Gold () April futures opened at $5,185.40 per troy ounce on Thursday, up 0.1% from Wednesday’s closing price of $5,179.10. The gold price remained below $5,200 in early trading.
The short-term interest rate outlook continues to be a focus for gold traders. The Iran war and its effect on global oil prices are a primary concern. Lingering high fuel costs in the U.S. could spark inflation and limit growth, which would complicate the Fed’s interest-rate strategy in 2026. Rate reductions typically stimulate growth but encourage inflation. According to the latest Consumer Price Index report, inflation remained at 2.4% in February. The war began on Feb. 28. Inflation has remained above the Fed’s long-term goal of 2% since February of 2021.
The Fed meets next week, and again at the end of April. No rate change is expected for the March 17 policymaking meeting.
Gold does not pay interest. High interest rates translate to higher opportunity costs for gold investors since they could be earning cash yields.
The opening price of gold futures on Thursday was 0.1% higher than Wednesday’s close. Here’s a look at how the opening gold price has changed versus last week, month, and year:
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One week ago: +0.3%
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One month ago: +2.5%
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One year ago: +78.1%
Gold’s one-year gain on Jan. 29 was 95.6%.
24/7 gold price tracking: Don’t forget you can monitor the current price of gold on Yahoo Finance 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
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If you are socking gold bars away for a rainy day, there may be an opportunity to earn some tax perks in the process. You could establish a gold IRA to hold those assets and diversify your retirement wealth.
Learn more:
A gold IRA is a specialty form of self-directed IRA that’s designed for gold and other precious metals.
The table below compares the main features of standard IRAs and gold IRAs.
You must work with a specialty provider that can ensure your account complies with these IRS restrictions:
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Storage: Your gold must be held in an IRS-approved facility.
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Asset types: A gold IRA can hold physical gold, silver, platinum, or palladium — but not all forms of these metals are eligible. For example, gold bullion, silver coins, and bars must meet purity requirements. Additionally, gold bars must come from approved refiners.
Learn more:
Whether you’re tracking the price of gold since last month or last year, the price-of-gold chart below shows the precious metal’s steady upward climb in value.
Learn more: Gold alternatives? How to invest in silver, platinum, and palladium.
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