Investing.com - Gold prices eased slightly in Asia on Wednesday in quiet regional trade with investors focused on demand prospects in China as signs emerge of slower pace of growth and in India where economic reforms are seen lagging.
Gold futures for December delivery on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange eased 0.07% to $1,278.79 a troy ounce.
Overnight, gold prices fell on Tuesday, as U.S-North Korea tensions eased, after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was reported to have delayed a decision on firing missiles towards the U.S. pacific territory of Guam.
Gold prices struggled to shake off losses, as demand for safe-haven assets cooled, following reports from North Korean state media on Tuesday that leader Kim Jong Un had delayed a decision on firing missiles towards the U.S. pacific territory of Guam, suggesting that his earlier threats were rhetorical.
Meanwhile, better-than-expected U.S. retail sales data for July, stoked expectations of stronger U.S. economic growth in third-quarter, adding further pressure on the yellow metal.
The Commerce Department said on Tuesday that retail sales rose 0.6% last month. That was the largest gain in seven months, ending four-consecutive months of lower than expected growth.
The minutes from the Federal Reserve’s July policy meeting due Wednesday, however, could stem losses in the yellow metal should the minutes reveal fed members were more dovish on monetary policy than initially believed.
At its policy meeting in July, Fed members voted to keep rates unchanged, citing concerns over the slowdown in inflation. The central bank, however, signalled that it would begin tapering its $4.5tn balance sheet “relatively soon”.
Gold is sensitive to moves in U.S. rates, which lift the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding assets such as bullion.