Gold prices hit their highest in more than seven weeks on Tuesday, boosted by safe-haven buying ahead of a speech in which British Prime Minister Theresa May is expected to discuss plans for a “hard Brexit”.
Spot gold had risen 0.8% to $1,212.40 per ounce, its highest since November 23. US gold futures were up 1.3% at $1,211.80 per ounce, Reuters reported.
“Gold is going to do very well in the first half of the year due to Brexit concerns, Chinese currency pressure and uncertainty surrounding Donald Trump’s policies,” said Richard Xu, fund manager at China’s biggest gold exchange-traded fund, HuaAn Gold.
“Stock valuations are pretty high and bonds are not going to perform much better than what they are doing now. There are very few alternatives for liquidity to go to and gold prices will find some support,” Xu added.
Britain will not seek a Brexit deal that leaves it “half in, half out” of the European Union, Prime Minister May will say on Tuesday, according to her office, in a speech setting out her 12 priorities for upcoming divorce talks with the bloc.
“With more currency uncertainty lying ahead after Prime Minister May’s speech on Tuesday and with the European Central Bank also meeting on Thursday and likely staying dovish despite pressure on it to tighten, we think gold still has more room to move higher,” said INTL FCStone analyst Edward Meir.
Markets will also look to president-elect Trump and his plans for the US economy after his inauguration on Friday.
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