Gold slipped to around $5,050 per ounce on Thursday, giving back part of the prior session’s gains as investors scaled back expectations for Federal Reserve policy easing. The retreat came after stronger-than-expected US employment data, which showed the largest monthly jobs increase in more than a year in January and an unexpected drop in the unemployment rate, underscoring the resilience of the labor market at the start of 2026. The figures bolstered the Fed’s cautious stance, prompting traders to postpone their anticipated timing for the next rate cut to July from June. Market participants are now looking ahead to Friday’s US consumer price index release for further policy signals.
Despite the pullback, gold held above the $5,000 mark, having retraced roughly half of the steep 13% decline suffered over two sessions earlier this month. Prices continued to find support from sustained central bank buying and ongoing geopolitical tensions.
