Department showed. Annually, it climbed 2.7% after increasing 2.6% in October.
Economists polled by Reuters had forecast the CPI rising 0.3% and advancing 2.7% year-on-year.
"Gold is higher on the back of the premise that CPI data coming in benign or certainly in line with expectations, inflation not rising any further but remaining steady will allow the Fed to almost certainly cut rates at the next FOMC meeting," said David Meger, director of metals trading at High Ridge Futures.
Source : Reuters