Gold firms as weaker U.S. bond yields counter lofty dollar

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Gold prices edged higher on Tuesday as a

decline in U.S. Treasury yields countered pressure on

greenback-priced bullion from sustained strength in the dollar.

Spot gold was up 0.2% at $1,856.75 per ounce, as of

0213 GMT. U.S. gold futures were down 0.3% at $1,853.90.

Benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury yields extended their

decline on Tuesday after pulling back from the highest level in

3-1/2 years in the previous session, lifting prices of

zero-yield gold for now.

“Not only do we have a clear downtrend in gold prices at the

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moment, the drivers are pretty straightforward as the potential

for higher rates and a stronger U.S. dollar have overwhelmed any

safe-haven appeal of gold,” said Michael McCarthy, chief

strategy officer at Tiger Brokers, Australia.

While gold is seen as a safe store of value during times of

political and economic crises, it is highly sensitive to rising

short-term U.S. interest rates, which raise the opportunity cost

of holding bullion.

The dollar index was steady, having risen overnight

to a fresh 20-year peak. It later lost some ground after Atlanta

Fed President Raphael Bostic hosed down talks of a 75-basis

points at the U.S. Federal Reserve’s next meeting.

This made greenback-priced and rival safe-haven bullion less

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attractive for other currency holders, and continued to restrain

gold prices after pushing them 1% lower in the previous session.

Last week, the U.S. central bank raised its benchmark

overnight interest rate by a widely expected half-a-percentage

point, the biggest hike in 22 years, as it works to tighten

pandemic-era monetary policy.

“We’re sitting on very important support right now … a

break through $1,850 (for gold) could from a technical point of

view introduce significant downside risks in the short-term,”

McCarthy added.

Spot silver gained 0.4% to $21.87 per ounce, while

platinum dipped 0.1% to $954.98, and palladium

rose 0.5% to $2,107.80.

(Reporting by Bharat Govind Gautam in Bengaluru; Editing by

Sherry Jacob-Phillips)