Gold's Big Year: Why Everyone's Buying the Shiny Metal

Gold is shining brighter than ever. Prices have skyrocketed, making this the best year for gold since the late 1970s. Why? Well, the world's feeling shaky. There's tension everywhere, from trade wars to conflicts in Europe and the Middle East. When things get uncertain, people flock to gold. It's like a cozy blanket in a storm. Gold doesn't pay interest like bonds, but when interest rates drop, gold becomes more attractive. At the start of the year, gold was around $2, 640 per ounce. Now, it's soaring past $4, 500. Some experts think it could hit $5, 000 by 2026. That's a huge jump compared to the stock market's gains.Central banks are also going crazy for gold. China, in particular, is stocking up. Why? They want to rely less on U. S. dollars and Treasury bonds. After Russia's invasion of Ukraine, many countries realized they need to diversify their assets. Gold is a safe bet. It's not just gold; other precious metals like silver, platinum, and palladium are also on the rise. Investors see them as a shield against uncertainty. With governments piling up debt, gold's appeal is only growing.