Gold Heads for Weekly Gain
Gold traded around $4,270 per ounce on Friday, holding near a seven-week high and heading for a weekly gain, supported by expectations of further US monetary easing. Fresh signs of labor market cooling reinforced views that the Federal Reserve may deliver two rate cuts in 2026. Jobless claims for the week of December 6 rose more than expected, reaching their highest level in over two months. The data came after the Fed delivered its third 25 bps cut of the year and adopted a less hawkish tone than markets anticipated. Chair Powell signaled that additional rate hikes are essentially off the table, prompting traders to price in two cuts for 2026, even though the Fed’s projections suggest only one. At the same time, the Fed announced it will purchase about $40 billion in short-term Treasury bills to ease money market strains, a move expected to cap short-term yields and support precious metals.