Gold and Copper Prices Decline Amid Rate Jitters and Profit-Taking

Gold prices continued to decline in Asian trading on Thursday, moving further away from recent record highs due to renewed concerns over high interest rates and diminishing safe haven demand.

Industrial metals also faced losses, with copper prices dropping sharply from record highs due to profit-taking and pressure from the dollar. However, copper prices steadied somewhat during Asian trade.

Gold Prices Under Pressure

Spot gold fell 0.3% to $2,372.38 per ounce, while gold futures expiring in June dropped 0.8% to $2,375.15 per ounce by 00:22 ET (04:22 GMT). Spot prices are now significantly below the record high of $2,450 per ounce reached at the beginning of the week.

Impact of Fed Minutes on Metal Prices

The overnight bounce in the dollar, which reached a one-week high, added pressure on metal prices. The minutes from the Federal Reserve’s late-April meeting revealed growing concerns among policymakers about persistent inflation.

Some policymakers were even open to further interest rate hikes to combat inflation, although such an outcome seems unlikely. Nevertheless, the Fed is expected to maintain high rates for an extended period due to stubborn inflation, with recent statements from several policymakers indicating limited confidence in achieving the 2% annual inflation target in the near term.

High interest rates negatively impact gold and other precious metals by increasing the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding assets. This has prevented gold from sustaining its record highs this year.

Additionally, the lack of significant geopolitical escalation in the Middle East, following the death of the Iranian President, has also reduced safe haven demand for gold.

Other precious metals also declined on Thursday. Platinum futures fell 0.4% to $1,041.20 per ounce, while silver futures dropped 2.5% to $30.727 per ounce.

Copper Prices Hit by Profit-Taking and China Concerns

Benchmark copper futures on the London Metal Exchange fell 0.4% to $10,372.50 per ton, while one-month copper futures stabilized at $4.8030 per pound. Both contracts are experiencing a steep decline from record highs reached earlier in the week.

The recent losses in copper are attributed to profit-taking as the speculative frenzy in the red metal seems to be stabilizing after a strong run over the past week.

Concerns over China also reemerged in the market, as tensions in the trade war between Washington and Beijing appeared to escalate. This undermined optimism over China’s recent stimulus efforts, although markets are still awaiting the implementation details of these measures.

Conclusion

Gold and copper prices are under pressure due to concerns over high interest rates and profit-taking. The Federal Reserve’s stance on inflation and potential rate hikes continues to influence market sentiment. Meanwhile, geopolitical factors and China’s economic policies will remain critical in shaping the outlook for these metals in the near future.

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