Gold holds two-day slide as Fed signals one more hike, U.S. CPI in focus

Gold prices dropped two days in a row, falling roughly 0.8%, as it hovered near $4,155 per ounce on Wednesday. Fed President John Williams indicated that another interest-rate hike might be necessary this year, but he anticipated no more tightening in 2027. This outlook helped to somewhat offset gold's losses, while U.S. Treasury yields eased, supporting the non-yielding metal.

Investors were now looking to the U.S. Consumer Price Index report for September, the latest clue on the central bank's policy direction. Brent crude oil prices surged above $106 per barrel, raising concerns that higher energy costs could complicate inflation and strengthen the case for tighter monetary policy.

Among the precious metals, silver (XAG/USD) declined 0.3% to $58.9890 per ounce, while platinum (XPT/USD) dropped 0.7% to $1,654.96 per ounce. Palladium (XPD/USD) slipped 0.2% to $1,125.23 per ounce. The U.S. Dollar Index remained relatively stable at 102.18.

Gold has faced significant challenges since the escalation of Middle East attacks, which threatened further energy supply disruptions and heightened concerns about persistent inflation. Despite this, Rick Kanda of The Gold Bullion Company argued that the metal's longer-term prospects remained positive, having extended its strong performance into early 2026 following a record-breaking 2025.