Gold drops 0.7% to $4,061.35/oz as U.S.-Iran strikes lift oil and rate-hike bets

Fresh U.S.-Iran military strikes over the weekend in the Gulf helped push oil prices higher, adding to inflation concerns and reinforcing expectations for three Federal Reserve rate hikes this year, with markets pricing about an 80% chance of a December increase. Spot gold fell 0.7% to $4,061.35 per ounce. The metal was headed for a fourth straight monthly decline, bringing the cumulative drop to 10.4%.