PRECIOUS-Gold slips as oil strength, interest rate worries dampen appeal

BY Reuters | ECONOMIC | 09:02 PM EDT
          May 22 (Reuters) - Gold edged lower on Friday, on track for its second consecutive weekly loss, as higher oil prices and rising concerns around inflation and hawkish interest rates weighed on the metal.

    FUNDAMENTALS
    * Spot gold was down 0.2% at $4,534.29 per ounce by 0047 GMT. The metal was down about 0.1% for the week so far.
    * U.S. gold futures for June delivery lost 0.1% to $4,535.60.
* U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said there had been "some good signs" in talks with Iran, although Tehran's uranium stockpile and control over the Strait of Hormuz remained sticking points.
    * U.S. crude futures rose more than $1 in early trade on Friday as investors doubted the prospects of a breakthrough in peace talks.
* How businesses and consumers respond to ongoing economic shocks will determine if the U.S. Federal Reserve can "look through" current high inflation or needs to consider raising interest rates, Richmond Fed President Thomas Barkin said on Thursday.
* Data showed that the number of Americans filing claims for unemployment benefits fell last week, pointing to labor market resilience and giving the Fed room to focus on surging inflation from the war with Iran.
* Markets are pricing in a Fed rate hike before year-end, with a 60% chance of a move by December, according to CME Group's FedWatch tool.
    * Spot silver fell 0.5% to $76.32 per ounce, platinum lost 0.3% to $1,959.20, and palladium was steady at $1,377.89.

 DATA/EVENTS (GMT)
 0600  Germany GDP Detailed QQ SA Q1
 0600  Germany GDP Detailed YY NSA Q1
 0600  UK Retail Sales MM, Ex-fuel MM, YY Apr
 0645  France Business Climate Mfg, Overall May
 1400  US U Mich Sentiment Final May

(Reporting by Pablo Sinha in Bengaluru; Editing by Harikrishnan Nair)

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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