(Kitco News) - Gold prices are steady to firmer in early afternoon U.S. dealings Wednesday, supported by the conclusion of the U.S. central bank meeting this afternoon that was deemed just a bit dovish. Gold prices were modestly down just prior to the FOMC statement's release. June gold futures were last up $1.50 at $1,871.80 and May Comex silver was last down $0.136 at $22.46 an ounce.
The just-released data point of the week, the U.S. Federal Reserve Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting statement, saw the Fed raise the key U.S. interest rate, the Fed funds rate, by 0.5%. The Fed funds range is now 0.75% to 1.0%. The rate hike is the first 0.5% increase in 22 years and comes amid the highest U.S. inflation levels in 40 years. The statement said the Fed will continue to raise interest rates as appropriate. The FOMC statement said that starting June 1 the Fed will begin to reduce its balance sheet of securities by $95 billion per month. The Fed also said the Russia-Ukraine war, rising Covid cases in China and supply chain bottlenecks are the main causes for rising inflation. The marketplace's initial read on the statement is a bit dovish on U.S. monetary policy. Others might argue that the statement was just less hawkish than previous recent remarks from Federal Reserve officials. As of this writing, traders were awaiting Fed Chairman Jerome Powell's press conference.
A Barron's headline this morning read: "The Fed's big hikes won't fight inflation from soaring oil prices." The article argues that central banks can only control the demand side of the economic equation by raising interest rates -- not the supply side.
|
|
Commodities at risk of reversing massive gains with 'wild run' similar to 2008, gold price to take on $2k – Bloomberg Intelligence |
Global stock markets were mostly lower overnight. U.S. stock indexes are higher in early-afternoon trading. The European Union has proposed a phased-in ban on Russian crude oil imports and that has crude oil prices sharply higher at mid-week. The key outside markets today sees Nymex crude oil futures prices are trading around $107.30 a barrel. Meantime, the U.S. dollar index is a bit weaker in early afternoon trading. The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note is presently fetching 2.981%. The 10-year yield early this week briefly hit a 3.5-year high just above 3%.
![Live 24 hours gold chart [Kitco Inc.]](https://www.kitco.com/images/live/gold.gif?0.2924175530478188){kind=small}
Technically, June gold futures see a three-week-old price downtrend in place on the daily bar chart. Bears have the overall near-term technical advantage. Bulls' next upside price objective is to produce a close above solid resistance at last week's high of $1,935.50. Bears' next near-term downside price objective is pushing futures prices below solid technical support at $1,800.00. First resistance is seen at $1,883.00 and then at $1,900.00. First support is seen at this week's low of $1,849.70 and then at $1,835.00. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 4.0
![Live 24 hours silver chart [ Kitco Inc. ]](https://www.kitco.com/images/live/silver.gif)
May silver futures see a steep price downtrend in place on the daily bar chart. The silver bears have the solid overall near-term technical advantage. Silver bulls' next upside price objective is closing prices above solid technical resistance at $24.00 an ounce. The next downside price objective for the bears is closing prices below solid support at the December low of $21.445. First resistance is seen at this week's high of $22.83 and then at $23.00. Next support is seen at this week's low of $22.12 and then at $22.00. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 2.5.
May N.Y. copper closed up 540 points at 432.50 cents today. Prices closed near the session high today. The copper bears have the firm overall near-term technical advantage. A price downtrend is in place on the daily bar chart. Copper bulls' next upside price objective is pushing and closing prices above solid technical resistance at 450.00 cents. The next downside price objective for the bears is closing prices below solid technical support at the December low of 411.65 cents. First resistance is seen at Tuesday's high of 434.40 cents and then at this week's high of 438.55 cents. First support is seen at today's low of 424.00 cents and then at this week's low of 419.00 cents. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 3.0.
