Gold prices slipped further in Asian trade on Friday and were on track for a third consecutive weekly decline, as strength in the U.S. dollar and a more hawkish tone from the Federal Reserve eclipsed the earlier boost from an interim truce between Washington and Tehran.
Spot gold was last down 0.7% at $4,181.86 an ounce by 22:12 ET (02:12 GMT). U.S. Gold Futures for August fell 1.1% to $4,199.10.
For the week, gold was poised for a 0.8% loss. The metal climbed sharply at the start of the week after optimism surrounding the U.S.-Iran interim peace agreement, but that advance has been reversed in the wake of the Federal Reserve's most recent policy meeting.
Monetary policy and the dollar
Nine of the Fed's 19 policymakers signaled they expect at least one rate increase later this year, reinforcing market views that borrowing costs could remain higher for longer. The central bank left rates unchanged at the meeting on Wednesday, but comments from Chair Kevin Warsh were read by markets as hawkish. That interpretation lifted Treasury yields and pushed the U.S. dollar to its strongest level in more than a year.
The U.S. Dollar Index was largely unchanged in Asian trading after a 0.7% surge on Thursday to reach its highest reading since May 2025. A firmer dollar raises the local-currency cost of dollar-priced bullion for overseas purchasers, and higher interest rates increase the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding assets such as gold.
Futures markets have priced in more than an 80% chance of a year-end rate hike, reflecting investor expectations for further tightening if inflation pressures do not ease sufficiently.
Geopolitics, energy and metals
The interim agreement between Washington and Tehran, formally signed this week, initially supported bullion by reducing fears that shipping through the Strait of Hormuz would remain curtailed. The deal is expected to help reopen shipping routes through the strait and has been associated with a sharp fall in oil prices, which eased concerns about energy-driven inflation.
Despite those developments, market attention shifted back to the Fed's willingness to tighten policy further should price pressures persist, dampening gold's appeal.
Other precious metals also weakened: silver dropped 1.6% to $64.70 per ounce, while platinum lost 1.3% to $1,677.51 an ounce.
What this means
- Gold's recent momentum from geopolitical easing was insufficient to overcome currency and rate-driven headwinds.
- Higher Treasury yields and a stronger dollar can continue to weigh on precious metals until market expectations for policy pivot materially.
- Energy market developments that reduce inflation risk may not immediately translate into higher bullion prices if monetary policy remains on a tightening path.