[Click here for an interactive chart of gold prices]
The Fed minutes released on Wednesday showed officials had discussed shrinking the central bank’s overall asset holdings, as well as raising rates sooner than expected to fight inflation.
As a result, the US dollar index saw a slight bump on Thursday, lessening the appeal of bullion for other currency holders. Benchmark 10-year yields, meanwhile, rose to their highest level since March of last year.
“The primary focal point is the number of rate increases and how aggressive the Fed will be with its balance sheet runoff, which has put gold in a vulnerable position,” said Ed Moya, senior market analyst at brokerage OANDA, in a Reuters report.
“If the movement in Treasury yields goes a lot higher in the short term, that is going to be very disruptive for gold trade,” Moya added.
Gold and silver prices are pressured as markets attempt to squeeze in a fourth rate hike for 2022, TD Securities said in a note, adding that constraints to money supply growth should further sap appetite for all collectibles including silver coins.
Spot silver shrank 2.7% to $22.15 an ounce, the lowest level since mid-December.
(With files from Reuters)
