Gold edged higher in Tuesday trading but continues to hover below key technical levels, with the market awaiting cues from this week’s Federal Reserve communications. The yellow metal is trading under both the 50-day moving average at $3349.70 and the short-term pivot at $3353.58. A breakout above this pivot could signal a shift in sentiment, targeting resistance at $3374.81, and potentially extending to the $3409.43–$3451.53 zone.
At 10:34 GMT, XAU/USD is trading $3343.77, up $10.87 or +0.33%.
Gold’s modest gains come on the back of a 0.1% drop in the U.S. dollar index, offering near-term relief for the metal by improving its appeal for non-dollar buyers. Treasury yields remain mostly flat, with the 10-year note yielding 4.324%, and the 2-year slipping to 3.761%. Lower yields often reduce the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding assets like gold, offering further price support.
The market is heavily focused on the upcoming release of the Federal Reserve’s July meeting minutes and Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s remarks at the Jackson Hole symposium, running August 21–23. These events are expected to offer insight into the Fed’s inflation and employment outlook, which will likely shape rate expectations heading into September. The CME FedWatch tool shows an 83% probability of a 25-basis-point rate cut next month, a sentiment gold bulls will be watching closely.
U.S. political developments are also offering a potential tailwind. President Trump’s recent commitment to back Ukraine in a possible peace deal with Russia, following separate meetings with Zelenskiy and Putin, adds a layer of geopolitical risk that could support gold as a safe haven. However, the lack of immediate clarity on U.S. commitments limits any strong market reaction for now.
Despite today’s modest gains, gold remains vulnerable unless it reclaims and sustains above the $3353.58 pivot. Failure to break above this level could see sellers target support at $3310.48. If that breaks, deeper selling may test the July 30 low at $3268.12.
However, the combination of a soft dollar, stable-to-lower yields, and dovish expectations from the Fed tilt the near-term outlook cautiously bullish, provided technical resistance levels are cleared.
Gold prices projections hinge on Powell’s tone Friday—any confirmation of policy easing could be the catalyst for a sustained move higher.
More Information in our Economic Calendar.
James Hyerczyk is a U.S. based seasoned technical analyst and educator with over 40 years of experience in market analysis and trading, specializing in chart patterns and price movement. He is the author of two books on technical analysis and has a background in both futures and stock markets.