Gold Makes Positive Start But Challenges Lie Ahead

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Gold extended its winning streak into a fifth week, starting the new week with a solid push higher of around 0.9%. Silver followed suit, rebounding sharply with a 3% gain after Friday’s dip. That said, both metals remain below their respective record highs, and with a big week ahead for financial markets, don’t rule anything out. A big part of that caution comes from the bond market. The recent sell-off in bonds — and the resulting rise in yields — continues to loom large for low- and zero-yielding assets like gold. At the same time, safe-haven demand appears to have cooled somewhat in recent weeks. We’ve also seen cracks appear in other crowded trades, with technology stocks and cryptocurrencies wobbling after extended rallies. Gold may be flirting with a similar “too hot, too fast” phase, although, importantly, there are still no clear bearish reversal signals on the charts just yet. 
 

What to watch this week

In short, it all comes back to the US dollar and bond yields for the gold price and silver. This is likely to be the final meaningful trading week of th e year, which can amplify moves in either direction.

The US dollar softened last week after the Federal Reserve left the door open to further rate cuts, a shift that helped underpin gold prices. This week brings a busy US data calendar and plenty of Fed commentary. Any rebound in the dollar could take some shine off gold.

The key event is Tuesday’s November nonfarm payrolls report. Markets are braced for a relatively soft number of around +50,000 jobs, with the unemployment rate expected to tick up to 4.5%. A weaker-than-expected print could see markets pull forward expectations for the next Fed rate cut, which would likely be supportive for gold. The opposite is also true.

Thursday’s focus then turns to November CPI, where headline inflation is forecast to edge up slightly to 3.1% year-on-year. Alongside the data, Fed rhetoric will be crucial. New York Fed President John Williams speaks later today, while Chris Waller delivers his views on the economic outlook on Wednesday — both influential voices in shaping recent rate expectations and the direction of the dollar index.

Beyond the US, it’s a heavy week for central banks across the eurozone, Japan, the UK, and elsewhere. Any hawkish surprises, particularly from the ECB, could ripple through global bond markets and feed back into gold via yields. 
 

Gold technical analysis and trade ideas

From a technical perspective, the broader trend in gold remains firmly bullish. The question now is whether we see short-term pullback or renewed upside momentum from current levels.

Gold has been testing resistance in the lower part of the $4,350–$4,381 zone today. This is an area that previously attracted sellers back in October. This band represents the final major resistance area before a potential upside breakout, making price action here especially important.
 

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A clean break and sustained move above this region would bring $4,400 into focus, followed by the psychologically significant $4,500 level. On the downside, initial support sits in the $4,245–$4,265 zone. This former resistance area now needs to hold if bulls are to stay in control on any pullback.

A break below that support band would be more concerning and could invite deeper technical selling, particularly if the recent low around $4,170 gives way. In that scenario, the $4,000 level becomes the next major downside target.

For now, the trend remains constructive, but with the US dollar sitting at key levels and recent equity market weakness serving as a reminder of how quickly sentiment can shift, a degree of caution still feels justified at these elevated prices. 


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