[Macquarie: Lowers Year-End Gold Price Forecast to $4,300, Expects Gold to Decline Annually Starting Next Year Through 2030] According to a report by Jinse Finance on June 26, Macquarie strategists stated that all eyes are currently on inflation trends and whether central banks (especially the Federal Reserve) will tighten policies to control prices. The apparent resolution of the Middle East conflict, coupled with a more hawkish stance from the Federal Reserve, has led to a decline in gold prices. The tone of the first meeting chaired by the Federal Reserve's new chairman, Walsh, was "hawkish." Under his leadership, the central bank has the ability to "drive or suppress" gold market prices. The impact of the Middle East situation is expected to drag down global growth in the third quarter. However, global growth is anticipated to eventually recover, and the start of a monetary policy easing cycle should push gold prices lower, as more investor funds shift from precious metals to other assets. Investors have been taking profits and moving into the stock market, creating room for re-entry into the precious metals sector, which could drive prices back up. However, this may require a significant macroeconomic event to reignite investor interest in gold. The forecast for the average spot gold price in 2026 is $4,641, a year-on-year increase of 35%, but the average price in 2027 is expected to decline by 9.5% to $4,200, with annual declines projected through 2030. The bank has lowered its year-end spot gold forecast from $4,400 to $4,300. (Jin10)