Gold On Course To Increase For The Second Consecutive Week, Brent Crude Likely Facing Supply Tightening, Cotton Futures Touching 22-month Lows
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Summary:
- Gold on course to increase for the second consecutive week.
- Brent crude futures expected to close the week higher.
- Stronger dollar and continuing demand worries driving cotton down.
Gold supported by weak US economic statistics
Taking advantage of steep drops in the dollar and Treasury yields due to rising predictions that the US Federal Reserve may pause the pace of rate hikes later in the year, gold prices remained stable over $1,660 an ounce on Friday and were on course to increase for the second consecutive week. Although markets started to predict that the Fed would become less aggressive in December due to worries about overtightening, the Fed is largely expected to deliver its fourth consecutive 75 basis point rate increase in November. Such forecasts were bolstered by a deluge of weak US economic statistics earlier this week, but the third quarter's better-than-expected US GDP figures provided a counterbalance. Investors continued to be wary of inflation worries, which might trigger another surge in the currency and Treasury yields. Kristalina Gerogieva, managing director of the IMF, urged central banks to keep raising interest rates to combat inflation until they reached a "neutral" level.
Gold Dec ‘22 Futures Price Chart
Brent Crude Oil facing potential supply tightening
Despite easing toward $96 per barrel on Friday, Brent crude futures were still expected to close the week higher due to a tightening supply forecast, record US exports, and a steep decline in the value of the US dollar. Last week, the US exported a record quantity of oil and fuel, despite the fact that local fuel markets experienced seasonal lows in fuel stockpiles, which hampered the forecast for supply. A dramatic decline in the value of the dollar helped to support oil prices as well by lowering the cost of commodities with US dollar prices for consumers using other currencies. Along with snapping a four-month losing streak, the OPEC+ plan to reduce output by 2 million barrels per day starting in November and the intensifying Western sanctions on Russian oil are both driving up oil prices in October. Investors continued to be wary in the meanwhile as the prognosis for demand remained gloomy due to escalating inflation, rising interest rates, and growing recessionary threats.
Brent Crude Futures Price Chart
Cotton touch 22-month lows
The price of cotton futures fell to a 22-month low of 75.1 USd/Lbs under the strain of a stronger dollar and continuing demand worries brought on by difficult economic conditions. According to the most recent estimate from the US Department of Agriculture, both acreage and output grew, and worldwide cotton production is predicted to reach 118.1 million bales in 2022–23, a 2% rise over the previous year. China, Brazil, and India contributed more to the increase in output than the United States and Pakistan did to the decrease.
Cotton Dec ‘22 Futures Price Chart
Sources: tradingeconomics.com, finance.yahoo.com
