
Gold falls as easing trade tensions dampen appeal; US data in focus
Spot gold was down 0.4% at $3,302.58 an ounce, as of 0430 GMT. US gold futures lost 0.7% to $3,310.70.
The dollar edged 0.1% higher against a basket of currencies, making bullion more expensive for overseas buyers.
There's been a minor recovery in the broad dollar strength, which led to a little bit of retracement in gold, said Nicholas Frappell, global head of institutional markets, ABC Refinery.
US President Donald Trump signed a pair of orders to soften the blow of his auto tariffs on Tuesday, while his trade team touted its first deal with a foreign trading partner.
'Even though the Trump administration is watering down tariffs, they are still high and the confidence in US assets has been shaken, arguably permanently,' Capital.com's financial market analyst Kyle Rodda said.
Bullion, a safeguard against political and financial turmoil, had soared to a record high of $3,500.05 per ounce on April 22 due to global economic uncertainties.
Gold price per tola gains Rs2,100 in Pakistan
Market participants will scan economic data, including US personal consumption expenditures, due later in the day, and non-farm payrolls report on Friday to further gauge the impact of the latest tariffs on Fed's interest rate outlook.
'The PCE data is expected to show further moderation in prices and keep the door open for further Fed cuts.
If we get an upside surprise, then those odds may diminish and that could weigh on gold prices,' Rodda said. Traders currently expect the Fed to cut rates by around 95 basis points by the end of the year.
Spot silver fell 0.7% to $32.72 an ounce, platinum eased 0.6% to $971.75 and palladium lost 0.2% to $932.40.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Express Tribune
4 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Air Canada workers picket airports after flight attendants strike over wages
People hold placards as a strike begins after the union representing Air Canada's 10,000 flight attendants failed to reach an agreement with the airline, at Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport in Dorval, Quebec, Canada August 16, REUTERS Hundreds of Air Canada employees formed picket lines outside major Canadian airports and business leaders sought government intervention on Saturday, hours after unionized flight attendants walked off the job over a wage contract dispute. The strike, which started just before 1 a.m. EDT (0500 GMT), forced Canada's largest airline to cancel all of its 700 daily flights, affecting more than 100,000 travelers who had to find alternative flights or stay put. The airline said in a statement on Saturday that it has started locking out thousands of flight attendants in response to the strike action. The carrier had offered a 38% increase in total compensation for flight attendants over four years, with a 25% raise in the first year, which the Canadian Union of Public Employees said was insufficient. CUPE, representing more than 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants, confirmed the work stoppage in a social media post. It is the first strike by Air Canada flight attendants since 1985. Wesley Lesosky, president of the Air Canada component of CUPE, said in a press conference in Toronto that, as of Saturday morning, there were no bargaining sessions scheduled between the two sides, which have held on-and-off negotiations for months. Read More: Canada sheds 40,800 jobs as tariffs dent hiring "We are here because Air Canada forces us to work for free for hours and hours every day, and we are here because we are not going to accept it anymore," he said. Outside Toronto Pearson International Airport - the country's busiest - hundreds of cabin crew waved flags, banners and picket signs. Union officials called on members to assemble outside all of the country's major airports, including in Toronto, Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver. Montreal-based Air Canada said the suspended flights included those operated by its budget arm, Air Canada Rouge. The stoppage would affect about 130,000 customers a day, the carrier said in a statement. Flights by Air Canada's regional affiliates - Air Canada Jazz and PAL Airlines - will operate as usual. Wage dispute The dispute between the union and the airline centers on wages. Attendants are currently paid only when their plane is moving. The union is seeking compensation for time spent on the ground between flights and when helping passengers board. A US judge kept his block on President Donald Trump's buyout plan for federal employees in place on Monday. The union has said Air Canada offered to compensate flight attendants for some work that is now unpaid but only at 50% of their hourly rate. A source close to the negotiations told Reuters the union is looking for parity on wages with Canadian leisure carrier Air Transat, where flight attendants approved a contract last year that provided for total compounded increases of 30% over five years, making them the highest paid in the industry in Canada. Air Canada did not confirm if such a proposal had been put forth by the union. "What we're asking for is not unreasonable. It is not a high demand. It is not that far off other competitors such as Air Transat. It is realistic and it is deserved," Lesosky from CUPE said. The impact of a strike will ripple far beyond Canada. Air Canada is the busiest foreign carrier servicing the U.S. by number of scheduled flights.


Business Recorder
6 hours ago
- Business Recorder
Air Canada set to shut down over flight attendants strike
TORONTO: Air Canada's flight attendants were poised to strike on Saturday as the carrier cancelled hundreds of flights impacting more than 100,000 passengers ahead of a threatened work stoppage that could shut down service. The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents Air Canada's 10,000 flight attendants, was in a legal position to strike as of 12:01 am (0401 GMT), after delivering a 72-hour strike notice on Wednesday. The public broadcaster CBC reported the labor action could begin around 1:00 am if no last-minute deal is reached. Air Canada, which transports about 130,000 passengers daily, had said it would gradually wind down operations ahead of the possible strike. Air Canada flight attendants to picket at four Canadian airports As of 8:00 pm Friday, the airline said it had cancelled 623 flights affecting more than 100,000 passengers. In addition to wage increases, the union says it wants to address uncompensated ground work, including during the boarding process. Rafael Gomez, who heads the University of Toronto's Center for Industrial Relations, told AFP it's 'common practice, even around the world' to compensate flight attendants based on time spent in the air. He said the union had built an effective communication campaign around the issue, creating a public perception of unfairness. An average passenger, not familiar with common industry practice, could think, ''I'm waiting to board the plane and there's a flight attendant helping me, but they're technically not being paid for that work,'' he said. 'That's a very good issue to highlight.' Air Canada detailed its latest offer in a Thursday statement, specifying that under the terms, a senior flight attendant would on average make CAN$87,000 ($65,000) by 2027. CUPE has described Air Canada's offers as 'below inflation (and) below market value.' The union has also rejected requests from the federal government and Air Canada to resolve outstanding issues through independent arbitration. Gomez said that if the flight attendants strike, he does not expect the stoppage to last long. 'This is peak season,' he said. 'The airline does not want to lose hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue… They're almost playing chicken with the flight attendants.'


Business Recorder
12 hours ago
- Business Recorder
Gold price per tola sheds Rs900 in Pakistan
Gold prices in Pakistan decreased on Saturday in line with their loss in the international market. In the local market, gold price per tola reached Rs356,200 after a decline of Rs900 during the day. As per the rates shared by the All-Pakistan Gems and Jewellers Sarafa Association (APGJSA), 10-gram gold was sold at Rs305,384 after it lost Rs771. On Friday, gold price per tola reached Rs357,100 after a decline of Rs1,000 during the day. The international rate of gold also saw a decrease today. The rate was at $3,335 per ounce (with a premium of $20), a loss of $9, as per APGJSA. Meanwhile, silver price per tola reduced by Rs41 to clock in at Rs4,031.