Gold price (XAU/USD) rises to a weekly high during the Asian trading hours on Monday. The precious metal rebounds after the United States (US) and Iran had reached a deal to end their conflict, easing concerns about inflation and higher interest rates.
Washington and Tehran said on Sunday that they have reached an agreement that will take effect on Friday. US President Donald Trump stated that the US is lifting its naval blockade on Iranian ports and that the Strait of Hormuz will reopen after the agreement is signed.
Trump added that the agreement he reached with Iran would ultimately assure that the Strait of Hormuz is “permanently toll free,” per the New York Times. The United Kingdom (UK), France, Germany and Italy said that the countries were prepared to lift sanctions on Iran in response to steps on its nuclear program after the US and Iran reached a deal to end their war. Hopes of a peace framework for a deal to end the US-Iran war provide some support to the yellow metal.
Meanwhile, Iran’s deputy foreign minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, said on Sunday that the 60-day negotiations between the US and Iran will hinge on the US meeting three commitments. Those commitments include “lifting and ending the naval blockade,” “ending the state of war and military operations,” and “releasing Iran’s frozen funds.”
Any signs of renewed tensions in the Middle East could lead to a rise in crude oil prices, stoking inflation concerns and raising expectations of interest rates staying higher for longer. It’s worth noting that Gold is often used amid geopolitical uncertainty but does not yield interest, making it less attractive when interest rates are high.
Markets have priced in nearly a 64% probability of a US Federal Reserve (Fed) interest rate hike in December this year after the peace deal, down from 69% last week, according to the CME FedWatch tool.
XAU/USD daily chart
Gold remains capped below the key 100-day SMA in daily chart
In the daily chart, XAU/USD remains in a corrective phase, holding well below the 100-day simple moving average (SMA) and also beneath the Bollinger middle band, which together suggest rallies are still capped within a broader downbeat structure. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) near 42 stays below the midline, hinting at subdued upside momentum and reinforcing the view that bounces are more likely to be sold into while price trades under these overhead levels.
On the topside, initial resistance emerges at the Bollinger middle band near $4,415, followed by the upper Bollinger band around $4,685, with the 100-day SMA higher up near $4,762 acting as a more strategic barrier if a stronger rebound unfolds.
On the downside, the first notable support is seen at the lower Bollinger band around $4,142, where a break would open the door to a deeper retracement toward prior lows, keeping the near-term bias tilted to the downside while price trades beneath the clustered daily resistance band.
(The technical analysis of this story was written with the help of an AI tool.)
Fed FAQs
Monetary policy in the US is shaped by the Federal Reserve (Fed). The Fed has two mandates: to achieve price stability and foster full employment. Its primary tool to achieve these goals is by adjusting interest rates.
When prices are rising too quickly and inflation is above the Fed’s 2% target, it raises interest rates, increasing borrowing costs throughout the economy. This results in a stronger US Dollar (USD) as it makes the US a more attractive place for international investors to park their money.
When inflation falls below 2% or the Unemployment Rate is too high, the Fed may lower interest rates to encourage borrowing, which weighs on the Greenback.
The Federal Reserve (Fed) holds eight policy meetings a year, where the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) assesses economic conditions and makes monetary policy decisions.
The FOMC is attended by twelve Fed officials – the seven members of the Board of Governors, the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, and four of the remaining eleven regional Reserve Bank presidents, who serve one-year terms on a rotating basis.
In extreme situations, the Federal Reserve may resort to a policy named Quantitative Easing (QE). QE is the process by which the Fed substantially increases the flow of credit in a stuck financial system.
It is a non-standard policy measure used during crises or when inflation is extremely low. It was the Fed’s weapon of choice during the Great Financial Crisis in 2008. It involves the Fed printing more Dollars and using them to buy high grade bonds from financial institutions. QE usually weakens the US Dollar.
Quantitative tightening (QT) is the reverse process of QE, whereby the Federal Reserve stops buying bonds from financial institutions and does not reinvest the principal from the bonds it holds maturing, to purchase new bonds. It is usually positive for the value of the US Dollar.
