Gold (GC=F) futures opened at $5,415.70 per troy ounce on Thursday, up 2.1% from Wednesday’s closing price of $5,303.60. This was gold’s first open above $5,400 per ounce, and the yellow metal’s price then surged to $5,586.20 in early trading before pulling back to about $5,500.
With this latest surge, gold’s year-to-date gain is now over 26%. The precious metal’s value has benefited from the debasement trade, which is the shift of money out of currencies and government securities and into tangible physical assets like gold and real estate.
Actions by the U.S. government have contributed. In recent weeks, President Trump has threatened higher tariffs on U.S. European allies, Canada, and South Korea. On Wednesday, President Trump said Iran could face U.S. military strikes if it doesn’t agree to a nuclear weapons deal. These moves have prompted broad concern about rising geopolitical tensions. Amid international discord, many investors are drawn to gold because, unlike the U.S. dollar, its value does not rely on government backing.
Learn more: Gold vs. crypto: Which should investors own in debasement trade?
The opening price of gold futures on Thursday was 2.1% 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: +13%
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One month ago: +23.9%
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One year ago: +95.6%
This is the highest one-year gain for gold in 2025 and 2026.
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: How to invest in gold in 4 steps
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: Gold IRA: Benefits, risks, and how it differs from a traditional IRA
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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