Gold Slides As Dollar Bulls Return From Holiday Lull

 | Sep 02, 2014 02:58AM ET

Talking Points

  • Crude OilTraders To Keep One Eye On Escalating Ukrainian Turmoil
  • Gold Weighed On By A Stronger Greenback Despite Absence of Major Data
  • Palladium Targeting 1,000 After Leaping Over The 900 an Ounce Hurdle

US dollar strength has weighed on gold in Asian trading today. The greenback bulls have returned despite a lack of major supportive news flow from the US overnight given the Labor Day holiday. The trading lull on Monday may have proven to be the calm before the storm as US traders return ahead of a busy week for economic events.

Over the session ahead US ISM Manufacturing figures headline the docket. Yet the leading indicator is on the periphery for Fed policy makers with their core focus remaining on the labor market. This suggests the impact on policy expectations and thus the US Dollar could prove limited. Nonetheless, the potential for further greenback strength should not be discounted given its strong performance today despite a lack of data flow from the region.

Tensions in Eastern Europe are also likely to remain on the radar for commodity traders. Yet the latest flare-up has proven insufficient to dramatically bolster safe-haven demand for gold and silver. At this stage it appears only a significant escalation and greater international response could generate significant gains for the alternative assets.

Mounting speculation over sanctions on Russian energy exports may offer the Brent benchmark some short-term support. Additionally, as the world’s largest producer of palladium the precious metal could be afforded some further gains. However, traders should be mindful that such fear-driven positioning may be quickly unwound if supply disruption concerns are not realized.