CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 69% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 69% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

Gold s hesitation unnerving weaker bulls

Article By: ,  Financial Analyst

Gold was little-changed at the time of this writing on Tuesday evening, unable to find support from the sell-off in stocks or indeed the weaker US dollar. At the same time, it wasn’t exactly following the other commodities either, with oil and copper prices making sharp U-turns in mid-day.

Despite its recent hesitation, gold has risen sharply ever since hitting a multi-year low of $1046 in December. At just shy of $1270 per ounce, the precious yellow metal is now up more than 20 per cent from that low. It has found support from various sources, including the fact that benchmark government bond yields have been falling to fresh negative levels amid the on-going fiat currency devaluation by major central banks. The slowing down of economic growth in China and raised uncertainty about the stock markets has also boosted the appetite for the safe haven metal. Added to this, physical demand for gold has been very healthy especially from Chinese and Indian consumers, as well as central banks.

From a technical perspective, gold is continuing to make good progress, but the slowing pace of the rally is beginning to cause a few concerns for short term bullish speculators.  Following last Thursday’s breakout from a symmetrical triangle, which is a continuation pattern, the resulting rally has been only modest thus far. Friday’s doji candlestick pattern reflects this indecisiveness perfectly at the top of the range. This is not a great sign, not when the RSI is also forming a bearish divergence around the “overbought” threshold of 70. The RSI may need to unwind now and this will happen either by price action or by time. In this regard, it will be very bullish if gold holds at these high levels while the RSI drifts lower.

But gold has been making higher highs and higher lows, and is still (just about) holding above broken resistances such as $1250 and now $1263. However if these levels start to break down then the sellers’ control will increase, potentially causing the precious metal to retreat back towards the $1190-$1200 support area, or even towards the 50- or 200-daily moving averages at $1158 and $1134 respectively.

However these moving averages are now in the “right” order, with the 50 being above the 200. This is called a “Golden Crossover,” which is a confirmation by some as the start of a bullish trend. Some speculators, especially momentum traders, only tend to buy assets whose moving averages are in this particular order.

Indeed it will be interesting to see if, despite some flagging signs, gold will be able to break above Friday’s range at $1280. This scenario would be very bullish in my view, which could lead to fresh follow-up technical buying towards the January 2015 high at $1307 and potentially beyond. This $1307 level also comes in just $1 below the 161.8% Fibonacci extension of the corrective move from $1263 to $1191 in mid-February, making the $1307-8 area and important target for the bulls.

But that’s a worry for another day; for now, gold needs to break above $1280 soon or otherwise a potentially sharp pullback may be on the cards.

StoneX Financial Ltd (trading as “City Index”) is an execution-only service provider. This material, whether or not it states any opinions, is for general information purposes only and it does not take into account your personal circumstances or objectives. This material has been prepared using the thoughts and opinions of the author and these may change. However, City Index does not plan to provide further updates to any material once published and it is not under any obligation to keep this material up to date. This material is short term in nature and may only relate to facts and circumstances existing at a specific time or day. Nothing in this material is (or should be considered to be) financial, investment, legal, tax or other advice and no reliance should be placed on it.

No opinion given in this material constitutes a recommendation by City Index or the author that any particular investment, security, transaction or investment strategy is suitable for any specific person. The material has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research. Although City Index is not specifically prevented from dealing before providing this material, City Index does not seek to take advantage of the material prior to its dissemination. This material is not intended for distribution to, or use by, any person in any country or jurisdiction where such distribution or use would be contrary to local law or regulation.

For further details see our full non-independent research disclaimer and quarterly summary.

CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 69% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. CFD and Forex Trading are leveraged products and your capital is at risk. They may not be suitable for everyone. Please ensure you fully understand the risks involved by reading our full risk warning.

City Index is a trading name of StoneX Financial Ltd. Head and Registered Office: 1st Floor, Moor House, 120 London Wall, London, EC2Y 5ET. StoneX Financial Ltd is a company registered in England and Wales, number: 05616586. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. FCA Register Number: 446717.

City Index is a trademark of StoneX Financial Ltd.

The information on this website is not targeted at the general public of any particular country. It is not intended for distribution to residents in any country where such distribution or use would contravene any local law or regulatory requirement.

© City Index 2024