Gold price rises past $3,350 on Waller’s dovish comments, soft US Dollar

LONDON (July 20) Gold price advances during the North American session on Friday as the US Dollar weakens, with traders booking profits ahead of the weekend. Additionally, a Fed Governor's comments turned more dovish than expected, supporting a rate cut in July. At the time of writing, the XAU/USD trades at $3,353, up 0.43%.

The market mood is upbeat after the University of Michigan (UoM) revealed that Americans have become optimistic about the economy and expect inflation to edge lower. Recently, Fed Governor Christopher Waller suggested that the central bank should cut interest rates at the upcoming monetary policy meeting, triggering a decline in US Treasury yields, a tailwind for the Gold market.

The US Dollar Index (DXY), which tracks the buck’s value against a basket of six currencies, tumbles 0.13% to 98.48. A weaker US Dollar favors the precious metal denominated in that currency, making Gold prices cheaper for foreign buyers.

Following Waller’s comments, traders priced in 45 basis points (bps) of easing toward the end of the year, up from 42 bps a day ago, according to the December 2025 fed funds rate futures contract.

Bullion failed to reach the weekly high hit on Wednesday, following rumors that US President Donald Trump was considering the removal of Fed Chair Jerome Powell. Later, he denied those comments, though he continued to exert pressure on the central bank.

Next week, the US economic docket will feature housing data, S&P Global Flash PMIs, jobless claims and Durable Goods Orders.

Gold daily market movers: Climbs as US yields drop on Fed dovish comments

• The Consumer Sentiment Index revealed by the University of Michigan showed an improvement in July’s preliminary reading, up from 60.7 to 61.8, exceeding estimates of 61.5. Joanne Hsu, the director of the survey, said, "Consumers are unlikely to regain their confidence in the economy unless they feel assured that inflation is unlikely to worsen, for example, if trade policy stabilizes for the foreseeable future."
• The survey also revealed that inflation expectations were downwardly revised, with inflation for the next five years seen at 3.6%, down from 4%, and for the next year at 4.4%, below the prior month’s 5%.
• Fed Governor Christopher Waller said the labor market is doing fine overall but less so in the private sector. Although he favors a rate cut at the July meeting, Waller said he would never commit prior to the meeting.”
• US economic data revealed mixed readings of inflation, with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) edging toward the 3% threshold, while the Producer Price Index (PPI), moved downwards. However, the release of stronger-than-expected Retail Sales indicated that most of the increase was due to higher prices resulting from tariffs.
• US Treasury yields are down on the day, with the US 10-year Treasury yield, which typically correlates negatively with Gold, losing three basis points (bps) at 4.421%.
• Interest rate probability indicates that the Fed will maintain its current rates, with odds standing at 94% for a hold and 6% for a 25-basis-point rate cut at the July 30 meeting.

FXStreet