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Investing.com-- Gold prices retreated Thursday as investors turned cautious ahead of key U.S. inflation data, but the metal stayed close to record highs on firm expectations that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates next week.
At 06:45 ET (10:45 GMT), spot gold was down 0.5% at $3,622.78 per ounce and U.S. gold futures for December fell 0.6% to $3,660.67.
Although the yellow metal is lower Thursday, gold prices touched an all-time high earlier this week.
Gold prices have increased nearly 40% this year amid U.S. President Donald Trump’s aggressive trade policy, conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, and central bank buying.
U.S. CPI in spotlight
Prices have been "supported by increased bets on a wave of Federal Reserve rate cuts this year. Swap traders continue to boost their bets on interest rate cuts and price in three rate cuts this year, including a quarter-point cut at the Fed’s meeting next week," said analysts at ING, in a note.
The market has grown more confident of imminent policy easing after weaker-than-expected U.S. producer price data and large revisions to official jobs figures reinforced signs of a cooling labour market.
Attention is now fixed on U.S. consumer price inflation figures due later on Thursday, which is expected to show a 0.3% monthly rise in August and a year-on-year reading of 2.9%.
Traders now see a 25 basis point cut as almost certain when the Fed meets next week, with some market participants betting on a larger move.
Any surprise to the upside could slow gold’s momentum by tempering expectations of aggressive rate cuts.
Fed independence worries support haven demand
Concerns over the Federal Reserve’s independence have also lent support to bullion.
A federal judge has temporarily blocked President Donald Trump from removing Fed Governor Lisa Cook, after the White House sought to oust her in a move that alarmed investors about potential political interference in monetary policy.
Trump’s administration has appealed the order, prolonging uncertainty over the issue.
Gold is particularly sensitive to interest rate expectations, as lower rates reduce the opportunity cost of holding the non-yielding asset while typically weighing on the dollar.
Other precious metals were subdued.
Silver Futures gained 0.2% to $41.673 per ounce, while Platinum Futures fell 0.7% to $1,388.55/oz.
Benchmark Copper Futures on the London Metal Exchange edged 0.2% lower to $9,987.60 a ton, while U.S. Copper Futures fell 0.2% to $4.6090 a pound.
Ayushman Ojha contributed to this article