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☆ US starts new round of audit inspections on China firms- source
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] The logo of China's Tencent Music Entertainment Group is seen next to an earphone in this illustration picture taken March 22, 2021. The PCAOB previously said it would demand complete access in mainland China and Hong Kong in their regular inspections from 2023. The PCAOB, Tencent Music Entertainment Group, Didi Global, and NetEase did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment. Washington's demands for access to the audits of Chinese companies follow a long-running dispute over auditing compliance of U.S.-listed Chinese firms. Reporting by Xie Yu in Hong Kong and Yana Gaur in Bengaluru; Editing by Rashmi Aich and Sam HolmesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Florence Lo, PCAOB, Didi Global, NetEase, Janet Yellen, Xie Yu, Yana Gaur, Rashmi Aich, Sam Holmes Organizations: Entertainment, REUTERS, U.S, Public Company, Reuters, Wall, Bloomberg, Tencent Music Entertainment, Global Inc, NetEase Inc, Music Entertainment, Authorities, Treasury, Thomson Locations: Hong Kong, U.S, Washington, Beijing, China, United States, Bengaluru

☆ Lawyer wanted by Hong Kong says he was exercising his rights in Australia
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( Kirsty Needham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The Hong Kong police and security bureau did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Hong Kong says 260 people have been arrested under the law, 79 of them convicted for offences including subversion and terrorism. China and Hong Kong say it was necessary to restore stability in the financial hub. Yam said he started speaking out about the rule of law in Hong Kong and the crackdown because his friends were in jail. Reporting by Kirsty Needham in Sydney; Additional reporting by James Pomfret and Jessie Pang in Hong Kong; Editing by William MallardOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Kevin Yam, Yam, Mao Ning, Anthony Albanese, Hong, Ted Hui, Richard McGregor, Kirsty Needham, James Pomfret, Jessie Pang, William Mallard Organizations: SYDNEY, Hong, HK, Hong Kong, of Australia, Law Society of Hong, Lowy Institute, Thomson Locations: Australian, Hong Kong, Hong, Australia, China, Beijing, British, Law Society of Hong Kong, Sydney

☆ Nvidia says US curbs on AI chip sales to China would cause ‘permanent loss of opportunities’
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-29 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Hong Kong CNN —Nvidia warned Wednesday that if the United States imposes new restrictions on the export of AI chips to China, it would result in a “permanent loss of opportunities” for US industry. The rules, as reported, could make it harder for companies like Nvidia (NVDA) to sell advanced chips to China. Fueled by a boom in demand for its AI chips, the company briefly hit a market capitalization of $1 trillion in late May. We do not anticipate any immediate material impact on our financial results,” Kress added. Chinese AI stocks suffered much heavier losses.

Persons: Colette Kress, “, ” Kress, ”, Biden, ” Jefferies Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Nvidia, Wall Street, Financial Times, US Department of Commerce, CNN, Bloomberg, Chengdu Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Baidu, Biden, Micron Technology Locations: Hong Kong, United, China, Washington, Shenzhen, Chengdu, ChatGPT, Beijing

☆ S&P cuts China GDP forecast as calls for stimulus intensify
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

BEIJING, June 26 (Reuters) - S&P Global cut its forecast for economic growth in China this year, underscoring the uneven nature of the country's post-reopening recovery that is spurring more calls for further stimulus. S&P now expects China to log GDP growth of 5.2% in 2023, down from an earlier estimate of 5.5%. Forecasts for China GDP growth this year range between 4.4% and 6.2%. Last week, China cut its key lending benchmarks, the first such reductions in 10 months. Further highlighting pessimism over the economy, China and Hong Kong stocks slumped on Monday after disappointing domestic tourism figures for last week's three-day Dragon Boat Festival, while the yuan also weakened against the dollar.

Persons: Goldman Sachs, Ning, Nie Wen, Liangping Gao, Ryan Woo, Edwina Gibbs Organizations: People's Bank of China, Times, Communist, Hwabao Trust, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, China, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong

☆ Asia stocks subdued after Powell testimony fails to surprise
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( Ankur Banerjee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

SINGAPORE, June 22 (Reuters) - Asian shares made a tentative start to Thursday after Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell stuck to his recent hawkish tone as investors assess the future rate policy path from the Fed. Atlanta Federal Reserve President Raphael Bostic said on Wednesday the Fed should not raise rates further or it would risk "needlessly" sapping the strength of the U.S. economy. The comments highlight the growing debate at the central bank over when and if the central bank should hike further. "The BoE's conditional guidance put the burden of proof on the data showing more persistent inflation pressures to continue hiking bank rate. Markets will also be awaiting policy decision from Turkey's central bank, with a policy pivot and a sharp rate increase widely expected.

Persons: Jerome Powell, Australia's, Powell, Kevin Cummins, Raphael Bostic, BoE, Taylor Nugent, Sterling, Brent, Lincoln Organizations: Federal, Japan's Nikkei, Fed, NatWest Markets, Atlanta Federal Reserve, Bank of England, Reuters, National Australia Bank, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, Asia, Pacific, Japan, China, Hong Kong, Washington, Atlanta, U.S, Turkey's

☆ Morning Bid: How high will BoE go?
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

After a hotter than anticipated inflation report on Wednesday, markets priced in a nearly 50% chance that the BoE would opt for a half a percentage point hike. Economists, polled by Reuters last week, unanimously expected the BoE to raise interest rates by 25 bps to 4.75%, their highest since 2008. Markets are pricing in a 72% chance of a 25 bps hike next month and then no more, according to CME FedWatch tool. Swiss National Bank and Norway's Norges Bank are also due to announce their policy decisions, with a 25 basis point hike widely expected from both central banks. Reuters GraphicsKey developments that could influence markets on Thursday:Economic events: Policy rate decision from BoE, Turkey's central bank, Swiss National Bank and Norway's Norges BankReporting by Ankur Banerjee in Singapore; Editing by Muralikumar AnantharamanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Ankur Banerjee, BoE, Jerome Powell, Powell, Hafize Gaye Erkan, Muralikumar Organizations: Ankur, Bank of England, Reuters, Federal, Swiss National Bank, Norway's Norges Bank, Thomson Locations: Europe, China, Hong Kong, Asia, Japan, Turkey's, Singapore

Where can a Chinese buyer purchase top-end Nvidia (NVDA.O) AI chips in the wake of U.S. sanctions? A model similar to OpenAI's GPT would require more than 30,000 Nvidia A100 cards, according to research firm TrendForce. Nvidia's more advanced H100 chips, only on the market since March, appear much harder to come by. He added the premiums currently commanded by Chinese vendors for A100 and H100 chips could collapse in the future as many of the Chinese AI startups that were driving purchases would eventually withdraw from the market. ($1 = 7.8307 Hong Kong dollars)Reporting by Josh Ye in Hong Kong, David Kirton in Shenzhen and Chen Lin in Singapore; Additional reporting by Fanny Potkin in Singapore; Editing by Brenda Goh and Edwina GibbsOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Joe Biden's, OpenAI's, Ivan Lau, Hong, ByteDance, Vinci Chow, Charlie Chai, Josh Ye, David Kirton, Chen Lin, Fanny Potkin, Brenda Goh, Edwina Gibbs Organizations: Nvidia, SEG, Reuters, supercomputing, HK, U.S . Department of Commerce, China's, Information, Tencent Holdings, Taobao, Chinese University of Hong, Thomson Locations: HONG KONG, SHENZHEN, China, U.S, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, India, Taiwan, Singapore, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shanghai

☆ Exclusive: Xi Jinping tells Bill Gates he welcomes U.S. AI tech in China
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Microsoft Corp co-founder Bill Gates delivers his speech at the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, August 16, 2022. Xi also discussed Microsoft's (MSFT.O) business development in China during their meeting in Beijing, one of the sources said. When asked for comment, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation directed Reuters to the post. His meeting with Gates comes as U.S.-China relations are at their lowest point in decades, with AI a key flashpoint. Microsoft is a backer of OpenAI, whose chatbot ChatGPT ignited a global AI buzz last year that has spread to China.

Persons: Bill Gates, Kim Hong, Xi Jinping, Xi, Gates, Melinda Gates, Jason Neely, Jan Harvey Organizations: Microsoft Corp, National Assembly, REUTERS, U.S, Microsoft, Melinda Gates Foundation, Reuters, Information Office, chipmaker Micron, LinkedIn China, Thomson Locations: Seoul, South Korea, HONG KONG, China, Beijing, China's, U.S, Hong Kong

☆ Micron warns of bigger revenue hit from China ban
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The company said it now expects an impact on about half of its revenue from China-headquartered firms, which equates to a low-double-digit percentage of its total revenue. It had neither provided details on what risks it had found nor what Micron products would be affected. It also added that several customers, including mobile manufacturers, were being contacted by Chinese government representatives about the future use of Micron products. Micron's revenue from companies headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong, including direct sales as well as indirect sales through distributors, accounts for about a quarter of its total revenue. ($1 = 7.1218 Chinese yuan renminbi)Reporting by Chavi Mehta in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh KuberOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Sanjay Mehrotra, Chavi Mehta, Shailesh Organizations: Micron Technology, Micron, Cybersecurity Administration, Thomson Locations: China, U.S, Beijing, Washington, Hong Kong, Xian, Bengaluru

☆ US slaps sanctions on Iranian, Chinese targets over Tehran's missile, military programs
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( Daphne Psaledakis | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Iran's mission to the United Nations in New York and China's embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment. China has been a major buyer of Iranian oil despite U.S. sanctions designed to choke off these exports. Washington targeted centrifuge sales to Parchin Chemical Industries (PCI), dual-use metals sales to its intermediary, P.B. Co., Ltd, which the Treasury accused of selling centrifuges and other equipment and services worth hundreds of thousands of dollars to PCI with P.B. Sadr and PCI, as well as the other companies, could not immediately be reached for comment.

Persons: Davoud Damghani, Brian Nelson, Sadr, Zhejiang Qingji, Daphne Psaledakis, Doina Chiacu, Susan Heavey, Arshad Mohammed, David Brunnstrom, Chizu Nomiyama, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: . Treasury, Armed Forces Logistics, Terrorism, Financial Intelligence, United Nations, Parchin Chemical Industries, PCI, Zhejiang Qingji, P.B, Treasury, Hong, Hong Kong Ke.Do International Trade Co, Qingdao Zhongrongtong Trade, Co, Thomson Locations: United States, Iran, China, Hong Kong, Beijing, U.S, Washington, Tehran, New York, . Sadr, Zhejiang, Zhejiang Qingji Ind, Sadr, Qingdao

☆ Tiananmen Square masacre anniversary: vigils go global as authorities in China and Hong Kong stamp out remembrance
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-03 | by ( Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

“I think it’s sad to say that what Beijing and Hong Kong are doing is trying to erase history and the memory,” said Kevin Yam, a former lawyer in Hong Kong, who will be attending a ceremony in Melbourne, Australia, where he now resides. “Hong Kong has been carrying the torch for commemorating the Tiananmen massacre, keeping the legacy alive. When the museum was shut down, with the Hong Kong alliance’s leaders in prison, we knew it was a critical moment,” he said. Thousands gathered at a candlelit vigil in Hong Kong on June 4, 2017, to mark 28 years since China's bloody Tiananmen Square crackdown. “It is true that the commemorations around June 4th have expanded and become more global since it has become impossible to do anything in Hong Kong,” he told CNN.

Persons: Tyrone Siu, Hong Kongers, ”, Kevin Yam, Zhou, Zhou Fengsuo, Wang Dan, Hong Kong’s, “, Hong Kong, Isaac Lawrence, Chris Tang –, –, Louise Delmotte, Richard Tsoi, Catherine Henriette, Jens Galschiot, Anthony Kwan, Kongers Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Communist Party, Reuters, CNN, Hong, People’s Liberation Army, Authorities, Getty, Victoria Park, Chinese Communist Party, Hong Kong Alliance, Police, . Police, of, Los, “, Britain –, London Locations: Hong Kong, China, Victoria, Beijing, Australia, Japan, Taiwan, Europe, United States, Canada, Melbourne, New York, York, “ Hong Kong, Hong, AFP, Tiananmen, Berlin, Danish, Germany, Los Angeles, Boston, Norway, Causeway, Britain, Nottingham, Manchester, London

☆ Asian shares mixed as China growth worries crimp U.S. debt ceiling optimism
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Ankur Banerjee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan (.MIAPJ0000PUS) eased 0.20% but was set to eke out a gain of 0.19% for the week. Data in the week underscored that China's economy lost momentum at the beginning of the second quarter, stoking worries over the wobbly post-COVID-19 recovery. Investor attention has been firmly on the negotiations over U.S. debt ceiling and increasing hopes that a deal could be reached sent U.S. shares higher overnight . Hawkish rhetoric from Fed speakers continued with Dallas Fed President Lorie Logan and St. Louis Fed President James Bullard saying inflation was not cooling fast enough to allow the Fed to pause its interest-rate hike campaign. U.S. crude fell 0.14% to $71.76 per barrel and Brent was at $75.78, down 0.11% on the day.

☆ Audits of Chinese Companies Are Highly Deficient, U.S. Regulator Says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Mark Maurer | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The PCAOB oversees audit firms that review the financial statements of companies listed in the U.S. Photo: Alyssa Schukar for The Wall Street JournalThe Public Company Accounting Oversight Board found significant auditing deficiencies in its first ever set of inspections in China and Hong Kong, saying that local affiliates of KPMG and PricewaterhouseCoopers missed the mark on auditing U.S.-listed companies in the region. The U.S. audit watchdog last fall completed its first set of inspections of China-based audit firms after years of Chinese regulators refusing to allow such reviews on national-security concerns. After PCAOB staff returned from Hong Kong, the regulator in December said it obtained full access to inspect the firms.

☆ Stocks stumble as investors' nerves show ahead of US inflation data
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Tom Westbrook | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

SINGAPORE, May 10 (Reuters) - Stocks were struggling to advance in Asia and the dollar was firm on Wednesday ahead of U.S. consumer price data that could damage hopes for interest rate cuts later this year if inflation fails to show much of a decline. Overnight the S&P 500 (.SPX) fell 0.5% and S&P 500 futures were steady in the Asian morning. A firm U.S. dollar pushed the euro back below $1.10 to $1.0971. Treasuries were broadly steady overnight, though debt-ceiling brinkmanship is warping the bills market as investors avoid bills maturing early in June. The dollar was also firm at 135.14 yen and has lifted slightly from recent lows on the Aussie , kiwi and sterling .

☆ Audits of Chinese companies by KPMG and PwC full of holes, US watchdog finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Julia Horowitz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

London CNN —US inspectors, after receiving access to auditors’ books for the first time, discovered significant shortcomings in audits of companies based in China and Hong Kong that are listed on US stock exchanges. The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) said Wednesday that it uncovered major “deficiencies” after checking the work of KPMG Huazhen, which is headquartered in mainland China, and PwC’s practice in Hong Kong. Deficiencies were found in 100% of the audits by KPMG Huazhen reviewed and 75% of those from PwC Hong Kong. US regulators had long lobbied for this access, worried that Chinese firms listed on Wall Street were misrepresenting their financial heath. The breakthrough meant that more than 160 Chinese companies avoided being kicked out of the world’s biggest stock market, as US regulators threatened if they weren’t able to inspect their audits.

☆ Geopolitics is shrinking India’s risk premium
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Una Galani | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

They are lured by a country whose potential as an alternative investment destination to China increasingly outweighs the local challenges of doing business. India’s $3 trillion economy is forecast to grow by 6.5% this fiscal year, continuing to outpace the rest of the world. Executives and investors also see a business-friendly government that is likely to remain in power for the next half-decade. Morgan Stanley analysts and strategists expect India to become the world’s third-largest economy and stock market before the end of the decade. The India risk premium is rapidly disappearing.

The visit is Dimon's first to mainland China since the pandemic gathered pace in 2020 and closed the world's second-largest economy for almost three years as it enforced some of the world's most stringent restrictions. He will also visit Hong Kong in early June after the Shanghai trip, two of the sources added. Dimon visited the Asian financial hub of Hong Kong to meet the bank's staff and clients in November 2021. A JPMorgan spokesperson in Hong Kong declined to comment on Dimon's visit to mainland China and Hong Kong. Reporting by Julie Zhu in Hong Kong, Scott Murdoch in Sydney and Nupur Anand in New York; Editing by Sumeet Chatterjee and Clarence FernandezOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Hong Kong police seize statue in "incitement to subversion" probe
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Jessie Pang | Thomson Reuters | Jessie Pang Joined Reuters In After An Internship. She Covers Hong Kong With A Focus On Politics | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

HONG KONG, May 5 (Reuters) - Hong Kong police seized an exhibit on Friday in connection with what they said was an attempt to incite subversion, with media reporting it was a statue commemorating Beijing's Tiananmen Square crackdown on democracy protesters in 1989. Hong Kong had traditionally held the largest annual vigils in the world to commemorate the crackdown. The two-tonne copper Pillar of Shame was first exhibited at a Tiananmen Square commemoration in Hong Kong in 1997, the same year Britain handed the city back to China. In 2021, the University of Hong Kong dismantled and removed the statue "based on external legal advice and risk assessment for the best interest of the university". It is not clear if the Tiananmen Square vigil will take place this year.

☆ JPMorgan's Dimon reportedly making first mainland China visit in four years
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Jamie Dimon, chief executive officer of JPMorgan Chase, is planning his first visit to mainland China in four years as the American bank prepares to host three conferences in Shanghai at the end of May. The visit is Dimon's first to mainland China since the pandemic gathered pace in 2020 and closed the world's second-largest economy for almost three years as it enforced some of the world's most stringent restrictions. He will also visit Hong Kong in early June after the Shanghai trip, two of the sources added. Dimon visited the Asian financial hub of Hong Kong to meet the bank's staff and clients in November 2021. A JPMorgan spokesperson in Hong Kong declined to comment on Dimon's visit to mainland China and Hong Kong.

☆ Hong Kong c.bank raises interest rates after Fed hike
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The Fed raised interest rates by a quarter of a percentage point and signalled it may pause further increases, giving officials time to assess the fallout from recent bank failures and monitor the course of inflation. HKMA said Hong Kong interbank rates, which have been rising over the past few months, will likely rise further with the Fed latest rate hike. The public should therefore carefully assess the interest rate risk when taking out mortgages or making other borrowing decisions. "After China and Hong Kong markets have returned to normalcy post COVID-19, investment sentiment in the real estate market has improved, consumption power has risen. The Hong Kong property market has rebounded by 5-6% year-to-date," Yue said, adding other economic factors also play a part.

☆ North Korean bank official charged in crypto laundering conspiracies
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Hayden Field | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

On Monday, a Washington, D.C., district court unsealed two federal indictments charging a North Korean bank official for his alleged role in cryptocurrency laundering conspiracies. The alleged actions are in violation of current sanctions against North Korea by both the U.S. and United Nations. The recently unsealed indictments represent a broader pattern in recent years of North Korean workers using virtual private networks (VPNs) and other tools to illegally gain remote employment and redirect revenue to North Korea. Nearly every month so far this year, North Korea has run tests of its intercontinental ballistic missiles, the latest taking place in mid-April. "We will continue to work to disrupt and deter North Korean actors and those who aid them by following the money on the blockchain and shining a light on their conduct."

☆ Carlyle eyes fresh backers for McDonald's China arm - Bloomberg News
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

April 21 (Reuters) - Carlyle Group Inc (CG.O) is considering bringing in fresh backers for its investment in McDonald's Corp's (MCD.N) China operations, seeking a valuation of $8-$10 billion for the business, Bloomberg News reported on Friday. Carlyle, which controls McDonald's China along with Trustar Capital, could sell down part of their stakes in the fast-food giant in the deal while still retaining control, the report added, citing people familiar with the matter. In 2017, the U.S fast-food chain agreed to sell most of its China and Hong Kong business to CITIC and Carlyle for up to $2.1 billion. Trustar Capital is a private equity affiliate of CITIC Capital Holdings. Carlyle, McDonald's and Trustar did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

☆ China protests U.S. sanctioning of firms dealing with Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-15 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Beijing on Saturday protested U.S. sanctions against additional Chinese companies over their alleged attempts to evade U.S. export controls on Russia, calling it an illegal move that endangers global supply chains. "The U.S. should immediately correct its wrongdoing and stop its unreasonable suppression of Chinese companies. China will resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies," it added. However, Foreign Minister Qin Gang on Friday said China won't sell weapons to either side in the war, responding to Western concerns that Beijing could provide outright military assistance to Russia. "Regarding the export of military items, China adopts a prudent and responsible attitude," Qin said at a news conference alongside visiting German counterpart Annalena Baerbock.

☆ Young people in Greater China are blowing their paychecks every month — even if they don't have to
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Goh Chiew Tong | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

"Yue guang zu" ("moonlight clan") refers young singles in Greater China who go broke at the end of each month, or live paycheck to paycheck. Hsu belongs to a group of people in Taiwan, typically young and single workers, called the "yue guang zu" — the so-called "moonlight clan." Eric Hsu Civil engineerBut when a serious knee injury took him out of work for two weeks without pay, Hsu realized he was unable to support himself. "Young people would rather give up that dream and spend money on things they are guaranteed to get today." After his experience, he canceled his credit cards two years ago and committed to saving one third of his salary each month.

☆ Gold at over one-year peak as weak U.S. data buoys demand
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Gold prices edged higher on Wednesday to touch their highest levels since March 2022 after weak U.S. economic data spurred safe-haven demand and expectations that the Federal Reserve might loosen its monetary policy trajectory. Spot gold was up 0.1% at $2,022.09 per ounce, as of 0355 GMT. Gold prices rallied 2% to cross $2,000 per ounce on Tuesday after another round of weaker U.S. economic data pointed to a slowing economy. Data showed U.S. job openings in February dropped to the lowest level in nearly two years, suggesting the labor market was cooling. Gold is traditionally considered a hedge against inflation and economic uncertainties, but higher interest rates dim the appeal for non-yielding bullion.

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