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Gold price holding near six-week highs, but largely ignores disappointing Philly Fed Survey of -23.2

March 16, 2023

NEW YORK (March 16) The gold market is struggling to hold in positive territory, finding little bullish momentum as disappointing manufacturing data, from the Philadelphia Federal Reserve could further elevate recession fears.

Thursday, the regional central bank said its manufacturing business outlook rose less than expected to -23.2 in March, up from February’s reading of -24.3. The data significantly missed expectations as economists were looking for some improvement to -14.7.

“Responses to the March Manufacturing Business Outlook Survey suggest continued declines for the region’s manufacturing sector. The survey’s indicators for general activity, new orders, and shipments were all negative, and the firms reported a decline in employment, on balance,” the report said.

The data shows that activity in the Philadelphia region remains at its lowest level since early 2020 when the global economy ground to a halt due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The disappointing manufacturing data is not having much impact on gold as prices near their highest level in six weeks. April gold futures last traded at $1,931.60 an ounce, roughly unchanged on the day.

KitcoNews

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