Commodity Markets Face Uncertainty Amid Central Bank Meetings and US Economic Indicators

Participants in the commodity market will closely examine the Federal Reserve’s policy guidance in the upcoming week.

Investors are on edge as the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) and the Bank of England (BoE) prepare for their upcoming meetings.

The fluctuating risk sentiments stem from the latest US economic data and China’s plans to boost liquidity.

The greenback reached a six-week high of 103.81, with US 10-year Treasury yields nearing 4.19 percent due to robust economic data, leading traders to adjust their expectations for aggressive rate cuts.

The US economy outperformed predictions, boasting a robust 3.3 percent annualized growth in Q4 of 2023 and a full-year growth of 2.5 percent.

However, not all signals were positive, as December saw stagnant US durable goods orders and a higher-than-expected 214,000 initial jobless claims last week, disappointing investors.

In January, the European Central Bank (ECB) opted to maintain deposit facility rates at an unprecedented 4 percent, demonstrating a commitment to address concerns about a potential recession and alleviate inflationary pressures with the goal of returning inflation to its 2 percent target.

Silver and Gold
COMEX gold prices dipped to a one-week low of $2004 per troy ounce, dampening hopes for an early Fed shift toward monetary easing.

Despite this, resilient US consumers, reflected in strong retail sales and better-than-expected Q4 GDP numbers, prevented a further decline.

COMEX Silver followed a similar trajectory, slipping initially to around $22 per troy ounce but recovering to surpass $23 per troy ounce as industrial metals rallied.
Crude Oil
Global trade disruptions in the Red Sea and a substantial draw in US oil stocks propelled WTI Crude oil prices to a two-month high of $77.5 per barrel.

US inventories fell over 9 million barrels last week, significantly exceeding forecasts and reaching their lowest level since October.

Ongoing threats from Yemen’s Houthi group to target ships linked to Israel until aid reaches Gaza contribute to concerns about elevated oil prices.

Metals, Aluminum, Copper and Zinc
LME base metals experienced a surge driven by optimism surrounding additional stimulus from China.

The rally was fueled by reports of a Chinese stock market rescue package and statements from People’s Bank of China Governor Pan Gongsheng indicating a potential cut in the reserve requirement ratio for banks in early February.

This unusual preemptive announcement highlighted growing disappointment with the government’s actions. Copper and Zinc reached their highest levels since early January, while Aluminium surpassed the $2,250 per tonne mark.

Positive developments in Flash Manufacturing PMI in the EU and UK, along with expanding factory activity in the US in January, provided further support.

With attention shifting to the upcoming US Core PCE data, expected to show a rise at an annual pace of 3 percent in December, investors are hopeful for relief if Core PCE continues to cool.

This anticipation precedes the FOMC meeting next week, where both the FOMC and BoE are anticipated to maintain rates.

Market participants will closely examine policy guidance, particularly focusing on any softening of language by the Fed regarding progress in easing inflation.

Such shifts could impact the dollar, considering the ECB’s recent stance on rate cuts.

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