As of 9:50 a.m. ET on November 26, 2025, the price of gold stood at $4,151 per ounce, reflecting a $30 increase from the previous morning. This marks a substantial gain of approximately $1,515 over the past year, with the precious metal trading at $2,636 per ounce one year ago.
Gold is often considered a resilient asset for investors seeking to hedge against inflation. Its long-term record of appreciating value makes it a popular choice for portfolio diversification, particularly through vehicles like gold IRAs, which eliminate the need for physical storage.
While gold is viewed as a safe-haven asset during economic uncertainty, its performance can differ from traditional stocks in strong economic climates. Historically, from 1971 to 2024, stocks have averaged an annual return of 10.7%, compared to gold’s 7.9%. Nevertheless, in the current unpredictable market, gold prices have surged over 25% since the beginning of 2025, prompting many experts to recommend it for diversification.
Investors engage with gold through various markets, where understanding key terms is crucial. The “spot gold” price refers to the rate for immediate, over-the-counter settlement, serving as a real-time indicator of market demand. When the futures price is higher than the spot price, a situation known as contango, it often reflects storage costs. Conversely, “backwardation” occurs when the futures price is lower than the spot price. The difference between the buying (ask) and selling (bid) price is called the spread. A narrow spread typically indicates high liquidity and strong demand in the market.
There are several methods for investing in gold. Beyond physical assets like bullion bars, collectible coins, and jewelry, investors can access the market through exchange-traded funds (ETFs) or mutual funds that hold gold-related assets. Gold futures contracts offer another avenue, allowing for speculation on future prices without handling the physical metal.
While gold is a leading precious metal, others like silver, platinum, and palladium are also popular investment choices. As of the same time, silver was priced at $52 per ounce, platinum at $1,566, and palladium at $1,411. Gold is generally less volatile than silver, whose price is more sensitive to economic shifts due to its widespread industrial applications. Similarly, platinum and palladium offer diversification but tend to experience greater price fluctuations than gold.
Source link
