September 25, 2026
Spot gold eased to $4,268 per ounce, trading near session lows after U.S. housing data for August came in stronger than expected. The release pointed to firmer activity in new residential sales, coinciding with a softer tone in bullion through the morning session.
U.S. New Home Sales: August Beat and Upward Revision
August new home sales rose 6.4% month-on-month, outpacing the consensus call for a 3.2% increase. The report placed sales at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 684,000 units, above expectations for 620,000. In addition, July’s figure was revised higher to 643,000 from an initially reported 607,000, reinforcing the stronger trajectory implied by the latest print.
The sales data encompass newly built single-family homes and are reported jointly by federal statistical agencies on a seasonally adjusted, annualized basis. The August outcome indicates a firmer pace than markets had penciled in, with the upward revision to July adding to the positive surprise embedded in the sequential data.
Market Reaction
Gold prices weakened alongside the release, with spot metal marking session lows around $4,268 per ounce. The move came as traders processed a housing update that exceeded forecasts on both the current reading and the prior-month revision. While high-frequency housing indicators are one piece of the broader macro picture, the stronger print helped keep bullion on the back foot through the session.
Flows in precious metals often respond to incremental shifts in U.S. macro data that can influence broader financial conditions. Today’s housing figures represented a clear data beat, and bullion’s intraday response reflected that backdrop without changing the longer-term narrative on its own.
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