Gold remains supported by growing market expectations for monetary policy easing by the Federal Reserve, as investors doubt whether the data released after the government shutdown will support the economy. With US interest rates potentially falling, the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding gold becomes lower. Furthermore, demand from central banks and investors as a hedge against geopolitical risks is also driving gold's advantage.

However, the downside is also real: a stable or strengthening US dollar and rising bond yields will diminish gold's appeal. If US economic data improves and the Fed adopts a hawkish stance, gold could face challenges. This situation puts gold in a "waiting for a signal" position, so its movement today tends to be cautious. (