Gold prices rise - VnExpress International

AI desk brief

Saigon Jewelry Company gold bars rose 0.13% to VND148.6 million/tael ($5,697.31), with gold rings up 0.14% to VND148.1 million/tael, but domestic prices are still down 0.07% on the week and 2.75% year-to-date. Vietnam’s local market remains about VND6.8 million/tael above global prices, underscoring persistent local premium even as global bullion firms into a small weekly gain.

Spot gold was steady at $4,468.27/oz after a 2% jump on Thursday, while December COMEX futures slipped 0.6% to $4,514.60. The market is now focused on U.S. payrolls for clues on the Fed path, with weakness in labor data or rising unemployment likely to revive rate-cut expectations and support gold. Reuters also flagged continued central bank demand as a floor under the market.

Near term, payrolls and next week’s inflation data are the key catalysts. A softer U.S. labor print would likely extend the bid in gold despite already-elevated levels, while firmer data could trigger profit-taking after the recent spike. The combination of central bank buying and gold’s sensitivity to real-rate expectations keeps the bias constructive, but headline-driven volatility remains high.