Gold gains 1% as Powell comments hint at September rate cut
"The time has come" to cut interest rates - Powell
Dollar down 0.6% against its rivals
Adds comments and updates prices as of 1611 GMT
By Anushree Ashish Mukherjee
Aug 23 (Reuters) -Gold prices gained 1% on Friday as the dollar and Treasury yields retreated following Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell comments signalling an interest rate cut in September.
Spot gold XAU= rose 1% to $2,508.25 per ounce by 12:11 p.m. ET (1611 GMT), but was off a record high of $2,531.60 hit on Tuesday. U.S. gold futures GCcv1 gained 1.1% to $2,544.40.
Powell said "the time has come" for the U.S. central bank to cut interest rates and inflation was in reach of the Fed's 2% target, offering an explicit endorsement of an imminent policy easing.
The dollar index =USD fell 0.6% against its rivals, while benchmark U.S. 10-year yields US10YT=RR also declined following Powell's speech, making gold more attractive for other currency holders. USD/US/
"Asset markets are reacting well, at least initially, to Powell's general, but somewhat open-ended comment that it's time for policy to adjust," said Tai Wong, a New York-based independent metals trader.
"Gold will continue to grind higher ahead of the September Fed meeting and the updated dot plot which will indicate how many likely cuts this year."
Lower U.S. interest rates also generally increase the relative appeal of zero-yield bullion.
Gold might be over-positioned to the long end and we could see selloffs and some profit-taking, said Bart Melek, head of commodity strategies at TD Securities.
"But longer term, gold should do well since the Fed is very much picking their game and trying to make sure employment doesn't weaken anymore and is not worried about inflation."
Traders are expecting a 65.5% chance of a 25-basis point cut in September, while 34.5% expect a deeper 50-bps reduction. FEDWATCH
Silver XAG= rose 2.4% to $29.67 per ounce and was up nearly 2.3% for the week.
India's silver imports are on course to nearly double this year due to rising demand from solar panel and electronics makers, leading importers said.
Platinum XPT= gained 1.6% to $958.40 and palladium XPD= was up 1.7% at $948.41.
Spot gold price in USD per oz https://reut.rs/4fQq0ZX
Reporting by Anushree Mukherjee and Brijesh Patel in Bengaluru; Editing by Sharon Singleton, Vijay Kishore and Shreya Biswas
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