Gold steady on firm dollar, yields; Ukraine talks in focus
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Gold prices were steady on Tuesday as the U.S. dollar held firm and Treasury yields climbed, while market participants looked forward to Russia-Ukraine peace talks starting later in the day.
Spot gold was unchanged at $1,921.74 per ounce by 0723 GMT, having fallen as much as 2.1% on Monday. U.S. gold futures were down 0.9% at $1,922.60.
"The lingering geopolitical risk is offering a little bit of support, but the big elephant in the room would be the U.S. Federal Reserve moving into a more restrictive territory given the inflation angst that's hitting the markets right now," said Stephen Innes, managing partner at SPI Asset Management.
"With the Fed completely moving into data dependence, I think a strong payroll number could strengthen the dollar, shoot yields a little bit higher and that could obviously work quite negatively for gold, but I don't think there's a real knockout below until the war premium gets completely evaporated."
The dollar index held firm near a three-week high hit in the previous session, making gold more expensive for other currency holders.
U.S. benchmark 10-year yields hovered close to three-year highs, increasing the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding bullion.
Ukraine said its top objective at the first face-to-face talks with Russia in more than two weeks, due to take place in Turkey on Tuesday, was to secure a ceasefire, although both it and the United States were sceptical of a major breakthrough.
"Gold has resistance at $1,965 and $1,975 an ounce... Support lies at $1,917 and $1,910," OANDA senior analyst Jeffrey Halley said in a note.
Spot silver was up 0.1% at $24.86 per ounce, platinum was flat at $984.78 and palladium rose 2.6% to $2,291.28.
