(MENAFN- The Rio Times) Gold set another record in early Monday trading, briefly topping $4,078 an ounce and holding near $4,070–$4,080.

It caps a whirlwind week in which bullion surged through $4,000 for the first time, dipped on profit-taking, and then powered back as a new wave of caution hit markets.

The simple story: investors are buying insurance. Renewed U.S.–China trade friction has darkened the risk outlook just as markets increasingly expect the Federal Reserve to start cutting rates soon.

When bond yields ease and the growth picture looks fragile, the opportunity cost of holding gold falls-and its role as a hedge grows. That mix has pulled fresh money into gold funds and lifted prices across major hubs.

The global picture shows how broad the move is. In London, recent fixes clustered just under $4,000 before spot sprinted higher. New York futures saw brisk overnight trade as prices reclaimed the highs.

In Asia, Shanghai contracts drew heavy volume, while India's MCX futures gapped up, translating the new record into local terms for the world's second-largest consumer market.



There's also a“story behind the story”: this rally is no longer just about one headline. It's a feedback loop. Safer-haven demand lifts prices; momentum attracts more buyers; exchange-traded funds see creations; and each dip finds support as long as rate-cut expectations and geopolitical worries persist.

That's why traders will parse Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's remarks on Tuesday for confirmation of the path markets already price in. Technically, the uptrend is powerful but stretched.

On the daily chart, gold rides the upper Bollinger Band with all major moving averages rising beneath it; momentum gauges remain firmly positive. On the four-hour chart, a brief mid-week fade gave way to a renewed push, with no clear bearish divergence.

Immediate resistance sits around $4,078–$4,095. First support is the psychological $4,000, followed by the area around recent London fixes and the rising 20-day average.

Bottom line: as long as the macro backdrop stays uneasy and yields soft, the path of least resistance remains higher-though headlines and fund flows will keep the ride bumpy.

MENAFN13102025007421016031ID1110186741