Gold extends rally to new all-time high amid global risk-off mood

LONDON (January 21) Gold (XAU/USD) climbs to yet another record high on Wednesday as risk sentiment deteriorates across global markets, driving investors toward safe-haven assets amid rising geopolitical and economic uncertainty. At the time of writing, XAU/USD is trading around $4,866, after hitting a fresh all-time high near $4,888 earlier in the European session.

The metal’s bullish run shows little sign of slowing, with prices up more than 6% so far this week after US President Donald Trump reignited trade tensions with the European Union over control of Greenland.

The renewed rhetoric has raised fears of a broader trade war, with speculation growing that Europe could weaponize its vast holdings of US stocks and Treasuries, fueling “Sell America” sentiment.

The risk-off tone has been reinforced by turmoil in Japan’s sovereign bond market, where a sharp sell-off pushed long-dated yields to multi-decade highs and rattled global debt markets, including US Treasuries.

Ongoing volatility across bond markets is stoking concerns about the fiscal health of major economies, boosting demand for Gold as a hedge against macro and financial instability.

Market movers: Trade war fears dominate markets as US-EU tensions escalate

• US-EU tensions remain front and center after President Donald Trump threatened fresh tariffs on eight European nations, saying a 10% levy would be imposed from February 1 and raised to 25% in June unless “a deal is reached for the complete and total purchase of Greenland.”
• European leaders have pushed back against the tariff threats, reaffirming that the bloc stands ready to deploy countermeasures if needed. Attention has also turned to Europe’s large holdings of US assets, estimated at around $10 trillion, which some analysts say could be used as economic leverage if tensions escalate.
• On Tuesday,  Danish pension fund AkademikerPension said it would sell off its holding of US Treasuries, worth about $100 million by month-end, because of “the poor US government finances.” 
• The US Dollar Index (DXY), which tracks the Greenback's value against a basket of six major currencies, is trading flat around 98.62 after slipping to two-week lows on Tuesday.
• All eyes are on US President Trump, who is set to hold talks on Greenland-related tensions on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos later on Wednesday.
• Focus is also on the US Supreme Court, which is set to hear arguments in a case linked to President Trump’s efforts to remove Federal Reserve (Fed) Governor Lisa Cook over mortgage-fraud allegations.
• The US data docket is thin on Wednesday, leaving markets sensitive to geopolitical headlines, with Pending Home Sales the only key release. Traders await the delayed Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) inflation data and the annualized third-quarter Gross Domestic Product (GDP) figures due on Thursday.

FXStreet