Platinum, palladium likely to lag gold and silver again – UBS

Gold inched higher on Thursday in holiday-thinned trade, as investors focused on the U.S. Federal Reserve’s interest rate strategy and anticipated tariff policies under President-elect Donald Trump, both of which could influence the metal’s direction in the coming year.

Source – Daksh Grover / Reuters

Gold prices eased on Monday on a firmer dollar, in thin, holiday-season trade and as investors sought further clues on the U.S. Federal Reserve’s monetary policy for next year after its latest meeting signaled easing would be gradual.

“Presently, we are in a lull for Christmas week with the gold price trending sideways. Federal Reserve policy is clear with expectations of rising interest rates in the second half of the year,” said Michael Langford, chief investment officer at Scorpion Minerals.

Source – Reuters / written by Anushree Mukherjee

The U.S. Federal Reserve jolted markets with an unexpectedly hawkish set of projections for the path of interest rates next year, setting gold prices up for a blow — but analysts told CNBC they still see solid support for the precious metal in 2025.

The Fed’s “dot plot,” a gauge of policymakers’ outlook, now suggests the Fed will cut interest rates twice in 2025, compared with four quarter-point cuts previously expected in September, when concerns about the weakening labor market were front-of-mind. The big concern for the central bank is now whether the policies of incoming President-elect Donald Trump — particularly his threat of sweeping trade tariffs — will prove inflationary.

Source – CNBC