U.S. gold futures for December delivery also saw significant gains, reaching an all-time high of $3,922.70. However, analysts from Citi noted that gold tends to weaken during shorter shutdowns. In their Wednesday report, they explained that while gold may dip initially, it typically gains traction during extended shutdowns. “Gold catches a bid as uncertainty mounts, rallying 2% on average and holding that strength for a couple of months,” the Citi analysts wrote.
The duration of the current shutdown remains uncertain. Some analysts on Wall Street predict it will be brief, suggesting that only five Senate Democrats would need to break ranks and support the Republicans’ stopgap funding measure. Evercore ISI strategist Sarah Bianchi shared her insights, stating, “There are certainly five more Senate Democrats who are uncomfortable with shutdowns and will not want this to go on very long, especially if the threat of federal worker layoffs becomes more real.”
Bianchi further emphasized that the willingness of Republican leaders to negotiate on health care could also expedite a resolution. “Given this, and the fact that Republican leaders already have expressed openness to negotiating on health care, we think the shutdown will be relatively short,” she concluded.
