Gold price retreats on Thursday following the release of mixed data from the United States (US) and as traders brace for the Jackson Hole Symposium, waiting for the Federal Reserve's (Fed) Chair Jerome Powell speech on Friday. The XAU/USD trades at $3,339, down 0.30%.

The yellow metal choppy's price action seems to continue until Powell hits the stand. Solid economic data revealed by S&P Global showed that business activity is expanding solidly. The agency noted, "The data are consistent with the economy expanding at a 2.5% annualized rate, up from the average 1.3% expansion seen over the first two quarters of the year."

Jobs data revealed by the US Department of Labor (DoL) showed that jobless claims for the week ending August 16 surprisingly jumped above estimates and the previous week's print. Continuing Claims, which reflect unemployed people re-applying for unemployment benefits, reached its highest level since November 2021.

Fed officials began to cross the wires. Cleveland's Fed Beth Hammack made some hawkish comments, as she favors maintaining "modestly restrictive policy to lower inflation."

Kansas City Fed Jeffrey Schmid commented that the risks of inflation are higher relative to the jobs situation, and Atlanta Fed Raphael Bostic reiterated that inflation remains above target.

Regarding geopolitics, Russia's Foreign Minister Lavrov says Ukraine is showing that it is not interested in a sustainable and long-lasting peace settlement, RIA reports. Meanwhile, Reuters sources revealed that Putin demands that Ukraine cede Donbas, with no NATO and no Western troops.

Source: fxstreet