PRECIOUS-Gold hits near one-week high after US-Iran peace deal

BY Reuters | ECONOMIC | 05:12 AM EDT

(Updates for EMEA morning session)

* US, Iran reach agreement to end war, signing set for Friday

* Oil falls to three-month low

* Fed interest rate decision due on Wednesday

By Pablo Sinha

June 15 (Reuters) - Gold prices rose to a near one-week high on Monday, as a tentative peace agreement between the U.S. and Iran pushed oil prices lower and eased some concerns of a U.S. Federal Reserve rate hike. Spot gold rose 2.7% to $4,334.48 per ounce, as of 0857 GMT, hitting its highest level since June 9. U.S. gold futures for August delivery climbed 2.8% to $4,355.30. U.S. and Iranian officials said they had reached an agreement to end their war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a preliminary pact that sent oil prices falling but leaves the fate of Tehran's nuclear program to further negotiations.

The pact will be officially signed on Friday in Switzerland, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said in a post on X.

"Market participants are pricing out rate hikes due to lower oil prices, which is lifting the yellow metal," said UBS analyst Giovanni Staunovo. "Near-term, I would expect some consolidation, until we get some clarity from the Fed later this week."

The U.S. dollar fell to a 10-day low, making greenback-priced bullion more affordable for other currency holders, while oil prices slipped to an over three-month low.

Gold prices have been under pressure since the onset of the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran in late February, as surging oil-driven inflation risks strengthened expectations of higher-for-longer interest rates.

While gold is typically seen as a hedge against inflation, it loses appeal in a high interest-rate environment as ?the opportunity cost of holding the non-yielding asset increases.

Markets have scaled back expectations for a U.S. interest rate hike in December to 53% after the peace deal, down from 69% last week, according to the CME FedWatch tool.

Investors are now looking out for the Federal Reserve's policy meeting this week, its first led by new Fed Chair Kevin Warsh, with rates widely expected to remain unchanged. Elsewhere, Singapore will establish an over-the-counter gold clearing system and introduce central bank gold-vaulting services, the deputy prime minister said, as the city-state looks to establish itself as a gold trading hub. Among other metals, spot silver rose 3.7% to $70.51 per ounce, platinum gained 3.4% to $1,776.83 and palladium climbed 4.4% to $1,339.76. (Reporting by Pablo Sinha in Bengaluru; Editing by Louise Heavens)

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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