Gold Nears $4,400 as US Data Stokes Rate-Cut Hopes

Gold prices edged toward $4,400 an ounce as traders assessed the Federal Reserve's interest-rate path after fresh US data showed cooling consumer sentiment and retail sales. The University of Michigan's preliminary August sentiment index slid to 51, below the 55 forecast in a Bloomberg survey, while July retail sales dropped by the most in more than a year. The data helped ease fears of an imminent rate hike, a typical headwind for non-yielding bullion, though oil price gains after US threats against Iran keep tightening risks alive.

Fed Chicago President Austan Goolsbee said he is encouraged by recent cooling inflation but wants more months of data to confirm it is returning to the 2% target. Gold has recovered above the $4,000 threshold recently, driven by renewed investor appetite and central bank purchases, especially from China. Gains earlier this week pushed the metal above its 100-day moving average for the first time since April, though it has since fallen back below that level.

Spot gold traded 0.6% higher at $4,374.24 an ounce, while silver, platinum and palladium also rose. The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index slipped 0.2%. OCBC strategist Christopher Wong warned that consolidation risks remain, saying the macro setup has turned more constructive but technical momentum looks stretched after the recent rebound.