Gold: Triangle still unresolved; Entry levels refined

The US employment report was mixed. Payrolls posted a 215,000 jobs gain, around June's level, while analysts had expected 225,000. The previous number was upwardly revised to 231,000. The unemployment rate remained at 5.3%, while wage growth came out at 2.1% year-on-year, up from 2.0% in the previous month. According to a latest Reuters poll, the median probability for septermber rate hike estimated by US primary dealers is 60% vs 55% in June. The number for December meeting stands at 80%. 9 of 19 dealers expect two rate hikes this year.

The short-term reaction has been very volatile, with violent swings in both directions. The price of XAUUSD has tested both trendlines that form the Triangle pattern. There is a clear 5-wave advance that usually sets a new uptrend. The key support cluster is projected @1089. Our approach is to wait for a 4-hour candle to close either above 1099 to generate a buy signal; or below 1082 for a sell signal. While the intraday chart to the right suggests higher prices based on last swing's wave structure, the long-term trend is, obviously, down.