(Recasts for U.S. market open)
* Benchmark 10-year Treasury yields near a more than
one-year high
* Brent crude oil prices hold above $110 a barrel
* Minutes of Fed's April policy meeting due on Wednesday
By Anjana Anil
May 19 (Reuters) - Gold prices fell by more than 2% on
Tuesday as a firmer U.S. dollar and persistent inflation fears
kept interest rate hike expectations and Treasury yields high.
Spot gold fell 2% to $4,474.40 per ounce by 9:41 a.m. ET
(1341 GMT). Prices fell to their lowest level since March 30
earlier in the session.
U.S. gold futures for June delivery lost 1.8% to
$4,476.80.
"We are seeing a multi-country rise in real rates around the
world, and that is really weighing mostly on gold. The dollar is
also stronger, that's a negative," said Edward Meir, an analyst
at Marex.
Benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury yields were near a
more than one-year high, while the U.S. dollar strengthened.
Both rose as investors eyed a possible hawkish shift by the
Federal Reserve to curb energy-driven inflation.
Higher Treasury yields raise the opportunity cost of holding
non-yielding gold and a stronger dollar makes greenback-priced
commodities more expensive for holders of other currencies.
Brent crude oil prices were elevated, fanning concerns of rising
global inflation as fuel costs surge.
"While the structural investment case for gold remains
largely intact, shorter-term macro developments have created a
more challenging backdrop for prices," Ole Hansen, head of
commodity strategy at Saxo Bank, wrote.
"Once immediate energy-related pressures begin to ease,
central bank demand may re-emerge as a more dominant
driver."
Market participants now await the minutes of the Fed's
latest policy meeting, which are scheduled to be released on
Wednesday, as they seek to gauge the monetary policy path.
Spot silver dipped 5.7% to $73.25 per ounce, platinum
lost 2.8% to $1,923.55, and palladium dropped 3.3%
to $1,371.25.