Gold price today: Gold is down 0.07% today
How much is gold per ounce?
The price of gold traded at $2,744.74 per troy ounce, as of 9 a.m. ET. That’s down 0.07% from yesterday’s gold price per ounce and up 32.83% since the beginning of the year.
The lowest trading price within the last 24 hours: $2,724.78 per ounce. The highest gold spot price in the last 24 hours: $2,750.01 per ounce.
Current gold prices
XAU/USD is the label for finding the spot gold price traded in U.S. dollars. In this case, gold (XAU) is traded against the dollar, and the price represents the cost of one (troy) ounce of gold in USD. But there are other foreign exchange markets, such as XAU/EUR for trading in euros and XAU/GBP for trading in British pounds.
The spot gold price represents the price at which gold can be exchanged and delivered. Prices are typically quoted in gold price per troy ounce in U.S. dollars, but they can also be quoted per gram and kilo. A troy ounce is slightly heavier than a standard ounce.
Gold price chart
The chart below shows how the spot price of gold is trending over the year. The data is as of 9 a.m. ET and doesn’t display intraday highs or lows.
Gold is up 32.83% from the beginning of the year, as of 9 a.m. ET. The 52-week intraday high reached $2,790.10 on Oct. 31, 2024, and the 52-week intraday low dropped to $1,931.73 on Nov. 13, 2023.
Remember that the spot price of gold is quoted in real time and represents the current price at which gold can be bought or sold for immediate delivery. For most investors, the spot price usually differs from the price they’ll pay or receive when they decide to purchase or sell their gold.
Investing in gold
Buying physical gold involves overheads like storage costs and insurance.
When trading physical gold, the difference between the buying and selling price, known as the spread, can eat into returns. Dealers often incorporate their markups and transaction fees within these spreads, which means the actual price an investor pays might be higher than the current market rate, while the selling price they receive might be lower.
While gold certificates, gold exchange-traded funds and trusts offer more liquidity and are easier to manage than physical gold, they come with their own risks. These investment vehicles might only sometimes match the performance of the spot price of gold due to management fees and potential discrepancies in tracking.
In essence, while the spot price provides a general benchmark for the value of gold, the actual returns and costs an investor encounters differ based on the medium of purchase and the specifics of the investment.
Precious metals spot prices
Precious metals have a long history of being used as stores of value and industrial commodities. It’s not just gold. Metals, including platinum, silver and palladium, are regularly traded. Their prices also fluctuate based on various market factors.
Price of silver
Silver is a traditional store of value but is also used in industry. Some investors might use it to hedge against a bad economy, but it has many applications. The electronics, health care, and automotive sectors all rely on silver, which makes its market dynamics distinct from gold in notable ways.
The price of silver opened at $32.75 per ounce, as of 9 a.m. ET. That’s down 0.11% from the previous day’s silver price per ounce and up 36.88% since the beginning of the year.
The lowest trading price within the last day: $32.25 per ounce. The highest silver spot price in the last 24 hours: $32.92 per ounce.
Price of platinum
Platinum is rarer than gold or silver. The precious metal is used in catalytic converters to reduce exhaust fumes. As the auto industry pushes for cleaner cars, demand could rise, making platinum prices volatile and more challenging to predict.
The price of platinum opened at $1,001.75 per ounce, as of 9 a.m. ET. That’s up 0.42% from yesterday’s platinum price per ounce and up 1.42% year to date.
The lowest trading price within the last 24 hours: $980.40 per ounce. The highest platinum spot price in the last 24 hours: $1,005.44 per ounce.
Palladium spot prices
Palladium is also essential in catalytic converters. Stricter emissions standards have also boosted the demand for precious metals. That rising demand and the metal’s scarcity have led to significant price volatility.
The price of palladium is $1,091.70 per ounce, as of 9 a.m. ET. That’s up 0.52% from yesterday’s palladium price per ounce and down 0.71% year to date.
The lowest trading price within the last 24 hours: $1,056.88 per ounce. The highest palladium spot price in the last 24 hours: $1,095.74 per ounce.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Gold’s value tends to fluctuate based on economic, geopolitical and market factors, so the answer to this question depends on the period in which it is measured. It’s also difficult to pinpoint the direction of future price trends ahead of time.
From the beginning of the year to Nov. 5, 2024, the price of gold rose from $2,066.32 per troy ounce to $2,744.74, representing a 32.83% increase.
Gold can be highly volatile and subject to strong short-term price fluctuations.
Whether it’s a good time to buy gold depends on various factors, including your investment goals, risk tolerance and time horizon, the broader economic outlook, and forecasts about the gold market.
Historically, many people view gold as a hedge against inflation and currency fluctuations. Others see it as a store of value during economic downturns. At the same time, some may find diversifying a portfolio of stocks and bonds useful, given its low correlation to both assets.
“If you look at gold’s performance historically, it’s the kind of asset that should perform well through uncertainty, as it has done in five out of the last seven recessions,” said Joseph Cavatoni, chief market strategist for North America at the World Gold Council. “For people looking for a store of value and a portfolio diversifier, gold has a strong track record of delivering those qualities.”