Gold price consolidates in a range below record high, bullish potential seems intact

• Gold price stalls its recent upward trajectory to a fresh all-time peak touched on Monday.
• Reduced June Fed rate cut bets continue to underpin the USD and act as a headwind.
• The downside remains cushioned amid the risk-off mood and persistent geopolitical risks.

Gold price (XAU/USD) oscillates in a range during the Asian session on Tuesday and consolidates its gains registered over the past five days to the all-time peak, around the $2,265-2,266 area touched the previous day. The upbeat US manufacturing data released on Monday raised doubts if the Federal Reserve (Fed) will cut interest rates three times this year. This remains supportive of elevated US Treasury bond yields, which, in turn, pushes the US Dollar (USD) to its highest level since February 14 and turns out to be a key factor undermining the non-yielding yellow metal.

The markets, however, are still pricing in a greater chance that the Fed will begin its rate-cutting cycle in June. This, along with the risk-off impulse and geopolitical risks stemming from conflicts in the Middle East, should help limit losses for the safe-haven Gold price. This makes it prudent to wait for strong follow-through selling before confirming that the XAU/USD has topped out in the near term and positioning for any meaningful corrective decline. Traders now look to the US macro data and speeches by a slew of influential FOMC members for a fresh impetus.

Daily Digest Market Movers: Gold price bulls take a brief pause amid mixed fundamental cues

• The Institute for Supply Management reported that the US manufacturing sector expanded in March after 16 straight months of contraction, forcing investors to trim their bets for a June rate cut by the Federal Reserve.
• The shift in expectations lifts the yield on the rate-sensitive two-year and the benchmark 10-year US government bonds to a two-week peak, which underpins the US Dollar and exerts some pressure on the Gold price.
• A sharp rise in the US Treasury bond yields, along with the risk of a further escalation of geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, tempers investors' appetite for riskier assets and lends support to the safe-haven XAU/USD.
• Israeli air strikes destroyed the Iranian embassy's consular annex in Syria on Monday, killing seven members, including a top Revolutionary Guard commander, and fuelling fears of further violence between Israel and Iran's allies.
• Moreover, the US PCE Price Index released on Friday indicated a moderate rise in inflation during February and kept Fed rate cut hopes on the table, which should contribute to limiting the downside for the non-yielding metal.
• Tuesday's US economic docket features the release of JOLTS Job Openings and Factory Orders, which, along with speeches by a slew of influential FOMC members, should drive the USD demand and provide a fresh impetus.

Technical Analysis: Gold price needs to consolidate amid overbought RSI before the next leg up

From a technical perspective, the Relative Strength Index (RSI) on the daily chart is flashing overbought conditions, which makes it prudent to wait for some near-term consolidation or a modest pullback before the next leg up. That said, any meaningful corrective decline is more likely to find decent support and attract fresh buyers near the $2,223 region, or the previous record high. This should help limit the downside near the $2,200 mark, which should now act as a key pivotal point for the Gold price. A convincing break below the latter might prompt some technical selling and pave the way for deeper losses.

On the flip side, the $2,265-2,266 region, or a fresh record peak touched on Monday, now seems to act as an immediate hurdle for the Gold price. A sustained strength beyond should allow the XAU/USD to prolong its appreciating move further towards conquering the $2,300 round-figure mark.