Investing.com - Gold prices were lower at the close on Friday and posted their first weekly decline since March as a rise in global bond yields curbed investor demand for the precious metal.
Gold for August delivery closed down 0.27% at $1,242.48 on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange, bringing the week’s losses to 1.27%.
The precious metal still ended the first half of the year with a gain of 8%, boosted by a decline in the dollar to its lows of the year.
Gold prices came under pressure amid indications that several major central banks around the world are getting ready to join the Federal Reserve in tightening monetary policy.
Investor expectations mounted for tighter monetary policy across the globe after the heads of the European Central Bank, the Bank of England and the Bank of Canada adopted a more hawkish view on monetary policy.
Hawkish signals from foreign central banks contrasted with doubts over whether the Federal Reserve will be able to hike rates again this year given a recent batch of weak U.S. economic data and growing skepticism that the Trump administration will be able to deliver on its pro-growth agenda.
Benchmark U.S. Treasury yields and German 10-year government bond yields hit five-week highs and the euro hit 14-month peaks as investors assessed the likelihood that the ECB could soon start to unwind its quantitative easing program.
Gold is highly sensitive to rising rates, which lift the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding assets such as bullion, but weakness in the dollar in which it is priced, has been offsetting the impact of higher yields.
Higher yields tend to increase the opportunity cost of purchasing commodities that don’t bear a yield.
Elsewhere in precious metals trading, silver was little changed at $16.58 a troy ounce late Friday.
Meanwhile, copper futures rose to a four-month high, rising 0.46% to $2.708 a pound, to end the month with gains of 5.33%.
Platinum added 0.5% to trade at $927.7 late Friday and palladium fell 0.79% to $839.42 an ounce.
In the week ahead, investors will be focusing on Wednesday’s minutes of the Fed’s latest meeting for fresh cues on the timing of the next U.S. rate hike. Friday’s U.S. jobs report for June will also be closely watched.
Employment data from Canada will also be in the spotlight amid speculation that the BoC could raise interest rates as soon as this month.
Ahead of the coming week, Investing.com has compiled a list of these and other significant events likely to affect the markets.
Monday, July 3
Japan is to publish the results of the Tankan surveys of manufacturing and service sector activity.
China is to publish its Caixin manufacturing PMI.
The UK is to release data on manufacturing activity.
Financial markets in Canada are to remain closed for a holiday.
Bank of England Governor Mark Carney is due to speak at an event in Frankfurt.
Later Monday, the Institute for Supply Management is to publish its manufacturing index.
Tuesday, July 4
Australia is to release data on retail sales.
The Reserve Bank of Australia is to announce its benchmark interest rate and publish a rate statement which outlines economic conditions and the factors affecting the monetary policy decision.
The UK is to release data on construction activity.
Financial markets in the U.S. are to remain closed for the Fourth of July holiday.
Wednesday, July 5
The UK is to release data on service sector activity.
The U.S. is to release data on factory orders.
Later in the day, the Fed is to publish the minutes of its latest monetary policy meeting.
Thursday, July 6
Australia is to release a report on the trade balance.
Switzerland is to publish its latest inflation figures.
The U.S. is to release the ADP nonfarm payrolls report for January as well reports on jobless claims trade, while the ISM is to release its non-manufacturing PMI.
Canada is also to release data on trade along with a report on building permits.
Friday, July 7
The UK is to release industry data on house price inflation, as well as a report on manufacturing production.
Leaders from the G20 nation are to hold the first day of a summit meeting in Hamburg.
Canada is to publish its monthly employment report.
The U.S. is to round up the week with the non-farm payrolls report for June and the Fed is to publish its bi-annual monetary policy report.