Gold price today (February 7): Unexpected reversalGold has ended a streak of five consecutive sessions of gains, dropping by 0.4% due to pressure from the recovery of the USD and profit-taking after the precious metal continually broke records, driven by heightened demand for safe-haven assets amid concerns over escalating trade tensions.
In my opinion, the combination of the strength of the US dollar, rising bond yields, and profit-taking has put pressure on gold prices ahead of the release of the US jobs report. A Reuters survey indicates that economists expect around 170,000 jobs to have been created in the previous month, after a sharp increase to 256,000 jobs in December 2024. The unemployment rate is forecast to remain unchanged at 4.1%.
The recovery in the labor market is boosting economic growth and may allow the Federal Reserve (Fed) to halt interest rate cuts as it assesses the inflationary impact of President Donald Trump's fiscal, trade, and immigration policies.
Based on the 1-hour chart, gold is currently moving within a downward price channel, with strong resistance at 2,876. After failing to sustain its upward momentum, gold has dropped to the first support level at 2,841. If it cannot recover at this support level, it is likely that gold will decline further toward the second support level at 2,812.
To manage risk and optimize trading opportunities, a stoploss can be set just above the strong resistance at 2,876, specifically at 2,880 or 2,885, to avoid being "spiked" by short-term fluctuations. The take profit can be set at 2,815 or 2,812 if gold continues to decline and tests the support levels. However, depending on your trading strategy and risk tolerance, you may adjust these levels to suit your objectives.
