Spot gold was up 0.2% at $2,654.27 per ounce. U.S. gold futures settled 0.2% lower at $2,670.
“I think the continuous presence of geopolitical risks are contributing to gold’s strength,” said Nitesh Shah, commodity strategist at WisdomTree.
Also, “China has resumed gold buying. So gold is reacting to a multitude of these things,” Shah noted, adding that top consumer China was likely to ramp up policy stimulus to revive its economy, which would further support gold.
On the geo-political front, Israel agreed on Sunday to double its population in the Golan Heights, citing Syrian threats despite the moderate tone of rebel leaders who ousted President Bashar al-Assad a week ago.
Bullion is considered a safe investment during economic and geopolitical turmoil, while a low-interest rate environment also makes the non-yielding bullion more attractive.
The Fed is expected to cut rates by a quarter point at its two-day meeting starting on Tuesday, while updating its outlook for 2025 and beyond.
“The economic and political background is generally supportive for gold – but the Fed may cap prices if it points to an extended pause in rate cuts after December,” said StoneX analyst Rhona O’Connell.
The dollar index fell 0.1%, retreating from a near three-week high reached on Friday, making dollar-priced bullion more affordable for holders of other currencies.
Citi projects strong gold and silver demand until U.S. interest rates stabilize, forecasting a peak for both metals in late 2025 to early 2026.
Key data releases this week, including U.S. GDP and inflation figures, could further influence market sentiment.