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New York-traded crude oil futures ended Friday’s session close to an 11-week low, as growing worries over a looming U.S. government shutdown and receding fears over a disruption to supplies from the Middle East weighed. Concern that U.S. lawmakers will fail to arrange a budget deal preventing a government shutdown next week dampened the appeal of growth-linked assets. Congress must pass a short-term budget by midnight on Monday in order to avoid a government shutdown. Meanwhile, concerns over a disruption to supplies from the Middle East continued to fade away after the U.S. and Russia agreed on a draft U.N. Security Council resolution aimed at eliminating chemical weapons in Syria. Futures surged to a 27-month high of $112.22 a barrel on August 28 amid indications the U.S. was close to taking military action against Syria for its alleged use of chemical weapons against civilians. But, prices have since lost nearly 5% after the U.S. and Russia reached a diplomatic solution on how to handle Syria’s chemical weapons on September 14. While Syria is not a major oil producer, investors fear that the two-year-old civil war could spill over to affect oil supplies in nearby countries.
GOLD
Gold futures rallied 1% to hit a one-week high on Friday, as concerns over a possible U.S. government shutdown and hopes of continued stimulus from the Federal Reserve boosted sentiment on the precious metal. Concern that U.S. lawmakers will fail to arrange a budget deal preventing a government shutdown next week boosted the safe-haven appeal of the precious metal. Congress must pass a short-term budget by midnight on Monday in order to avoid a government shutdown. Moves in the gold price this year have largely tracked shifting expectations as to whether the U.S. central bank would end its quantitative easing program sooner-than-expected. The precious metal is on track to post a loss of nearly 21% on the year as traders bet an improving U.S. economy would lead the Fed to unwind its stimulus program by the year's end. The central bank is scheduled to meet October 29-30 to review the economy and assess policy. In the week ahead, investors will be focusing on Friday’s U.S. nonfarm payrolls report, for indications on whether the economic recovery is sufficiently strong for the Fed to start rolling back its stimulus program. Markets will also be watching developments in U.S. budget negotiations.