PRECIOUS-Gold surges past $3,800/oz to record high on rate cut bets, geopolitical concerns

BY Reuters | ECONOMIC | 09/29/25 03:55 AM EDT

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Trump hopes to strike deal to keep government open

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More upside for gold, targeting $3,900/oz, analyst says

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Silver hits more than 14-year high

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Platinum at 12-year high

(Adds comment and updates prices)

By Anmol Choubey

Sept 29 (Reuters) - Gold prices broke past $3,800 an ounce for the first time on Monday to hit a record high, as expectations of a U.S. rate cut and concerns about a potential government shutdown fueled safe-haven demand amid heightened geopolitical uncertainty.

Spot gold jumped 1.5% to $3,815.49 per ounce by 1052 GMT, after hitting $3,819.59 earlier in the session.

U.S. gold futures for December delivery rose 1% to $3,845.70.

The U.S. dollar index fell 0.2%, making greenback-priced bullion less expensive for overseas buyers.

"Some people describe gold as the sum of all fears, whether they're economic or political and it's quite clear that at the moment we've got issues on both sides," said independent analyst Ross Norman.

U.S. President Donald Trump will meet with the top Democratic and Republican leaders in Congress later on Monday to discuss extending government funding. Without a deal, a shutdown would begin from Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Russia launched hundreds of drones and missiles at Kyiv and other parts of Ukraine early on Sunday, in one of the most sustained attacks on the capital since the full-scale war began.

The U.S. Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index on Friday matched expectations, reinforcing bets on further Federal Reserve rate cuts, in October and December meetings..

"With the Fed set to cut further rates over the next six months, I think there should be more upside for the yellow metal, targeting a level of $3,900/oz," said UBS analyst Giovanni Staunovo.

Gold, a safe-haven asset that tends to perform well in low-interest-rate environments, has climbed 45% this year, supported by strong central bank buying, the rise of gold ETFs, a weak dollar, and retail investor demand. Many brokerages have turned bullish on the rally in gold prices.

Elsewhere, spot silver rose 2% to $46.90 per ounce, hitting a more than 14-year high, while platinum gained 0.9% to $1,583, a 12-year high, and palladium steadied at $1,269.

"(Silver and platinum-group metals) are responding to two primary things - increased industrial activity on rate cuts and higher levels of inventory holding as nations seek to ensure they have adequate availability in a world of supply chain uncertainty," Norman said.

(Reporting by Anmol Choubey and Anushree Mukherjee in Bengaluru; Editing by Jamie Freed and Mrigank Dhaniwala)

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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