Kuala lumpur: Gold futures on Bursa Malaysia Derivatives are poised to trade higher next week, influenced by gains in US Commodity Exchange (COMEX) gold, as investors anticipate significant economic data.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, RHB Investment Bank Bhd noted that COMEX gold is likely to attempt breaking above the resistance level of US$4,400 per troy ounce. The bank's analysis suggests that if this breakout occurs, the precious metal could continue its upward trend towards the next resistance at US$4,500. However, they caution that increased selling pressure might cause prices to retreat towards the 20-day simple moving average. Despite this, the bank maintains a positive trading bias for the time being.

Focus in the coming week will shift to the United States' third-quarter 2025 gross domestic product data, scheduled for release on December 23. This data is expected to play a crucial role in shaping investor sentiment and guiding the market direction.

On a week-to-week comparison, the spot-month December 2025 contract saw an increase, settling at US$4,331.30 per troy ounce, up from US$4,324.50 previously. Meanwhile, the January 2026 contract rose to US$4,349 per troy ounce from US$4,341.40 a week earlier. February 2026 contracts also showed gains, closing at US$4,364.10 per troy ounce compared to US$4,357.20, and March 2026 contracts climbed to US$4,380.80 per troy ounce from US$4,373.90.

In contrast, the April, June, and August 2026 contracts saw a decline, settling at US$4,380.80 per troy ounce, down from US$4,394.20 previously. Weekly trading volume experienced a significant jump to 520 lots from the previous week's 192 lots, while open interest decreased to 149 contracts from 238.

Physical gold was fixed at US$4,333.35 per troy ounce during the London Bullion Market Association's afternoon fix on December 18, 2025.