Gold tries to flip weekly performance into positive territory after Trump announces Copper tarrifs
- Gold could get eke out a second day of gains for this week.
- Copper tariffs are the latest on the tariff headlines from US President Trump.
- Gold could head back to the all-time high level at $3,057 at a slow pace.
Gold’s price (XAU/USD) is edging higher to around $3,022 at the time of writing on Wednesday and is turning this week’s performance into green numbers. The precious metal is being bought together with other precious metals as Copper pops to a new all-time high. Copper metal is in the eye of attention after United States (US) President Donald Trump mentioned on Tuesday that Copper tariffs will be implemented in the coming weeks, which is far sooner than markets were anticipating.
Meanwhile, there is also a headline risk on Ukraine, where a Black Sea ceasefire deal is on the table. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was quick to support the breakthrough and said his country was ready to adhere to it effective immediately. The Kremlin was quick to issue additional demands that would need to be met before the ceasefire deal in the Black Sea could become valid, with the request to see sanctions on banks and companies involved in agricultural exports being halted, Bloomberg reports.
Daily digest market movers: US Consumer conerned on US economy
- The primary sticking point in talks for an acquisition of Australian miner Gold Road Resources by South Africa’s Gold Fields was the price, according to the Australian company’s chief executive. In an interview on Wednesday, Gold Road Resources CEO Duncan Gibbs said the company remains open to further talks with Gold Fields but noted that most of its shareholders do not support a takeover at the price its partner proposed, Dow Jones reports.
- Another reason mentioned for Gold being bought this Wednesday is because the US Conference Board Consumer Confidence dropped to the lowest level in four years in March on concerns over escalating trade wars and higher prices, Bloomberg reports.
- The CME Fedwatch Tool sees the Federal Reserve’s (Fed) policy rate unchanged in its May meeting by 87.1%. Chances for a rate cut in June are currently at 63.2%.
Technical Analysis: Consolidation ahead
Gold sees how the surge in Copper prices pulls up the whole precious metals complex higher. This is a good set off from the easing of the reciprocal tariffs fears seen on Monday. Expect a test of this week’s high, near $3,036, before the all-time high at $3,057 comes into play.
On the upside, the daily R1 resistance comes in at $3,034 and coincides with this week’s high for now. Further up, the R2 resistance at $3,049 roughly coincides with Friday’s high. This means this level is a heavy barrier before pointing to the current all-time high of $3,057.
On the downside, the intraday S1 support stands at $3,006, preceding the $3,000 mark, which can be perceived as a bullish sign. That means the $3,000 mark is no longer exposed and has some circuit breaking element beforehand to slow down any downmoves. Further down, the S2 support comes in at $2,992.
XAU/USD: Daily Chart
Tariffs FAQs
Tariffs are customs duties levied on certain merchandise imports or a category of products. Tariffs are designed to help local producers and manufacturers be more competitive in the market by providing a price advantage over similar goods that can be imported. Tariffs are widely used as tools of protectionism, along with trade barriers and import quotas.
Although tariffs and taxes both generate government revenue to fund public goods and services, they have several distinctions. Tariffs are prepaid at the port of entry, while taxes are paid at the time of purchase. Taxes are imposed on individual taxpayers and businesses, while tariffs are paid by importers.
There are two schools of thought among economists regarding the usage of tariffs. While some argue that tariffs are necessary to protect domestic industries and address trade imbalances, others see them as a harmful tool that could potentially drive prices higher over the long term and lead to a damaging trade war by encouraging tit-for-tat tariffs.
During the run-up to the presidential election in November 2024, Donald Trump made it clear that he intends to use tariffs to support the US economy and American producers. In 2024, Mexico, China and Canada accounted for 42% of total US imports. In this period, Mexico stood out as the top exporter with $466.6 billion, according to the US Census Bureau. Hence, Trump wants to focus on these three nations when imposing tariffs. He also plans to use the revenue generated through tariffs to lower personal income taxes.
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