Gold Edges Higher as Traders Ease Rate-Hike Bets on Warsh Speech

Gold edged higher as traders reduced expectations of a US Federal Reserve interest rate increase in October following remarks by chair Kevin Warsh. The precious metal opened the week trading above US$4,180 an ounce, up 0.4 percent at US$4,180.97 an ounce in Singapore. It had fallen 0.7 percent the previous week. Traders reduced their forecasts of a quarter-point hike to less than one-in-five after Warsh's comments were seen as favoring keeping rates steady at the upcoming Fed meeting.

Higher interest rates are unfavorable for gold, which does not generate interest income. Strong US inflation data earlier in the week had fueled speculation of US rate hikes, supporting the US dollar, but Warsh's comments helped reverse the trend. Gold has remained above the critical US$4,000-an-ounce level since August, serving as a safe haven asset since a war-induced decline pushed it into a bear market at the beginning of 2026.

Silver also gained 0.6 percent to US$57.33 an ounce. Platinum and palladium saw increases as well. The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index, which tracks the US currency, remained largely unchanged after declining 0.3 percent last week.