Gold steady as markets strap in for inflation data - The Economic Times

AI desk brief

Spot gold steadied at $4,200.23/oz after a one-week high, while December US gold futures rose 0.2% to $4,225.50/oz ahead of Wednesday’s CPI and Thursday’s PPI/retail sales data. FedWatch shows traders pricing an 18% chance of an October hike and an 84% chance by December, keeping rate expectations a key headwind even as gold benefits from inflation-hedge demand and Middle East risk.

Broader support comes from softer US consumer sentiment, the UN’s warning that the Middle East energy shock could slow global growth to 2.6% in 2026, and still-subdued physical demand in India and China. Silver, platinum and palladium also firmed, with spot silver up 0.5% to $61.08/oz, platinum up 0.4% to $1,693.51/oz and palladium up 0.7% to $1,155.84/oz.