Fundamental Analysis
Gold (XAU/USD) fell sharply to the $2,371 level as geopolitical risks overshadowed market attention to the Federal Reserve's meeting this Wednesday. Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index data for June, released on Friday, showed inflation remained steady, close to the Fed's 2% target. However, investors still expect the Fed to start its easing cycle in September and could provide a clearer signal after this week's meeting.
On Tuesday, the JOLT Jobs Openings and the Conference Board Consumer Sentiment Index for June and July are expected to show moderate declines, increasing the likelihood of a Fed rate cut in September.
Technical Analysis
XAU/USD’s recovery from last week’s lows around $2,350 has met stiff resistance at $2,400. This is a key resistance zone as the 100-period Simple Moving Average (SMA) on the 4-hour chart has met resistance from the downtrend since the July 17 high. However, downside efforts have been limited so far.
The intraday RSI shows moderate positive momentum, with $2,380 still holding the downtrend. If the price breaks below this level, the next target would be the July 25 low at $2,350. Conversely, if the price breaks above $2,400, the broader bearish structure will be broken and the next target will be $2,430.