Gold Drops as Investors Look to Washington for Stimulus Deal

Oct 19, 2020

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(Bloomberg) -- Gold fell after signs of progress in U.S. stimulus talks aimed at reaching a deal ahead of the looming presidential election.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin are narrowing their differences on a stimulus deal, a Pelosi aide said Monday. U.S. equity futures advanced and the dollar steadied as optimism about the package spurred risk appetite.

Gold has held in a narrow range during October amid the fraught Washington talks, a contentious U.S. election season and uncertainty around the global economy’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.

“Long-term investors have shifted focus on what the November election outcome means for stimulus later, with a Democrat victory seen boosting gold’s sentiment with a very large stimulus package,” Phillip Futures Pte. wrote in an emailed note.

Spot gold fell 0.3% to $1,899.17 an ounce by 10:32 a.m. in Shanghai. Silver and palladium were little changed, while platinum fell.

©2020 Bloomberg L.P.