Gold remains rangebound as investors weigh US-China talks and Russia sanctions

• Gold holds firm, finding stability after recent volatility and profit-taking from record levels.
• Safe-haven demand remains supported amid persistent geopolitical tensions and renewed trade uncertainty.
• Traders remain on the sidelines ahead of the US CPI report on Friday, which could shape Fed rate-cut bets later this month.

Gold (XAU/USD) fluctuates within a tight range on Thursday, consolidating after a sharp correction from historic highs. At the time of writing, XAU/USD is trading around $4,115, holding steady after two days of declines as safe haven demand remains supported amid a mix of economic jitters and geopolitical tensions.

The US-China trade standoff remains at the forefront of investor focus, with Washington reportedly weighing new export restrictions ahead of high-level talks this week and a potential meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping later this month at the APEC summit in South Korea.

At the same time, the United States (US) government shutdown, now in its fourth week, continues to weigh on market sentiment. Meanwhile, the prospect of further monetary policy easing by the Federal Reserve (Fed) is also shaping investor positioning, as markets increasingly price in a quarter-point interest cut at the October 29-30 Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting.

Traders are also refraining from taking large directional bets ahead of the US Consumer Price Index (CPI) report due on Friday. A firm US Dollar (USD) and a rebound in Treasury yields are capping the upside for Gold in the meantime, keeping price action largely rangebound.

Market movers: Geopolitical uncertainty grows as US-China talks near

• China's Ministry of Commerce said on Thursday that, as agreed by both sides, Vice Premier He Lifeng will lead a delegation to Malaysia from October 24 to 27 to hold economic and trade talks with the US. The announcement confirms that high-level discussions will begin on Friday.
• On Wednesday, Reuters reported that the Trump administration is considering a plan to restrict exports to China on items that contain US software or were produced using it. "I will confirm that everything is on the table," US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told reporters at the White House when asked about the potential software curbs on China. "If these export controls -- whether it's software, engines, or other things -- happen, it will likely be in coordination with our G7 allies," he added.
• The US announced new sanctions on Russia, targeting the energy giants Rosneft and Lukoil. The measures aim to curb Moscow's Oil revenue and increase pressure on its war effort.
• The sanctions on Russia come after President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin had planned to hold a summit in Budapest to discuss ending the war in Ukraine. Trump later told reporters at the White House on Wednesday that he canceled the meeting, saying, "It didn't feel like we were going to get to the place we have to get. So I cancelled it, but we'll do it in the future."
• In response, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Thursday accused the United States of declaring "an act of war" against Russia. Medvedev, who now serves as Deputy Chairman of Russia's Security Council, referred to Trump's decision to cancel the summit and the new sanctions, writing on Telegram, "Cancellation of the Budapest summit by Trump. New sanctions against our country from the US. What else? Will there be new weapons besides the notorious Tomahawks?"

Technical analysis: XAU/USD remains rangebound below $4,150

XAU/USD is consolidating within a range between $4,000 and $4,150 as traders await fresh catalysts, likely Friday's CPI report, for the next directional move.

On the upside, $4,150 remains the immediate resistance, followed by $4,200, where the 50-period Simple Moving Average (SMA) aligns with the prior breakdown zone. A decisive close above this level would be needed to shift the near-term bias back in favor of buyers.

On the downside, the $4,000 psychological level acts as key support -- a line in the sand for bulls. A clear break below it could expose the metal to a deeper correction toward $3,950 or even $3,900.

For now, the broader bias remains tilted slightly bearish unless $4,200 is reclaimed. However, dip buyers appear active near the lower end of the range, suggesting that while a steep selloff looks unlikely, a prolonged consolidation phase cannot be ruled out after the overextended rally.