Investing.com-- Gold prices hit a record high in Asian trade on Monday amid growing bets that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates by a bigger margin later this week.
Reports of a second assassination attempt on Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump also spurred some demand for safe havens, although Trump appeared to be unharmed, and the assailant apprehended.
Asian trading volumes were somewhat limited by market holidays in Japan, China, and South Korea.
Spot gold rose 0.4% to a record high of $2,589.02 an ounce, while gold futures expiring in December rose 0.1% to $2,613.70 an ounce.
Gold benefits from rate cut bets as Fed looms
A softer dollar allowed for more strength in gold prices, as markets awaited a Fed meeting.
The central bank is widely expected to cut interest rates on Wednesday, although markets are split between a 25 or 50 basis point cut.
CME Fedwatch showed markets split exactly 50% over the two options, with bets on a bigger cut coming back into play on concerns over weakness in the labor market.
The central bank is also expected to kick off an easing cycle from this week, with analysts expecting at least 100 bps of rate cuts by the end of the year.
Lower rates bode well for precious metals, given that they reduce the opportunity cost of investing in non-yielding assets.
Platinum futures rose 0.4% to $1,004.80 an ounce, while silver futures rose 0.8% to $31.332 an ounce.
Trump assassination attempt spurs some safe haven demand
Gold saw some safe haven demand after reports of a second assassination attempt on Trump, this time at his golf course in Florida.
But secret service agents foiled the attempt in a reported shootout with the assailant, who was later apprehended by authorities. Trump was unharmed during the event, stating as much in a message on his fundraising website.
Copper prices steady after weak Chinese data
Among industrial metals, copper prices benefited from a softer dollar. But gains in the red metal were held back by a string of weak economic readings from China, the world’s biggest copper importer.
Benchmark copper futures on the London Metal Exchange rose 0.1% to $9,276.0 a ton, while one-month copper futures rose 0.1% to $4.2225 a pound.
A string of data released from China over the weekend showed industrial production and retail sales grew less than expected in August, while unemployment rose and house prices fell.
The readings ramped up concerns over an economic slowdown in the country, which could bode poorly for its appetite for copper. But ANZ analysts said that the government could now have more impetus to release stimulus measures.