Gold Vulnerable As Safe-Haven Demand Ebbs, Crude Awaiting Fresh Cues

 | Aug 26, 2014 05:26AM ET

  • Crude Oil Lacking Fundamental Drive To Inspire A Recovery
  • Precious Metals Suffer As Traders Look Past Geopolitical Turmoil
  • Silver Marching Towards $19.00 Alongside Bearish Tech. Signals

Gold and silver remain in a precarious position as ebbing geopolitical tensions threaten to sap safe-haven demand for the precious metals. The alternative assets suffered marginal declines on Monday as traders continued to look past the latest developments in the ongoing Ukrainian and Iraqi crises.

However, if the US dollar’s nascent recovery falters it may offer some hope to the metals. Upcoming US Durable Goods Orders and Consumer Confidence figures headline the calendar for USD event risk over the session ahead. Yet the leading indicators appear to be more on the periphery for shaping policy expectations. The Fed’s core focus remains on the labor market. This casts some doubt as to whether the upcoming figures could catalyze further gains for the greenback.

Meanwhile, crude oil remains despondent to fresh news flow from the Middle East. This has left the commodity lacking the requisite drive to sustain a recovery. Yet given the magnitude and speed of recent declines traders may be hesitant to lead WTI lower. Which in turn could set the crude benchmark up for a period of consolidation.

UPCOMING ECONOMIC DATA