GOLD FUTURES LIKELY TO TRADE HIGHER NEXT WEEK

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 20 (Bernama) -- Gold futures on Bursa Malaysia Derivatives are likely to trade higher next week, tracking gains in US Commodity Exchange (COMEX) gold, as investors position ahead of key economic data.

RHB Investment Bank Bhd said in a note on Friday that COMEX gold is likely to make a renewed attempt to break above resistance at US$4,400 per troy ounce.

“If a breakout occurs, the precious metal could extend its bullish trajectory towards the next resistance at US$4,500. Should selling pressure intensify, prices may pull back towards the 20-day simple moving average. For now, we maintain a positive trading bias,” it said.

Market attention next week will turn to the United States' third-quarter 2025 gross domestic product data, due on Dec 23.

On a week-on-week basis, the spot-month December 2025 contract edged up to US$4,331.30 per troy ounce from US$4,324.50 previously.

The January 2026 contract rose to US$4,349 per troy ounce from US$4,341.40 a week earlier. February 2026 gained to US$4,364.10 per troy ounce from US$4,357.20, while March 2026 climbed to US$4,380.80 per troy ounce from US$4,373.90.

By contrast, the April 2026, June 2026 and August 2026 contracts settled lower at US$4,380.80 per troy ounce, compared with US$4,394.20 previously.

Weekly trading volume jumped to 520 lots from 192 lots the week before, while open interest fell to 149 contracts from 238.

Physical gold was fixed at US$4,333.35 per troy ounce at the London Bullion Market Association afternoon fix on Dec 18, 2025.

-- BERNAMA