How much is gold per ounce?
The price of gold traded at $2,350.39 per troy ounce, as of 9 a.m. ET. That’s up 0.97% from yesterday’s gold price per ounce and up 13.75% since the beginning of the year.
The lowest trading price within the last 24 hours: $2,321.03 per ounce. The highest gold spot price in the last 24 hours: $2,357.93 per ounce.
Current gold prices
You can find gold spot prices in U.S. dollars under the label XAU/USD. In this case, the price shown is for one troy ounce and expressed in U.S. dollars. Foreign markets using different currencies have different listings. For example, there’s XAU/EUR for trading in euros or XAU/GBP for British pounds.
Gold’s spot price represents the price at which gold can be exchanged and delivered. Prices are typically listed in cost per troy ounce. But prices can also be listed in units like grams or kilograms. Troy ounces are units used almost exclusively for weighing precious metals. One troy ounce represents 1.097 standard ounces.
Gold price chart
This chart shows how gold spot prices have changed over the last year. The data is updated at 9 a.m. ET and doesn’t have intraday lows or highs.
Gold is up 13.75% from the beginning of the year, as of 9 a.m. ET. The 52-week intraday high reached $2,450.06 on May 20, 2024, and the 52-week intraday low dropped to $1,810.10 on Oct. 6, 2023.
Keep in mind that gold prices change in real time. Spot prices when you purchase may be significantly different if and when you decide to sell.
How to invest 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 $30.48 per ounce, as of 9 a.m. ET. That’s up 3.06% from the previous day’s silver price per ounce and up 27.38% since the beginning of the year.
The lowest trading price within the last day: $29.32 per ounce. The highest silver spot price in the last 24 hours: $30.59 per ounce.
Price of platinum
Platinum is another precious metal much rarer than gold or silver. It’s primarily used in automotive catalytic converters that reduce emissions. With the push for cleaner cars, which don’t need autocatalysts, demand for platinum wavers.
The price of platinum opened at $1,002.51 per ounce, as of 9 a.m. ET. That’s up 0.91% from yesterday’s platinum price per ounce and up 1.49% year to date.
The lowest trading price within the last 24 hours: $992.90 per ounce. The highest platinum spot price in the last 24 hours: $1,008.90 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 $1,046.50 per ounce, as of 9 a.m. ET. That’s up 4.85% from yesterday’s palladium price per ounce and down 4.82% year to date.
The lowest trading price within the last 24 hours: $1,010.88 per ounce. The highest palladium spot price in the last 24 hours: $1,054.25 per ounce.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
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.”
The highest price gold ever reached was $2,450.06 on May 20, 2024.
One notable recent high includes the yellow metal’s high of $1,971.17 per troy ounce in August 2020. This surge can be partially attributed to the economic uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.
The global outbreak of COVID-19 brought about unprecedented economic challenges. With central banks worldwide implementing low interest rate policies and massive fiscal stimulus packages to support their economies, there were concerns about potential inflation and the devaluation of fiat currencies. In this scenario, some investors turned to gold as a safe asset, given its history as a store of value during times of economic instability.
Geopolitical tensions, trade wars, and supply chain disruptions during this period further contributed to investors seeking refuge in assets deemed more stable, and gold has historically been a preferred choice for many. As a result, demand for gold increased, driving its price to a record high in August 2020.
Remember that while the COVID-19 pandemic’s economic repercussions significantly contributed to gold’s price rise in 2020, other factors likely also played a part.
