• Gold remains treading water between $4,300 and $4,355.
• A moderately stronger US Dollar is weighing on precious metals.
• Hopes of further Fed rate cuts are likely to keep Gold prices supported near record highs.

Gold (XAU/USD) is posting marginal losses on Friday, but it keeps hovering without a clear bias above $4,300, with upside attempts capped below $4,355. The long wicks seen on the daily chart highlight a hesitant market, and the moderate US Dollar recovery is acting as a headwind for precious metals.

The US Dollar Index, which measures the value of the Greenback against a basket of currencies, is trading at one-week highs above 98.50, unfazed by the weak US inflation data released on Thursday. That said, market expectations that the US Federal Reserve (Fed) will cut rates further in 2026 are likely to keep US dollar rallies limited, and support Gold near record highs.

Technical Analysis: Gold is trading within a triangle pattern

The 4-hour chart shows XAU/USD trading at $4,325, little changed on the daily chart, with price action trapped below an ascending triangle, with its top at the $4,355 area.

Technical indicators are mixed. The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) stays below zero, with the histogram flattening, which hints at a fading bearish pressure. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) prints 54.64, holding above the 50 midline and supporting a mild bullish tilt.

The $4,300 level has been supporting the pair over the last two days. ahead of the triangle bottom, around $4,290. Further down, the target is the December 12 low, at $4,257. To the upside, above the mentioned $4,355, the 127.2% Fibonacci extension of the December 9-12 rally is at $4,400. The Triangle's measured target is at $4,450.

(The technical analysis of this story was written with the help of an AI tool.)

(This story was corrected on December 19 at 09:55 GMT to say that $4,357 is the December 12 low, and not the December 123 low as previously reported)