US-Iran Conflict and Rate Hikes Weigh on Metal Markets
Key Takeaways
- •Federal Reserve Chair Walsh’s hawkish approach to inflation is pressuring metal markets.
- •Ten-year Treasury yields have moved higher, adding to the market’s rate-driven headwinds.
- •Metals posted a modest rebound after earlier declines, while stocks traded mixed.
- •Geopolitical developments involving Iran are affecting energy prices and the broader commodity backdrop.
- •Epstein says gold’s technical pattern remains bullish even after the latest correction.
US-Iran Conflict and Rate Hikes Weigh on Metal Markets
Ira Epstein
Ira Epstein discusses the latest developments in the metal markets, pointing to the impact of Federal Reserve Chair Walsh's hawkish stance on inflation and the effect that stance is having on markets. He notes the mixed performance in the stock market and the modest recovery in metals after earlier losses, with traders still balancing interest-rate pressure against the day’s broader risk sentiment.
Epstein also addresses the ongoing G20 central bankers' meeting, the rise in 10-year Treasury note yields, and the influence of geopolitical developments, including Iran, on energy prices. Those developments matter for metals because shifts in rates, yields and energy costs can alter the trading backdrop across commodity markets even when the metals themselves are moving on their own technicals. In addition, he previews upcoming economic releases such as retail sales and manufacturing indices, which could help clarify whether the recent pressure on markets is tied more to policy expectations or to the broader economic outlook.
On gold, Epstein reviews the technical setup and says the metal still shows a bullish pattern despite the current correction.
About the author
Ira Epstein
IraEpstein.com
LINN \u0026 Associates
Over the past 35 years, Ira Epstein has developed a reputation for providing clients with easy-to-use technology and teaching traditional trading know-how. A number of the firm's brokers have more than 30 years of trading experience. No matter how technology changes the methods of entering orders, Epstein says there is no replacement for having “been there and done that before.” He says it is the blend of services that brings things together.
The firm provides education, market information and trading platforms.
Epstein began in the futures markets in 1969. Over the years, he worked his way up from a “floor runner” to a Floor Trader. In the mid-1970s, he made a career shift within the industry to develop both retail and commercial clientele. His customer base grew to the point that in 1984 he founded “Ira Epstein \u0026 Company,” a trading firm specializing in retail, commercial and self-directed discount futures trading. Along the way, Epstein became a leader in trading technology out of necessity because of increased small-lot trade volume. He was among the first to embrace the internet, which has changed both how information is delivered and how trading takes place today.
One of the ways Epstein and his brokers showcase their work is through e-mails of market information and his “Futures Videos,” which can be viewed on the firm’s website, through Market Center, Linn-IraChart Software and on YouTube.
IraEpstein.com
