Xin Lang Cai Jing·2025-10-10 00:41Core Viewpoint - Gold prices have surged since late August, driven by expectations of interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve, the U.S. government shutdown prompting safe-haven trading, and geopolitical tensions, particularly concerning Venezuela. Despite short-term factors, the long-term outlook for gold remains optimistic, with projections indicating prices could exceed $4,500 per ounce in Q1 of next year [1][4]. Group 1: Recent Gold Price Performance - From August 27 to October 8, the London spot gold price rose from $3,376 per ounce to $4,040 per ounce, marking a 19.7% increase. This rise exceeded previous expectations due to various unforeseen factors [1]. - The market has fully priced in expectations for three interest rate cuts throughout 2025, with the probability of a cumulative cut of 75 basis points or more increasing from 38.7% to 79.2% during the same period [2]. Group 2: U.S. Government Shutdown Impact - The U.S. federal government experienced a shutdown on October 1 due to the failure to finalize the new fiscal year's budget, marking the first shutdown in seven years. This shutdown is expected to last longer than previous instances, leading to increased safe-haven investments in gold [2][3]. Group 3: Geopolitical Tensions - Despite efforts by the Trump administration to negotiate a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, geopolitical tensions remain high, particularly regarding Venezuela. The U.S. has increased military presence in the Caribbean and has taken aggressive actions against Venezuelan drug trafficking, indicating potential military intervention [3]. Group 4: Future Outlook for Gold - The short-term rise in gold prices is attributed to various risk-driven sentiments, with significant inflows into gold ETFs in North America and Europe. However, the fundamental support for gold remains strong due to worsening U.S. federal debt, declining dollar credibility, and increasing gold purchases by global central banks [3]. - Updated models suggest that under neutral assumptions, gold prices could exceed $4,500 per ounce by Q1 2026, with optimistic scenarios projecting prices above $4,800 per ounce [5].