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Gold today: Prices drop to near two-week low on Fed chief’s hawkish stance


US gold futures for December delivery declined 1.3% to $4,472.90.

US gold futures for December delivery declined 1.3% to $4,472.90.

Gold extended declines ​on Monday, hitting its lowest in nearly two ⁠weeks after US Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh signalled that interest rate hikes may be needed to contain inflation.

Spot gold fell 0.7 per cent to $44,423.84 ‌per ounce by 0204 GMT, hitting its lowest since August 19. Prices fell more than 3 per cent on ‌Friday.

US gold futures for December delivery declined 1.3 per cent to $4,472.90.

“Gold ‌is ⁠still licking its wounds after the hawkish tone struck ⁠by Warsh at Jackson Hole,” said Tim Waterer, chief market analyst at KCM Trade.

“The market is still digesting the shift in rate expectations: it ​remains to be seen ‌whether Warsh’s inflation-fighting rhetoric will translate into an actual September hike.”

The Fed will “have work to do” if policymakers don’t get the confidence they need that inflation is heading down ‌to 2 per cent, Warsh said on Friday at the Jackson ​Hole economic symposium in Wyoming, coming closer than he has to acknowledging rate hikes may be needed ⁠to ease price pressures.

Markets currently see a 57 per cent chance of a Fed rate hike in September, compared with 36 per cent before ‌Warsh’s comments, according to the CME FedWatch tool.

Though viewed as a hedge against inflation, gold typically loses appeal in a rising interest rate environment as it does not yield interest.

A series of US labour market reports is due this week, including job openings, the ADP employment report, weekly jobless ‌claims and nonfarm payrolls data.

“NFP has the potential to either extend ​gold’s post-Jackson Hole softness or provide the catalyst for a short-covering bounce,” Waterer said.

On the geopolitical front, ⁠US forces struck two Iranian launchers on Iran’s Larak Island on ⁠Sunday, a US official said, marking the first known American strikes on Iran since late July. Oil prices ‌jumped after the news.

Among other metals, spot silver fell 0.5 per cent to $66.01 per ounce, platinum declined 0.5 per cent to $1,810.64 and palladium ​slipped 1.7 per cent to $1,397.11.

Published on August 31, 2026



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