18/10/2023
Gold prices under pressure as dollar strengthens and Biden visits Israel.
Gold prices remain under pressure but near three-week highs amid renewed dollar strength. The US dollar strengthened against the basket of other currencies as retail sales increased more than expected in September as households spent more, suggesting the economy ended the third quarter on a strong note.
Better-than-expected retail sales that rose 0.7% in September fuel optimism of the FED hiking interest rates before year-end, which should fuel further dollar strength.
Gold looks set to remain under pressure near the 1930 an-ounce level as US President Joe Biden heads to Israel to try and quell tensions. The yellow metal had rallied by more than 2% last week as investors rushed to safe havens on concerns of immediate escalation in the Israel-Hamas war.