REUTERS: Gold dropped nearly 2 per cent on Monday, weighed down by profit-taking after a five-session rally, with further pressure from the announcement of fund manager Scott Bessent as the next US Treasury secretary.
Spot gold was down 1.8 per cent at $2,664.53 per ounce, as of 0619 GMT, after declining more than 2 per cent earlier in the session. Bullion had hit its highest since Nov. 6 earlier in the day.
US gold futures shed 1.7 per cent to $2,666.40.
Gold’s five-session rally has paused due to some profit-taking and Donald Trump’s pick of Bessent as the next US Treasury secretary, hinting at tempered use of tariffs and easing US-China trade uncertainty, said IG market strategist Yeap Jun Rong.
President-elect Trump has floated the idea of a 60 per cent tariff on Chinese goods and at least a 10 per cent levy on all other imports.
Gold is considered a safe investment during times of economic and political uncertainty.
Investors are also awaiting minutes of the Federal Reserve’s November meeting, GDP data (first revision), and core PCE figures, all due this week.
Traders currently see a 56 per cent chance of another 25-basis-point rate cut in December, compared to 62 per cent last week, according to the CME Fedwatch tool.
Recent less dovish signals from US policymakers suggest any unexpected rise in inflation could strengthen expectations of a rate hold in December, Rong said.
Higher interest rates tend to make gold less appealing, as they yield no interest.
Some Fed policymakers last week expressed concerns that inflation progress may have stalled, advocating for caution, while others emphasised the need for continued rate cuts.
On the geopolitical front, Hezbollah fired heavy rockets at Israel on Sunday, following an Israeli airstrike that killed at least 29 in Beirut. There were reports of damage near Tel Aviv.
Spot silver fell 2.2 per cent to $30.63 per ounce, platinum was down 1.2 per cent to $952.00 and palladium slipped 1 per cent to $998.88.
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