After weaker-than-expected U.S. economic data and rising military tensions in the Middle East, gold prices rose to record highs at the end of last week’s trade, hitting a barrier of $2,070 an ounce. Adel Al-Fathli, head of strategic planning at Kuwait Dar Al-Sabah Company, said in a statement to Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) on Sunday that the yellow metal managed to post a profit for the third week in a row. Along with weak US economic data. Al-Fathly said factory activity in the US has seen a continuous contraction for more than two months, along with a slowdown in personal consumption spending and a sub-level decline in the inflation rate in the US market. Gold futures (for delivery next February) rose 1.6 percent to $2,089 an ounce, while the dollar index, which measures the U.S. currency against major currencies, fell 0.35 percent to 103.1 points. Analysts’ pessimistic expectations for growth in US spending and output next year sent investors back to the safe haven (gold), especially as the Federal Reserve (Federal Bank) has aggressive plans to cut interest rates. 25 basis points during the Bank’s regular meeting scheduled for March 2024. He expected gold prices to see a “significant rise” if expectations that the US Federal Reserve cut interest rates by 135 basis points by the end of next year hold true. This will certainly lead to an increase in precious metals in the long run. Al-Fathly said that important reports will be released this week, the first of which is the US labor jobs report, followed by the purchasing managers’ index for services, monetary policy announcements in Australia and Canada, and data on inflation rates in China and South Korea, “all of which are indicators that will determine gold’s trends this week.” .” He said he believed developments in the Middle East region this week would be “stronger” as analysts monitor field developments due to the heavy impact on precious metals prices by military operations and shutdown threats. Some commercial waterways.” As for the local market, the price of a 24-carat gram rose to 20.375 dinars (about $62.2), 22 carat to 18.68 dinars (about $57), silver finished at 297 dinars (about $905), he said. ) per kilogram. ounce. It is worth noting that is one of the units of mass measurement, it is used in various measurement units, it is also called ounce and is equal to 28.349 grams, while the unit of measurement for precious metals is equal to 31.103 grams.