Economy

Gold falls as commodity index rebalancing sparks selling pressure

Spot gold fell 0.6% to $4,428.06 per ounce, as ⁠of 1115 GMT. ‌U.S. gold futures for February delivery fell 0.6% to $4,436.30.

Gold prices fell on Thursday ​as investors braced for futures selling tied to a commodity index reshuffle, with a stronger U.S. dollar adding ⁠pressure by making the metal costlier for overseas buyers.

Spot gold fell 0.6% to $4,428.06 per ounce, as ⁠of 1115 GMT. ‌U.S. gold futures for February delivery fell 0.6% to $4,436.30.

“Gold and silver remain under pressure as the annual commodity-index rebalancing gets underway. Over the next five days, ⁠COMEX futures could see selling in the region of $6 to $7 billion in each metal,” said Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank.

The annual Bloomberg Commodity Index rebalancing, designed to keep the index aligned with the current state of the global commodity market, ⁠begins this week.

“(The U.S.-Venezuela conflict) ​added a small georisk premium at the beginning of the week which is now deflating as the attention turns to ‍the rebalancing,” Hansen added.

Meanwhile, the U.S. dollar hovered near a one-month high as investors assessed mixed economic data ​ahead of Friday’s nonfarm payrolls report.

Data on Wednesday showed U.S. job openings dropped to a 14-month low in November while hiring resumed its sluggish tone, pointing to ebbing labor demand.

Investors are now awaiting the U.S. non-farm payrolls data for more clues on monetary policy, with markets pricing in two interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve this year.

On the geopolitical front, the U.S. seized two Venezuela-linked oil tankers in the Atlantic Ocean on Wednesday.

Spot silver lost 3.2% to $75.64 per ounce, after hitting an all-time high of $83.62 on December 29.

HSBC sees gold hitting $5,000 per ⁠ounce in the first half of 2026 on geopolitical risks ‌and rising fiscal debts, and expects silver to trade between $58 and $88 in 2026, driven by supply deficits, robust investment demand, and high gold prices, but warned of a market correction later ‌in the ⁠year.

Spot platinum was down 4.2% at $2,211.94 per ounce, while palladium shed 2.4% to $1,721.61 per ounce. 

© ZAWYA

GLOBAL BUSINESS AND FINANCE MAGAZINE

Recent Posts

Beyond emergency responses: Why local context matters for refugee allocation

A growing body of evidence shows that rising inflows of immigrants and refugees can trigger…

2 days ago

UAE economy to exceed global growth in 2026; GDP revised up to 5%

Standard Chartered says country to benefit from shifts in global supply chains, strong non-oil sector.…

2 days ago

Energy Development Oman mandates USD 10-year sukuk

In October, the company listed a $130 million sukuk on the Muscat Stock Exchange. Oil…

2 days ago

Saudi, UAE startups led VC deals, raised $3.13bln in 2025

Two GCC markets account for 91% of total funding deployed across MENA. Startups in Saudi…

2 days ago

Introducing the World Bank Land Data Map

From urbanization to agriculture, land systems touch nearly every aspect of development. That’s why the…

2 days ago

Has the global minimum tax survived Trump?

US objections have not killed off the 15 percent global minimum tax, but they have…

2 days ago