Gold Edges Higher As Trade War Concerns Boost Support For Havens

Gold edged higher after a slew of tariff-related announcements from President Donald Trump signaled concerns over the impact of a potential global trade war remain, giving support to the haven asset. 

Bullion ticked up to about $3,330 an ounce after closing 0.6% lower on Tuesday. Trump said he had reached a deal with Indonesia, imposing 19% tariff on country. The president also said levies on pharmaceuticals were likely as soon as the end of the month, while rates on semiconductors were also looming. Meanwhile, the US opened an investigation into Brazil about its “unfair” trade practices.

The precious metal slipped in the previous session after a tame US inflation report fueled speculation that the Federal Reserve may keep monetary policy on hold for now. Higher rates are typically negative for non-interest bearing bullion.

Gold has been fluctuating in a relatively tight range over the past few months and remains up by more than one quarter this year. It’s been supported by anxieties over the fallout of trade tensions, geopolitical conflicts, and strong inflows to exchange-traded funds and central banks. 

Spot gold was 0.2% higher to $3,331.47 an ounce as of 8:19 a.m. Singapore time. The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index was little changed. Silver edged up after pulling back over the previous two sessions from last week’s 14-year high. Palladium and platinum were steady.