Dow futures extend losses to 300 points; Gold sees buying at lower levels

Gold advanced — after its first back-to-back weekly loss this year — as investors mulled an uncertain outlook for global trade and the US economy ahead of a Federal Reserve rate decision this week.

Bullion traded above $3,260 an ounce, after falling 2.4% last week. The Fed is widely expected to hold rates steady when its meets on Tuesday and Wednesday, despite President Donald Trump ratcheting up pressure on Chair Jerome Powell, saying surprisingly strong job data last week meant there was no reason not to cut interest rates.

Gold has surged almost a quarter so far this year, hitting a record above $3,500 an ounce in April, before losing some ground in the last couple of weeks. The ascent has been driven by haven buying due to Trump’s highly disruptive trade and geopolitical policies, as well as speculative demand in China and global central-bank buying.