Gold futures opened at $3,321.10 per ounce, down 0.4% from Friday’s close. News of progress on trade deals contributed to the lower opening price, with the U.S. and EU agreeing to tariffs on EU imports and the U.S. and China likely to extend their tariff agreement.

The opening price of gold futures on Monday is down 0.4% from Friday’s close, marking a decline of 0.9% over the past week. In the past year, gold is up 40.2% from the opening price on July 26, 2024.

Investing in gold is a four-step process: Set your goal, set an allocation, choose a form, and consider your investment timeline. Gold has historically been part of a balanced portfolio, providing diversification, protection against inflation, and a backup source of value.

Gold is a recognized store of value and can serve as a medium of exchange in the event of a dollar collapse. Analysts are bullish on gold, with predictions of reaching $3,700 a troy ounce by year-end 2025 due to rising demand from central banks and uncertainty related to changing U.S. tariff policy.

Read more at Yahoo Finance: Gold stalls with progress on trade deals