[Inflation Concerns Strengthen Fed's Hawkish Bets, Gold Drops Over 2%] Jin10 Data, March 18 – On Wednesday, gold prices fell to a one-month low as investors weighed the risks of the Federal Reserve adopting a more hawkish policy stance, while high oil prices intensified market concerns over inflation. Spot gold dropped over 2% intraday, hitting its lowest level since February 18. Nemo.money market analyst Jamie Dutta stated that investors are worried that elevated energy prices could lead to interest rates remaining high for a longer period. The longer the Iran conflict persists, the more likely this scenario becomes. However, long-term drivers such as central bank gold purchases, stagflation risks, and diversification demand remain intact, suggesting that gold prices will rise by the end of 2026.