* Specs cut gold bullish positions in week ended June 8- CFTC
* Dollar hovers near one-week high; Fed meeting on June 15-16
June 14 (Reuters) - Gold prices fell more than 1% on Monday, weighed down by a stronger dollar and easing concerns about inflation, while investors awaited cues from the U.S. Federal Reserve’s policy meeting due later this week.
Spot gold was down 1.1% to $1,856.30 per ounce by 0908 GMT, after hitting its lowest since May 19 at $1,854.39. U.S. gold futures fell 1.1% to $1,858.20.
Along with a stronger dollar, profit-taking is weighing on the metal, said independent analyst Ross Norman, adding that the market was seeing a bit of book squaring ahead of the Fed’s June 15-16 meeting.
“What really matters is to what extent the Fed is going to be focusing on the immediate problem, which is likely inflation, or the longer-term problem, which is going to be tapering,” Norman said.
The dollar was little changed after posting its biggest weekly rise in six weeks.
Last week, data showed a sharp rise in May U.S. consumer prices. But Fed officials have repeatedly said inflation would be transitory.
Gold is traditionally considered a hedge against inflation that may be triggered by widespread stimulus measures.
“The Fed is expected to leave policy unchanged and again play down taper talk,” ING analysts said in a note.
“Nonetheless, markets will be looking for hints on whether the Fed is starting to acknowledge that inflation may not be as transitory as thought. A technical adjustment to address the rapid build-up in excess liquidity is certainly possible, but dollar downside risks remain.”
Speculators reduced their net long positions in COMEX gold in the week ended June 8 and raised their net long positions in silver.
Elsewhere, silver fell 0.7% to $27.69 per ounce, palladium dropped 0.6% to $2,759.04, and platinum dipped 0.4% to $1,145.83.
(Reporting by Arundhati Sarkar in Bengaluru; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)
Source: Reuters