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Updates with analyst comments, broader metals
Investing.com -- Gold prices surpassed $4,000 an ounce for the first time on Wednesday, as safe-haven demand was powered by heightened political and economic uncertainty and wagers on further U.S. interest rate cuts.
Spot gold jumped by 1.3% to $4,035.28 per ounce, while gold futures for December spiked 1.3% to $4,057.70/oz.
Bullion has surged by over 50% so far this year, logging a series of fresh all-time peaks along the way. It is now on track to post its best year since 1979.
Analysts have noted that the U.S. government shutdown, combined with a weakening of other popular havens such as the dollar and U.S. government bonds due to anticipated Federal Reserve interest rate cuts and concerns over America’s fiscal profile, have burnished gold.
The Japanese yen, another traditional haven for wary investors, took a knock as well following the election of Sanae Takaichi as the leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.
Takaichi is expected to oppose any plans to hike interest rates by the Bank of Japan, and is also seen supporting more fiscal spending and tax breaks. Questions remain over just how Takaichi will fund her fiscal agenda, especially amid souring investor sentiment towards Japanese government bonds.
The global political landscape was even made murkier after the surprise resignation of France’s Prime Minister on Monday, giving additional support to gold. The outgoing premier, Sebastien Lecornu, is holding last-minute talks over forming a new government, and is set to report back to French President Emmanuel Macron later today about any possible breakthrough.
Meanwhile, many exchange-traded funds have been expanding their holdings of gold as anticipation of Fed rate reductions intensifies and concerns swirl around frothy stock valuations, analysts have flagged. Total gold ETF holdings expanded to the highest level since September 2022 last week.
"There is still room for further additions, given the current total remains shy of the peak hit in 2020. More inflows could push gold even higher," analysts at ING said in a note.
Some central banks are also snapping up the precious metal, with the People’s Bank of China in particular extending its gold buying streak in September for an eleventh straight month despite record high prices.
In broader metals, spot platinum and spot silver both rallied.
(Ambar Warrick contributed reporting.)