Gold prices were steady on Friday, as investors awaited Fed chief Jerome Powell’s speech later in the day at the Jackson Hole symposium after some U.S. central bank officials called for paring bond purchases.
Fundamentals

Spot gold rose 0.1% to $1,793.68 per ounce by 0104 GMT.

U.S. gold futures rose 0.1% to $1,796.70.

The dollar held firm after bouncing off a one-week low in the previous session.

On Thursday, Federal Reserve’s hawkish policymakers urged the central bank to begin paring bond purchases they feel have become ineffective, if not downright harmful.

St. Louis Fed president James Bullard, along with Kansas City Fed president Esther George and Dallas Fed president Robert Kaplan, also downplayed the impact of the delta variant in separate interviews, a day before Chair Jerome Powell’s remarks at the annual Jackson Hole Economic Policy Symposium.

China’s net gold imports via Hong Kong fell nearly 29% in July after a sharp rise in June, Hong Kong Census and Statistics Department data showed on Thursday.

Caution also set in the market following Islamic State’s suicide bomb attack on Thursday at Kabul airport, that killed scores of civilians and at least 13 U.S. troops.

Silver was flat at $23.54 per ounce, while platinum rose 0.3% to $982.52.

Palladium rose 0.2% to $2,396.69.