by Richard SnowStrategist
The week ahead presents many ‘high importance’ risk events ranging from US CPI data to central bank decisions in Canada, New Zealand and the European Union. The FOMC minutes of the March meeting will also provide more insight on Fed thinking, although, the trend of hotter US data may diminish the impact of what was discussed during the March meeting.
US DOLLAR (DXY) IN FOCUS AHEAD OF CPI DATA, NFP BOOST PROVED SHORT-LIVED
Friday’s hotter-than-expected jobs data for March initially sent the dollar higher but the catalyst failed to hold into the close. US CPI data will definitely draw a huge focus from the market due to the stubborn PCE figures and generally robust US data that may delay rate cuts even further.
US Dollar Basket (DXY) Daily Chart
THE RISK OF A BROADER CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLE EAST TRIGGERED GOLD’S SAFE HAVEN PUSH
Gold has gone from strength to strength despite rising US yields. The greenback (DXY) registered a minor decline last week but US 2-year and 10-year treasury yields rose for the week.
The prospect of rates remaining on hold for longer, has the potential to see more hawkish repricing for treasuries that increases the opportunity cost of holding the non-interest bearing commodity.
Recent escalations in eastern Europe and the Middle East raise the allure of gold due to its safe haven properties but the market has returned to massively overbought territory, hinting at a potential cooling off period at the start of the week in the absence of further escalation.
Gold (XAU/USD) Daily Chart
