PRECIOUS-Gold falls 2% as inflation fears bolster hawkish Fed bets

By Pablo Sinha

March 18 (Reuters) - Gold prices fell to a one-month low on Wednesday as investors weighed the risk of a more hawkish U.S. Federal Reserve policy stance, with high oil prices fuelling concerns about inflation.

Spot gold XAU= fell 2% to $4,903.19 per ounce as of 1216 GMT, its lowest level since February 18. U.S. gold futures GCcv1 for April delivery also dropped 2% to $4,907.40.

"Investors are worried about rates staying 'higher-for-longer' due to elevated energy prices ... the longer the Iran conflict goes on, the more likely that scenario," said Jamie Dutta, market analyst at Nemo.money.

While gold is viewed as a hedge against inflation and uncertainty, high interest rates curb its appeal by raising the cost of holding bullion and boosting returns on yield-bearing assets.

The Middle East conflict, in its third week, saw Iran target Tel Aviv with missiles in retaliation for Israel's assassination of its security chief, Ali Larijani, Iranian state television reported on Wednesday.

Benchmark Brent futures prices have been above $100 per barrel for the past four sessions. O/R

Meanwhile, the Fed is widely expected to hold rates steady later in the day.

Investors will parse Fed Chair Jerome Powell's remarks to assess the central bank's policy view for the rest of 2026, with futures markets seeing only one quarter-percentage-point rate cut this year, in September, and another cut in late 2027.

"Long-term drivers like central bank buying, stagflation risks and diversification demand remain. That should mean higher (gold) prices by end of 2026," Dutta said.

Spot silver XAG= fell 1.2% to $78.29 per ounce, spot platinum XPT= was down 2.9% at $2,063.69, and palladium XPD= lost 2.6% to $1,560.50.