Breakout in gold takes futures to a high of $2043.40 in striking range of record high

A solid breakout in gold moved futures pricing well above $2000 in trading today. Currently, the most active June 2023 contract is trading up $39.10 or 1.94% and fixed at $2039.40. That puts gold within striking range of the all-time high of $2088 as well as the record closing price for gold futures at $2069.40.

Dollar weakness contributed roughly 25% of the gains in gold today but it was market participants actively bidding the precious yellow metal higher that caused this current rally to accelerate. The dollar is currently down 0.53% and the dollar index is fixed at 101.25.

The primary fundamental event that propelled gold well above $2000 was weaker U.S. economic data. This data suggests that the Federal Reserve could certainly consider slower rate hikes and a pause of rate hikes sooner.

For the first time since May 2021, available new job positions have dropped below 10 million. Today CNBC reported that "Job openings fell below 10 million in February for the first time in nearly two years, in a sign that the Federal Reserve's efforts to slow the labor market may be having some impact. Available positions totaled 9.93 million, a drop of 632,000 from January's downwardly revised number, the Labor Department reported Tuesday in its monthly Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey."

Because the Federal Reserve has been laser-focused on the extremely robust labor market as it uses its tools to reduce inflation today's report confirms that recent action by the Federal Reserve is beginning to have an impact as seen in the contraction of job openings.

The probability that the Federal Reserve will not raise rates at the May FOMC meeting has increased dramatically. According to the CME's FedWatch tool, there is a 58.7% probability that the Federal Reserve will leave its terminal rates of 4.75% to 5% and beginning a period of pausing rate hikes. However, there remains a 41.3% probability that the Fed will raise rates by ¼% in May.

There is no technical resistance in gold futures until $2069 the highest closing price for gold futures on record. There is solid support for gold at $2013 which is the 38.2% Fibonacci retracement of the most recent leg of the rally. In other words, there is a high probability that gold futures will not only hold above $2000 but challenge the all-time record close.

By

Gary Wagner

Contributing to kitco.com

Time to Buy Gold and Silver

Tim Moseley

Gold price sees triple-digit gains in March, but can it set record highs in April?

Gold gained $150 in March — its best month since July 2020. And with analysts seeing markets contradicting the Fed's messaging, gold has a lot more upside, including testing and breaking record highs in April, according to analysts.

The gold market is wrapping up March just below $2,000 an ounce. This is up 7% on the month and 9% year-to-date — the best monthly performance since July 2020 and the best quarterly result since Q2 2020.

The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank three weeks ago triggered the banking crisis, which revised the markets' Federal Reserve outlook from more rate hikes to rate cuts.

"This could morph into a financial crisis. There's been a large decline in market values of assets on the books across the regional banking sector in a significantly tighter environment. Not only was there a loss of market value but also large outflows of deposits from less restrictive to more restrictive banks," TD Securities global head of commodity strategy Bart Melek told Kitco News. "The Fed is less likely to be overly hawkish as we move into 2023."

And even with turbulence subsiding, gold is still trading at higher levels. "Gold hasn't come back down very far even though banking fears are abating for the moment. This is a strong sign and is very encouraging for gold bulls," Gainesville Coins precious metals expert Everett Millman told Kitco News.

Even though the Fed has not signaled that it is debating a rate cut, markets are starting to price that in. "With the bank space turbulence and inflation pointing down, I suspect that the market is looking past a lot of the Fed's hawkish rhetoric and is calling for a pivot that is significantly ahead of the dot plots," Melek pointed out.

Investors should pay close attention to the incoming data as any weaker-than-expected number increases the chance of a rate cut this year.

"With the risk of a hard landing for the economy on the rise, this increases the chances that inflation will fall more quickly and allow the Fed to respond with interest rate cuts before the end of this year," said ING chief international economist James Knightley.

Next week, traders will be getting the March employment report. Market consensus calls are projecting for the U.S. economy to have added 240,000 jobs and for the unemployment rate to have remained at 3.6%.

Following March events, TD Securities is now projecting gold to average $1,975 in Q2, $2,050 in Q3, and $2,100 in Q4.

Gold's first week of April

The gold space could experience some losses in the short term, warned Millman. "There is some downside risk. A relief rally in equities can drive some money out of gold," he said.

A solid support level is around $1,900 and $1,850, and immediate resistance is at $2,000 an ounce and then $2,060-70, he said.

"When you look at the shorts vs. longs in gold futures, the sentiment is still fairly neutral. If you see some swing in public perception, what's happening with the dollar or the U.S. economy, it could swing sentiment, and gold would be the first to react to that," Millman noted.

Banking crisis

It is unclear whether the volatility in the banking sector is over. But all the extra lending overseen by the Fed is yet to slow down, said Bannockburn Global Forex chief market strategist Marc Chandler.

"The banking stress that roiled the markets this month has eased. However, the emergency lending by the Federal Reserve, via the discount window and the new Bank Term Funding Program hardly slowed in the past week ($152.6 bln vs. $163.9 bln)," Chandler said Friday.

Barclays warned that the banking crisis is likely far from over, as a "second wave" of deposit outflows is coming.

"We think the first wave of outflows may be nearly over … But the recent tumult regarding deposit safety may have awakened 'sleepy' depositors and started what we believe will be a second wave of deposit departures, with balances moving into money market funds," Barclays strategist Joseph Abate said in a note.

A second wave of outflows is likely to be triggered by "sleepy" depositors moving their savings from banks to money-market funds for better and safer returns, Abate clarified.

"It is too hard to shift balances or to establish a new relationship with another institution unless there is a large, convincing yield pickup. But some of it could reflect the fact that after 15 years of near-zero rates, depositors are not in the habit of paying much attention to the yield on their cash balances," Abate said.

Next week's data

Monday: ISM manufacturing PMI

Tuesday: U.S. factory orders

Wednesday: U.S. ADP nonfarm employment, ISM services PMI

Thursday: U.S. jobless claims

Friday: U.S. nonfarm payrolls

By

Anna Golubova

For Kitco News

Time to Buy Gold and Silver

Tim Moseley

Gold’s most active contract switches to June which are flirting with $2000

Gold traded higher by low double digits today. The gains are the result of two factors and tomorrow’s PCE inflation report. Currently, the April 2023 contract of gold futures is trading up $14.20 and fixed at $1981.10. Concurrently, the June 2023 contract of gold futures is fixed at $1998 up $13.50. Today the June contract hit an intraday high of $2002.40.

The volume is diminishing in the April contract with an open interest of 88,563. The volume in the June contract has an open interest of 145,716. Traders are switching from the April contract to the June contract which is next in line to be the most active.

The dollar is currently trading lower by 0.43% and the dollar index is fixed at 101.86. The dollar has had a strong decline since October of last year when the index traded to an intraday high of 114. It seems that the days of extreme dollar strength have greatly diminished and we anticipate that the dollar index could break below 100.

Yields on government bonds are also lower which has greatly enhanced the demand for gold as a haven asset. Gains in U.S. equities did little to diminish demand for the haven assets and did not seem to have any detrimental effect on Gold pricing today.

As we spoke about yesterday, market participants who are anticipating a Fed pivot from raising rates to cutting rates have been largely disappointed. It is accepted by analysts and economists that the Federal Reserve will continue to either raise rates or pause rates at some point soon.

The CME’s FedWatch tool indicates that professional traders are almost split between anticipating a ¼% rate hike or a pause in interest rate hikes at the next FOMC meeting which begins around a month from today and concludes on May 3. According to the CME’s probability indicator, there is a 43.6% probability that the Federal Reserve will pause its hawkish monetary policy of raising rates at each FOMC meeting, and a 56.4% probability that the Fed will raise rates by ¼%. Yesterday the CME’s FedWatch tool indicated that there was a 67.4% probability that the Fed would pause rates with a 37.6% probability of a ¼% rate hike. This is a pretty dramatic shift in the last 24 hours.

Lastly, the preferred inflation indicator of the Federal Reserve, the PCE (Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index) will be released tomorrow, March 31. Currently, forecasters believe that inflation levels will remain elevated. If the PCE does remain elevated as currently predicted it could strengthen the resolve of the Federal Reserve to raise rates rather than take a pause.

By

Gary Wagner

Contributing to kitco.com

Time to Buy Gold and Silver

Tim Moseley

Gold remains solidly bullish even with today’s modest price decline

Although gold prices had a modest decline in trading today, the overall fundamental environment that had caused gold pricing to trade above $2000 last week remains solidly entrenched. Today’s modest single-digit decline in gold resulted from market participants once again focusing on risk-on assets with U.S. equities rising. Specifically, a major rise of 1.97% in the NASDAQ composite indicates solid interest in the tech-heavy index. The Dow Jones industrial average gained 1% and the S&P 500 increased by 1.42%.

Positive market sentiment for US equities coupled with minor dollar strength could have easily tipped traders to take profits on long positions in gold. As of 5:25 PM EST gold futures basis the most active April contract is down $7.30 or 0.37% and fixed at $1966.20.



However, June gold futures which will be the next most active contract is currently fixed at $1983.10 booking the same dollar decline of $7.30 but are priced almost $20 above the April contract. The large differential of almost $20 between the two contract months clearly illustrates market sentiment is exceedingly bullish long-term for gold.

Market participants who were anticipating a Fed pivot from raising rates to cutting rates have been largely disappointed. However, it must be noted that the CME’s FedWatch tool indicates that professional traders are anticipating a pause in rate hikes in 34 days when the Federal Reserve concludes its May FOMC meeting on May 3, 2023. According to the CME’s probability indicator, there is a 67.4% probability that the Federal Reserve will not raise rates and a 37.6% probability that they will implement another 25 bps rate hike.

Lastly, the preferred inflation indicator of the Federal Reserve, the PCE (Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index) will be released this Friday, March 31. Currently forecasts believe that inflation levels will remain elevated. If the PCE remains elevated as currently predicted it could pressure the Federal Reserve to raise rates rather than take a pause at the May FOMC meeting.

By

Gary Wagner

Time to Buy Gold and Silver

Tim Moseley

Gold, silver gain on bargain hunting, bullish outside mkts

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(Kitco News) – Gold and silver prices are up in midday U.S. trading Tuesday on some perceived bargain hunting, and amid a lower U.S. dollar index and higher crude oil prices on this day. April gold was last up $15.00 at $1,968.70 and May silver was up $0.21 at $23.355.

The key outside markets today see the U.S. dollar index lower and continuing to trend lower on the daily bar chart. Nymex crude oil futures prices are up and trading around $73.50 a barrel. Oil prices have made a good rebound from the March low and bulls are working on a price uptrend on the daily bar chart. Meantime, the benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury note yield is presently fetching 3.558%.

Global stock markets were mixed overnight. U.S. stock indexes are mixed at midday. The U.S. and European banking crisis appears to have stabilized, at least for now. That’s allowing risk appetite to creep back into the marketplace. Continued easing worries about the banking crisis, and a continued uptick in risk appetite, would very likely cap gains in gold and silver prices for the near term.

  Fed's 'Emergency rate cut' by June to precede 'controlled implosion' of banking sector, only 6 banks left as CBDCs rolled out by 2025 – Edward Dowd

It’s a busy week for U.S. economic data, but the highlight is Friday’s personal consumption and expenditures (PCE) data that will provide fresh clues on inflation and whether the U.S. economy is headed toward recession. It’s been said the PCE data is a favorite gauge of inflation for the Federal Reserve.

Technically, April gold futures bulls have the solid overall near-term technical advantage. Prices are still in an uptrend on the daily bar chart. Bulls’ next upside price objective is to produce a close above solid resistance at the March high of $2,014.90. Bears' next near-term downside price objective is pushing futures prices below solid technical support at $1,900.00. First resistance is seen at this week’s high of $1,984.00 and then at $2,000.00. First support is seen at this week’s low of $1,945.00 and then at last week’s low of $1,936.50. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 7.5

]

May silver futures bulls have the firm overall near-term technical advantage. Prices are in a steep uptrend on the daily bar chart. Silver bulls' next upside price objective is closing prices above solid technical resistance at $24.00. The next downside price objective for the bears is closing prices below solid support at $22.00. First resistance is seen at this week’s high of $23.485 and then at last week’s high of $23.705. Next support is seen at today’s low of $22.96 and then at $22.50. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 7.0.

May N.Y. copper closed up 105 points at 408.90 cents today. Prices closed near mid-range today. The copper bulls have the overall near-term technical advantage. Copper bulls' next upside price objective is pushing and closing prices above solid technical resistance at the January high of 435.90 cents. The next downside price objective for the bears is closing prices below solid technical support at the March low of 382.20 cents. First resistance is seen at last week’s high of 414.85 cents and then at the March high of 417.85 cents. First support is seen at this week’s low of 402.35 cents and then at 400.00 cents. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 6.0.

By

Jim Wyckoff

For Kitco News

Time to Buy Gold and Silver

Tim Moseley

Gold prices soften as concern subsides over banking meltdown

For the second consecutive day gold futures have traded lower. Today gold traded to an intraday low of $1945 and a high of $1984 after opening at $1982.60. As of 4:15 PM EST gold futures basis the most active April contract is currently fixed at $1958.50 after factoring in today’s decline of $25.30 or -1.28%.

Today’s decline of approximately 1.3% was the direct result of traders bidding the precious yellow metal lower, with dollar weakness providing tailwinds that softened the decline today. Dollar weakness also provided some relief for spot gold which is currently fixed at $1956.90 after factoring in a decline today of $21.30. However, before factoring in dollar weakness spot gold was trading lower by $26.60 with dollar weakness adding back $5.30 per ounce.

The primary factor that had increased demand for the precious metal diminished over the weekend. The concern was centered around a banking crisis involving Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank of New York spreading to other banks.

Over the weekend it was announced that First Citizens Bank reached a deal to purchase the Silicon Valley Bank in Santa Clara. The SVB was closed by California authorities on Friday, March 10. On Sunday, March 26 the FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation) announced that the First Citizens Bank & Trust Company of Raleigh, North Carolina had completed a purchase agreement from deposits and loans of the Silicon Valley Bridge Bank.

The purchase of SVB greatly alleviated the fears that the banking meltdown would have a contagion effect leading to more banks becoming insolvent. This diminished the demand for safe-haven assets as investors reallocated funds from haven assets to risk-on assets such as U.S. equities. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.60%, and the S&P 500 gained 0.16%. However, bearish market sentiment continues in the tech-heavy NASDAQ composite which declined by 0.47%.

The two-day decline witnessed in gold could be short-lived as market participants focus on statements made by the Federal Reserve last week. For the first time since the Federal Reserve began raising rates, it indicated that its forward monetary policy is about to begin pausing interest rate hikes. Currently, it is anticipated that the Fed will initiate one more ¼% rate hike in May and then begin to pause rate hikes and assess the long-term impacts on inflation from their flurry of rate hikes which began in March 2022.

The Fed continues to maintain that its current terminal rate will remain elevated but a pause in hikes is the next best thing to a rate cut. Rate cuts were something which Chairman Powell emphatically stated is not something the Federal Reserve will implement without substantial data confirming that inflation is on a sustained downward trajectory towards their 2% target.

Gary S. Wagner

Time to Buy Gold and Silver

Tim Moseley

Gold exhibits extreme gains as traders digest the complex events of March

Gold as a haven asset has been the recipient of the financial uncertainty that has unfolded this month. Gold futures hit a low of $1814 on March 8 and traded to its highest yearly value on Monday when April futures traded to an intraday high of $2015. Although gold pricing wasn't able to sustain attempts to close above $2000 it remains solidly within reach.

As of 5:22 PM EST, the most active April contract is fixed at $1981 after factoring in a decline today of $14.90 or 0.75%. Gold traded to an intraday high of $2006.50 and a low of $1977.70. The demand for gold-based investments has magnified intensely resulting in a $200 range from the lows of March 8 to the highs witnessed this week.

Even with one week remaining in March 2023, this month has been pivotal in terms of the major events that have unfolded. These events will most certainly shape the direction and strength of the financial markets throughout this year.

Not since 2008 have we seen a global banking crisis of this magnitude. In the space of 10 short days, we saw the collapse of multiple United States banks including Silicon Valley Bank, Signature Bank of New York, and Silverton. In addition, Chairman Powell mentioned up to six banks that could require assistance to remain solvent at the FOMC press conference this week.

America's top banks ponied up a $30 billion rescue deal over a 10-day period in conjunction with the steps by the US treasury, the FDIC, and the US Federal Reserve to attempt to cauterize the economic calamity in the banking system in hopes that these recent failures will not lead to a contagion of more banks. However, we don't know if the steps taken by government entities and private sector banks will be enough to contain the damage.

Concurrently, the world watched as Switzerland's second-largest bank, Credit Suisse collapsed and was acquired by UBS. The acquisition of Credit Suisse by UBS allowed the collapsed bank to mirror the more flexible hybrid work model of USB which embraces the theme of adapting and innovating to remain current to meet the diversified needs of its clients and employees.

This week the Federal Reserve concluded its March FOMC meeting and as expected raised its terminal rate by ¼%. What was unexpected was a defined timeline before the Federal Reserve concluded the aggressive rate hikes. While Chairman Powell stated that they most likely will raise rates one more time by ¼% in May, and the rate implemented by the Fed will likely be held with no rate cuts this year. The chairman emphatically stated that "rate cuts are not in our base case" during the Q&A section of his press conference.

Collectively the global bank failures and the possibility of contagion and a pronounced change in the monetary policy of the Federal Reserve in which we are closer to the end of rate hikes have been the defining forces that moved gold prices roughly $200 higher this month.

By

Gary Wagner

Contributing to kitco.com

Time to Buy Gold and Silver

Tim Moseley

Gold, silver rally amid less-hawkish Fed, weaker USDX

Gold and silver prices solidly higher in midday U.S. trading Thursday, boosted in the wake of the Federal Reserve raising its main interest rate by a quarter-point, but also suggesting rates will not continue to rise. A depreciating U.S. dollar on the foreign exchange market is also working in favor of the metals market bulls late this week. April gold was last up $47.70 at $1,996.90 and May silver was up $0.509 at $23.30.

While the Federal Reserve’s FOMC meeting produced a mostly expected quarter-point rate hike, Fed Chair Powell at his press conference leaned a bit more dovish than he had been in recent months. That boosted the precious metals and briefly rallied the U.S. stock indexes. However, what rattled the U.S. stock market late in the session Wednesday was comments from U.S. Treasury Secretary Yellen at a Senate hearing that the federal government has no plans to protect all bank deposits that are not FDIC-insured.

Global stock markets were mixed overnight. U.S. stock indexes are sharply higher at midday.

  Consumers cash in on unwanted gold as its price soars amid a spreading bank crisis

The key outside markets today see the U.S. dollar index weaker and at a seven-week low. Nymex crude oil futures prices are near steady and trading around $71.00 a barrel. The benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury note yield is presently fetching around 3.45%.

Technically, April gold futures bulls have the solid overall near-term technical advantage. Prices are in a fledgling uptrend on the daily bar chart. Bulls’ next upside price objective is to produce a close above solid resistance at this week’s high of $2,014.90. Bears' next near-term downside price objective is pushing futures prices below solid technical support at $1,922.30. First resistance is seen at $2,000.00 and then at $2,014.90. First support is seen at today’s low of $1,967.30 and then at $1,950.00. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 8.0

May silver futures prices hit a seven-week high today. The silver bulls have the firm overall near-term technical advantage. Prices are in a steep, fledgling uptrend on the daily bar chart. Silver bulls' next upside price objective is closing prices above solid technical resistance at $24.00. The next downside price objective for the bears is closing prices below solid support at $22.00. First resistance is seen at $23.50 and then at $23.75. Next support is seen at $23.00 and then at $22.50. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 7.0.

May N.Y. copper closed up 795 points at 412.35 cents today. Prices closed near the session high and hit a three-week high today. The copper bulls have gained the overall near-term technical advantage. A two-month-old downtrend on the daily bar chart has been negated. Copper bulls' next upside price objective is pushing and closing prices above solid technical resistance at the January high of 435.90 cents. The next downside price objective for the bears is closing prices below solid technical support at the March low of 382.20 cents. First resistance is seen at 415.00 cents and then at 420.00 cents. First support is seen at 405.00 cents and then at 400.00 cents. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 6.0.

By

Jim Wyckoff

For Kitco News

Time to Buy Gold and Silver

Tim Moseley