PRECIOUS-Gold rises on increasing Fed rate-cut bets, weaker dollar

BY Reuters | ECONOMIC | 08/13/25 04:21 AM EDT

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Rate cut bets rise after mild July inflation

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Trump meets Putin on Friday to discuss war in Ukraine

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US and China extend tariff truce by 90 days

(Updates for EMEA morning session)

By Anmol Choubey

Aug 13 (Reuters) - Gold rose on Wednesday as expectations of a U.S. Federal Reserve interest rate cut in September gained traction following mild inflation data, while a weaker dollar bolstered bullion's demand.

Spot gold gained 0.3% to $3,354.77 per ounce, as of 0802 GMT. U.S. gold futures for December delivery inched up 0.1% at $3,403.20.

"Market participants are starting to debate if the Fed will do a 50 basis point cut at its September meeting following the comments from U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent yesterday, with a focus on incoming weaker U.S. economic data supporting that," said UBS commodity analyst Giovanni Staunovo.

Markets are pricing in a more than 90% chance of a Fed rate cut next month, after July's mild inflation bump signalled limited impact from U.S. import tariffs on consumer prices, with at least one additional reduction anticipated by year-end.

Gold, a non-yielding asset often viewed as a safe haven during times of economic or geopolitical uncertainties, typically benefits from a low-interest-rate environment.

The dollar index hit a two-week low, making greenback-priced bullion more affordable for overseas buyers.

Europe and Ukrainian leaders will speak with U.S. President Donald Trump at a virtual meeting on Wednesday ahead of his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as they try to drive home the perils of selling out Kyiv's interests in pursuit of a ceasefire.

"Don't expect those talks to meaningfully influence the gold market, (they) might trigger some short-term volatility. Near-term prices are likely to move sideways, until incoming U.S. economic (data) starts to support a faster (Fed) rate cut cycle," Staunovo said.

Meanwhile, the U.S. and China extended their tariff truce by another 90 days, averting triple-digit duties on each other's goods.

Elsewhere, spot silver rose 1.3% to $38.39 per ounce, platinum was up 0.8% to $1,346.05 and palladium gained 0.4% to $1,133.72. (Reporting by Anmol Choubey in Bengaluru; Editing by Rashmi Aich)

In general the bond market is volatile, and fixed income securities carry interest rate risk. (As interest rates rise, bond prices usually fall, and vice versa. This effect is usually more pronounced for longer-term securities.) Fixed income securities also carry inflation risk and credit and default risks for both issuers and counterparties. Unlike individual bonds, most bond funds do not have a maturity date, so avoiding losses caused by price volatility by holding them until maturity is not possible.

Lower-quality debt securities generally offer higher yields, but also involve greater risk of default or price changes due to potential changes in the credit quality of the issuer. Any fixed income security sold or redeemed prior to maturity may be subject to loss.

Before investing, consider the funds' investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses. Contact Fidelity for a prospectus or, if available, a summary prospectus containing this information. Read it carefully.

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