Gold Soars to the Stratosphere

No correction? No problem. Even the slightest dips in gold attract new bulls eager to buy at lower prices. The combination of the Federal Reserve's monetary easing, slowing global economy, uncertainty surrounding the U.S. presidential election, high demand from central banks, and gold's status as a safe-haven asset leaves no doubt about the strength of the upward trend in XAU/USD and the precious metal's ability to set new records.

Rumors of an impending recession are pushing treasury bond yields downward, which in turn is causing global debt yields to fall. The average yield on investment-grade government and corporate debt has dropped to 3.3%, its lowest level since September 2022. The main beneficiary of this process is gold, which pays no interest and easily outperforms bonds when rates fall.

Global Bond Yield Dynamics

The cooling of the U.S. labor market and economy forces the Fed to begin a monetary easing cycle, which has historically benefited precious metals. In theory, the U.S. dollar weakens under such conditions, providing a tailwind for XAU/USD. However, as events in 2023-2024 have shown, gold can rise even amidst a rally in the USD index. It serves as an alternative to fiat currencies, which are suffering from the synchronization of the Fed's monetary easing with other central banks.

Moreover, central banks, especially in developing countries, favor precious metals as assets immune to third-party countries' influence. In particular, the U.S.'s push to impose the dollar as a reserve currency and means of payment is facing resistance and has triggered a process of de-dollarization. As a result, central banks are likely to maintain a high appetite for gold purchases.

Whether Donald Trump or Kamala Harris comes to power in the U.S., the budget deficit will continue to grow. It stands at a record $35.4 trillion, and there are no signs of it decreasing. Both Republicans and Democrats will push for new fiscal stimulus measures, which will increase the imbalance and heighten default risks. This creates an ideal environment for safe-haven assets like gold.

Thus, XAU/USD has plenty of reasons to continue its rally. Will the precious metal wait for the August U.S. inflation data, or will it surge to record highs beforehand? In any case, the deflationary process amid a cooling labor market speaks about the slowdown of the U.S. economy, increases the risks of aggressive monetary easing by the Fed, and lights a green light for the analyzed asset.

Technically, the daily gold chart shows a Spike and Ledge pattern. A breakout of the upper boundary of the consolidation range at $2470–2525 per ounce will increase the chances of a sustained rally toward at least $2575 and serve as a signal for purchases.
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Moderna's bleak outlook drags stocks lower, Warner Brothers inspires investors with 10% gain

Wall Street is on the rise again: gold hits records
US stock markets showed solid gains on Thursday, with gold prices reaching a new all-time high. Investors are optimistic about the upcoming Federal Reserve meeting, expecting an interest rate cut as early as next week.

Stock indices end the day higher
The key US indices fluctuated in mixed territory for most of the trading day, but showed solid gains by the close. The European Central Bank's recent decision to cut interest rates and slightly better-than-expected U.S. producer price data helped fuel the rally. Despite this, investors remain confident that the Fed will cut rates slightly at its next meeting.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.58%, the S&P 500 rose 0.75%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite rose 1%. Strong results from tech companies helped the Nasdaq take the lead in growth.

World markets trending
The MSCI World Equity Index, which measures markets around the world, rose 1.08%, confirming positive investor sentiment in global markets.

ECB Cuts Rates Again
Earlier on Thursday, the European Central Bank announced its second interest rate cut in three months, which was driven by slowing inflation and weakening economic growth in the eurozone. The cut was predictable, but the ECB has yet to give clear signals about its future plans.

While the 0.25% rate cut did not come as a surprise to the market, the question remains as to how decisively and quickly the central bank will act in the remaining months of the year.

Focus on the Federal Reserve
Market participants are now focused on the upcoming Federal Reserve meeting, which will decide on the key interest rate on Wednesday. Investors are expecting the Fed to make the first rate cut since 2020. However, fresh economic data released on Thursday suggest that the Fed will likely limit the rate cut to 25 basis points, rather than the larger 50 basis point cut that some analysts had previously expected.

Inflation data softened expectations
An important factor for the upcoming Fed decision was the inflation data released on Wednesday and Thursday. The indicators point to a slight increase in prices, but the rate of inflation remains relatively low. Thus, the core consumer price index increased by 0.28% in August, which is higher than the expected growth of 0.2%. In addition, the data on producer prices also exceeded expectations: in August, they grew by 0.2% instead of the expected 0.1%. Despite this, the general trend remains in favor of slowing inflation, which increases the likelihood of a moderate rate cut.

The dollar weakens, the euro grows
Amid expectations of a rate cut, the US dollar showed weakness against major world currencies. The dollar index, which tracks its dynamics against a basket of leading currencies, fell by 0.52%, reaching 101.25. At the same time, the euro strengthened by 0.54%, reaching $1.1071. This trend reflects global changes in investor sentiment, who expect further easing of monetary policy in the United States.

Oil prices rise: Hurricane impact, production recovery
Oil prices continued their upward movement, adding almost 3%, amid investor concerns about how severely U.S. crude output will be affected by Hurricane Francine in the Gulf of Mexico. On Thursday, producers announced forced production cuts, but there were signs that some export ports were partially reopening.

WTI crude rose 2.72% to $69.14 per barrel, while benchmark Brent crude rose 2.21% to $72.17 per barrel.

Gold at new heights: a safe haven for investors
Gold prices soared to all-time highs as expectations of an imminent Fed rate cut made the precious metal even more attractive for investment. Amid market instability, gold has once again confirmed its status as a "safe haven" for capital.

Spot gold rose 1.85% to a record $2,558 an ounce, while U.S. gold futures rose 1.79% to settle at $2,557 an ounce.

Bond Market: Yields Rise on Inflation Data
U.S. Treasury yields also showed modest gains. The two-year yield rose 1.2 basis points to 3.6579%. The 10-year yield rose 3 basis points to 3.683%.

Inflation Beats Expectations
The Producer Price Index (PPI), which tracks changes in the cost of goods and services at the producer level, rose 0.2% in August, beating expectations for a 0.1% gain. The core measure, which excludes volatile items such as food and energy, rose 0.3%, also beating expectations for a 0.2% gain.

Labor Market Remains Stable
The number of initial jobless claims in the United States for the week ending September 7 was 230,000, which was in line with analysts' expectations. This data confirms the stable state of the American labor market, despite some macroeconomic fluctuations.

Employment and Economic Growth: Market Awaits Fed Decision
The latest economic reports show weakening employment and slowing economic growth, which has raised expectations for a deeper 50 basis point rate cut by the Federal Reserve. However, the release of inflation data on Wednesday changed the market sentiment, with traders now assessing the likelihood of a more modest cut.

Fed: Rate Cut Likely
Despite Thursday's fluctuations, CME's FedWatch tool showed that traders still have a 69% chance of expecting the Fed to cut interest rates by 25 basis points at the September 17-18 meeting. If that happens, it would be the first rate cut since March 2020, marking an important step in monetary policy.

Russell 2000 Leads Gain
Against these expectations, the Russell 2000 index of small-cap companies was the best performer among the indices, gaining 1.2%. That underscores confidence that small businesses can benefit from the upcoming easing of credit conditions.

S&P 500: All Sectors in the Green
All 11 industry sectors in the S&P 500 ended the day in positive territory. Communications services led the way, rising 2%. Warner Bros Discovery was particularly strong, jumping 10.4% after the company announced an agreement with Charter Communications to give customers access to ad-supported versions of its Warner Max and Discovery+ streaming services. Charter also posted a strong gain, gaining 3.6%.

Moderna Under Pressure
Not all stocks ended the day in positive territory. Shares of vaccine maker Moderna fell 12.4%, hitting their lowest since November last year. The company announced revenue guidance for next year in the range of $2.5 billion to $3.5 billion, which was lower than analysts expected, which caused the stock to fall.

Kroger pleases investors: shares soar
One of the brightest news of the day was the rapid growth of shares of the supermarket chain Kroger, which rose by 7.2%. This happened because the company exceeded expectations for the second quarter results and raised the lower limit of its annual sales forecast. The optimistic report became a signal to investors that the chain is confidently coping with market challenges.

Gold miners on a wave of success
Shares of companies involved in gold mining sharply went up, following the rise in prices of the precious metal. The spot price of gold reached an all-time high, which led to a 5.8% increase in the Arca Gold BUGS index. Investors continue to view gold as a safe haven against market risk and inflation, fueling interest in the gold mining sector.

Bulls outnumber losers on the NYSE and Nasdaq
On the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), advancers outnumbered losers by a wide margin, 3.45 to 1. There were 405 new highs and just 46 new lows, a strong showing for bulls.

On the Nasdaq, advancers also outnumbered losers by a wide margin, 1.73 to 1. The S&P 500 posted 37 new yearly highs and no new lows, signaling positive sentiment in the market, while the Nasdaq Composite posted 73 new highs and 76 new lows, showing more diversity in stock performance.

Volumes Remain Steady
The total volume of shares traded on U.S. exchanges was 10.58 billion, just slightly below the 10.82 billion average over the past 20 trading sessions. This figure shows that activity in the markets remains strong despite some swings in individual sectors.
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Oil growth is held back by concerns about weakening demand

Yesterday, Brent oil prices rose to $73.30 per barrel, supported by expectations of lower interest rates and supply disruptions caused by Hurricane Francine.

However, this growth was held back today by concerns about declining demand, especially in China, amid weak economic data released over the weekend. The current Brent quote is $72.50 per barrel. North American WTI crude is trading near $68.96.

Supply disruptions due to Hurricane Francine

After Hurricane Francine, oil production in the Gulf of Mexico decreased by 12%, and natural gas production by 16%. These disruptions may contribute to further price increases, although oil companies have been actively restoring production in recent days as the hurricane weakens.

Awaiting the Fed's decision

Investors are waiting for the meeting of the US Federal Reserve System, which will be held on Wednesday. The central bank may lower rates, which will support oil prices. Expectations of a more significant rate cut of 50 basis points put pressure on the dollar and stimulate the growth of oil prices.

Concerns about demand

However, the increase in oil prices is limited by concerns about slowing economic growth in China. The recent weak economic performance of China, the world's largest oil importer, has increased concerns about demand for black gold. An additional negative was brought by the forecasts of OPEC and the IEA, which lowered expectations of oil demand for the coming years.
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Kiyosaki: Bitcoin, gold and silver will soar in price

Robert Kiyosaki, author of the book «Rich Dad, Poor Dad», predicts significant growth of bitcoin against the background of easing monetary policy of the US Federal Reserve System.

In his opinion, lower interest rates will force investors to move away from "fake assets" such as bonds and invest in real assets such as bitcoin, gold and silver.

In his post on the social network «X», Kiyosaki stressed that those who argue about the advantages of gold or bitcoin will lose when the Fed continues to cut rates and prices for real assets begin to rise. The author criticized the debate about which is better, gold or bitcoin, comparing them to people «arguing about a Ferrari or Lamborghini while on the bus.»

After the Fed's rate cut on Wednesday evening, bitcoin continued its recent rise. On Thursday morning, the main digital coin rose to 3-week highs at $62,645. Subsequently, the quotes partially rolled back – the current BTC/USD quote is $62,093.
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Gold updated the record in anticipation of fresh signals from the Fed

Gold prices have reached a new historical high in Asian markets due to the optimistic sentiment caused by lower interest rates in the United States. Additional support for the market was provided by the expectations of speeches by representatives of the Federal Reserve System, which may shed light on the further steps of the regulator.

After the Fed lowered the rate by 50 basis points, gold has updated its records and continues to hold its positions confidently. The spot price of gold rose 0.3% to reach $2,631.19 per ounce, while futures rose 0.4% to $2,655.80 per ounce. The weakening of the dollar and the decline in Treasury bond yields also contributed to the strengthening of the metals market.

Experts expect further easing of the Fed's monetary policy, which may lead to a reduction in rates by an additional 125 basis points during the year. A number of key Fed officials, including Chairman Jerome Powell, are scheduled to speak in the coming days, which may provide additional signals for the markets.

Another important event will be the publication on Friday of a report on the PCE index, the main indicator of inflation for the Fed, which may affect further decisions by the regulator on rates. In addition, investors' attention is focused on the meetings of the central banks of Switzerland and Sweden, where interest rates are also expected to decrease.

Other precious metals, however, are showing a decline. Platinum futures fell 0.6% to $974.10 per ounce, while silver contracts fell 0.2% to $31.43 per ounce.
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Oil may rise in price due to a drop in production in the United States

Analysts believe that after the recent decline in crude oil prices, the situation may soon change due to the expected slowdown in oil production in the United States.

For most of 2024, oil showed positive dynamics, but in recent months the yield has turned negative: the cost of Brent decreased by 3.5%, and WTI – by 0.4% year-on-year.

According to experts, fluctuations in oil prices are caused by both demand and supply factors. The global economy is slowing down, which is holding back demand, and market participants are concerned about a possible increase in oil production by the largest producers — OPEC+ and the United States. However, a number of experts believe that these expectations have already been taken into account in current prices, and in fact the situation may turn out to be different.

«Although oil demand was low in 2024, its decline is not accelerating, which is important against the background of rising global liquidity and lower interest rates,» Wells Fargo Bank said.

In addition, the bank assumes that with prices in the range of $60-70 per barrel, OPEC+ and the United States will reduce rather than increase production, which will help strengthen the market.

Special attention is paid to the statements of OPEC+ on the postponement of the increase in production scheduled for October 2024, as well as the fact that production growth in the United States may also slow down, as the cost of opening new wells reaches $ 64 per barrel. As a result, oil prices are projected to start rising again in the coming months.
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The Fed will cut the rate by another 50 bps in 2024 while maintaining the stability of the economy

The US economy remains strong, and the Federal Reserve System (Fed) intends to maintain it in this state, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said at the annual meeting of the National Association for Business Economics (NABE).

Powell also noted that the Fed is trying to reduce inflation, while preventing a significant increase in unemployment.

The Fed's recent decision to lower the interest rate by 50 basis points (bp) reflects confidence that the adjustment of monetary policy will maintain the stability of the labor market with moderate economic growth and a reduction in inflation to the target 2%. This is what is called a «soft landing» of the economy.

According to the median forecasts of the Fed's management, the base rate will be reduced by another 50 bps by the end of 2024, from the current level of 4.75-5% per annum.

«If the economic situation develops according to our forecasts, we will cut the rate twice by 50 bps,» Powell said, stressing that further decisions will depend on incoming economic data. The main goal is to bring the rate to a neutral level, which, according to the Fed's estimates, is about 3%.
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Investor concerns are slowing down the growth of the Brazilian economy

The easing of the monetary policy of the US Federal Reserve and China's intention to stimulate its economy create favorable conditions for Brazil.

Despite this, Moody's, which upgraded Brazil's rating to the highest junk level, could not convince investors. The Brazilian real and the country's stock market are showing weak results.

Experts note that rating agencies are focused on past events, and markets are looking to the future. Since the beginning of 2024, the Brazilian real has lost about 11% of its value, and the benchmark Bovespa Brazilian stock index has declined by 1.9%.

Despite the positive external factors, the Brazilian real continues to fall. Investors fear that the Brazilian economy is overheated, which could lead to a tightening of monetary policy. Last month, the Brazilian Central Bank raised the rate by 0.25% to 10.75% per annum, which also does not inspire optimism.
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Bank of America: inflation will remain moderate in September

Bank of America forecasts moderate growth in both the core and core consumer price index in September, indicating stable core inflation without alarming signals.

The bank expects a monthly increase of 0.1% for the main index and 0.3% for the base index. Lower energy prices will soften the growth of the main indicator, while higher rents and used car prices will support the growth of the base indicator.

On an annual basis, Bank of America forecasts a decrease in core inflation to 2.3%, while the core CPI will remain at 3.2%. BofA analysts, based on data on inflation forecasts by component, expect core inflation at 0.18% on a monthly basis.

Despite the fact that inflation continues to move in the right direction, the upcoming report is likely to have no significant impact on the central bank's rate. The findings confirm the possibility of further rate cuts, but do not give grounds for concern about the current inflation rate.

If the report shows an acceleration in the pace of price growth in September, this could be a positive for the dollar, which has been strengthening for eight consecutive sessions at Wednesday's auction.
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Bitcoin at $70,000: market expectations against the background of elections

On Monday, the price of bitcoin reached a three-month high, exceeding $69,500. This growth is associated with increased speculation about the likely victory of Donald Trump in the upcoming elections.

Recent polls and forecast markets show an increase in Trump's chances of winning, which causes increased interest in bitcoin. Trump has repeatedly expressed support for cryptocurrencies, promising to build «the future of bitcoin in America,» even accepting donations in cryptocurrencies during his campaign.

If he wins, traders expect more loyal regulation of cryptocurrencies in the United States, which can be a powerful incentive for the growth of the bitcoin exchange rate.

Experts also note that breaking the $70,000 mark will be a key bullish signal for bitcoin.

At the same time, there are only two weeks left before the vote, which creates instability in the markets. Investors in search of «safe havens» prefer gold and the dollar, which reached a record high on Monday. Despite this, the latest capital movement data shows that institutional investors resumed buying cryptocurrencies last week.
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Investors are leaving thematic ETFs en masse: AI, video games and other topics are losing popularity

There is a change of favorites in the global investment market. Investors are increasingly moving from exchange-traded funds (ETFs) specializing in certain topics to traditional ETFs linked to stock indexes.

Analyst data indicate that the outflow of funds from thematic ETFs has continued for the third year in a row. This year, $5.8 billion has been withdrawn so far, which already exceeds the outflow for the whole of 2023 ($4.8 billion).

The growth of stock indexes, which are near record highs, is one of the reasons for this phenomenon. The five largest ETFs tracking the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 indices have received inflows of $170 billion this year.

Experts believe that investors may prefer the stability and broad diversification offered by index ETFs. They also point out that thematic investing itself involves risks. Choosing the right topic, the stocks that will benefit most from this topic, and accurately determining the time of purchase of the fund — all this requires high qualifications and experience.

This trend may indicate that investors are becoming more conservative in their investments. But it's worth noting that thematic ETFs can return to favor if certain topics, such as AI or the metaverse, show strong growth.
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Oil has fallen in price after Israeli strikes on Iran

On Monday, oil prices fell by more than 5% after Israel's retaliatory actions against Iran did not affect key oil and nuclear facilities. Trading on the oil market began with a sharp decline, and Brent futures fell 5.5% to $71.05 per barrel. WTI contracts also fell by almost 5.8%, trading around $67.20.

Last week, oil prices showed significant volatility, increasing by 4%. The growth was driven by expectations of a wide range of Israeli responses to the Iranian missile attack on October 1.

On Saturday, the Israeli Air Force launched three waves of strikes against military installations near Tehran and in western Iran. However, the absence of strikes on oil and nuclear facilities has led to a decrease in geopolitical tensions and, as a result, to a decrease in the «risk premium» embedded in oil prices.

Analysts note that the market will now focus on negotiations on a cease-fire between Israel and the Hamas group. Some financial institutions, such as Citi, are already revising their oil price forecasts, lowering target levels due to reduced geopolitical risk.
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