Late last week gold managed to stem the recent losses as the dollar rally paused. An 8 day run of consecutive losses on gold came to an end on Thursday, not before posting a new 4 month low.

Last week we saw solid buying from our clients at the low US$1,150’s/oz levels.

This week is going to be a key week for gold with the Federal Reserve’s two day policy meeting Tuesday and Wednesday. The main focus will be Fed Chair Janet Yellen’s press conference following the FOMC announcement at 2pm Wednesday New York time. The price of gold is being driven almost solely by US dollar movements at the moment (dollar up, gold down or dollar down, gold up), so if any wording coming out of the Fed next week hints at a June rate rise, look to see further US dollar strength and gold soften. If the Fed notes that it still remains ‘patient’, the market is going to take that as a post June rate rise which should give gold a boost. Gold investors should also look out for any commentary from Yellen surrounding the US dollar. Traditionally the Fed would not mention the US dollar however given its stunning run it may play a factor in the Fed’s monetary policy. If it does come into play then the Fed may look to hold off tightening until later on in the year or even possibly next year.

The Fed is facing one of its biggest decisions since the GFC, they do not want to go too early or too late when it comes to raising interest rates.

The other events of the week that gold traders should be aware of include; ECB President Mario Draghi’s speech on Monday, US Building Permits and Housing Starts on Tuesday, Swiss National Bank Monetary Policy Decision and Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Index both on Thursday.

I do not expect to see any further big moves on gold until after Yellen’s press conference on Wednesday. Between the open on Monday and her press conference I expect to see investors adding to long gold trades on any dips.

Investors have been showing more interest in platinum in the past week as they look for value, platinum has recently hit lows not seen since mid-2009.

Gold closed at US$1,158.60oz in New York on Friday, down US$10oz on the week.

Courtesy of: www.BullionIndex.com.au

Harley Salt is co-founder of www.BullionIndex.com.au a physical gold, silver and platinum trading and investing company located in Melbourne, Australia.

Bullion Index offers direct market access to 15 global physical bullion exchanges and storage facilities in key locations including London, Zurich, New York, Hong Kong, Singapore, Dubai and Sydney. Their clients from across the globe can trade bullion bars and investment grade coins simply and securely via the MetalDesk online trading platform.

Disclaimer: The above is a matter of opinion provided for general information purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Information and analysis above are derived from sources and utilising methods believed to be reliable, but we cannot accept responsibility for any losses you may incur as a result of this analysis. Individuals should consult with their personal financial advisors.

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