Investing.com – Gold prices pulled back from three-week highs on Friday as the dollar rebounded against a currency basket, but losses were held in check as the dollar remained near multi-year lows.
for April delivery settled down 0.41% at $1,349.70 on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange after hitting the highest level since January 25 at $1,364.40 earlier.
For the week, prices were up 3.08% and remain near their highest level since August 2016.
A stronger dollar makes gold more expensive for overseas buyers. The , which measures the greenback’s strength against a basket of six major currencies, was up 0.63% to 89.03 in late trade, having earlier sunk to a three year low of 88.15.
For the week, the index was down 1.46%, marking its fifth weekly decline in the past seven weeks.
Expectations for a faster rate of monetary tightening outside the U.S., which would lessen the divergence between the Federal Reserve and other central banks has eroded the dollar’s relative yield attraction for investors.
The greenback has also been hit by concerns that recent tax cuts will negatively impact the U.S. fiscal deficit, which is projected to balloon to near $1 trillion in 2019.
The declines in the dollar came despite expectations for a faster pace of rate hikes by the Fed this year after data on Wednesday showing a stronger-than-expected increase in U.S. inflation in January.
Although gold struggles to compete with yield-bearing assets such as Treasury’s when borrowing costs rise, some analysts said the factors that drove the uptick in inflation were cyclical, meaning growth in inflation is likely to be gradual.
Elsewhere in precious metals trading, dropped 1.17% to $16.60 a troy ounce, but ended the week with gains of 1.78%.
settled at $1,008.80, up 0.77% for the day and was up 4.19% for the week.
Among base metals, for March delivery was down 0.2% at $3.239 in late trade. Trade remained subdued amid the Chinese Lunar New Year holiday. China is the world’s largest consumer of industrial metals.
, investors will focus on minutes of the Fed’s latest policy meeting with hopes the central bank will give more hints on the pace of future rate hikes this year.
Staying in the U.S., a report on existing home sales will be the highlight of the holiday-shortened week. Markets stateside will remain closed on Monday for the President’s Day holiday.
Ahead of the coming week, Investing.com has compiled a list of these and other significant events likely to affect the markets.
Monday, February 19
Financial markets in China will be closed for the Lunar New Year holiday.
Meanwhile, markets in the U.S. will be closed for the President’s Day holiday.
Tuesday, February 20
Markets in China will remain closed for the Lunar New Year holiday.
The Reserve Bank of Australia is to publish the minutes of its latest policy setting meeting.
The ZEW Institute is to report on German economic sentiment.
Bank of England Governor Mark Carney along with other officials is to testify on inflation and the economic outlook before Parliament’s Treasury Committee.
Canada is to publish data on wholesale sales.
Wednesday, February 21
Markets in China will be shut for the Lunar New Year holiday.
Australian is to publish data on construction work done and wage inflation.
The euro zone is to release data on manufacturing and service sector activity.
The UK is to publish its latest employment report.
The U.S. is to produce figures on existing home sales. Later in the day, the Fed is to publish the minutes of its latest policy setting meeting.
Thursday, February 22
The Ifo Institute is to report on German business climate.
The UK is to release revised data on fourth quarter growth along with preliminary data on business investment.
The European Central Bank is to publish the minutes of its latest policy setting meeting.
Canada is to produce data on retail sales.
The U.S. is to publish the weekly report on jobless claims.
Friday, February 23
New Zealand is to publish data on retail sales.
The euro zone is to release revised inflation data.
Canada is to wrap up the week with its monthly inflation report.
Source: Investing.com
