Gold futures opened at $4,084.40 per ounce, down 0.2% from Friday’s close. Soft prices align with uncertainty about the Fed’s next move on interest rates. Inflation remains above the 2% target, unemployment weakens, and delayed economic data complicates decisions.

High interest rates can suppress gold demand. Opening gold futures price on Monday is up 0.2% from Friday’s close. One week ago, it was up 0.6%, one month ago down 6.2%, and one year ago up 59.2%. Last Friday, gold’s one-year gain was 63.4%.

The spot price of gold is the current market price per ounce for physical gold. Gold ETFs backed by physical gold assets typically track the spot price. The spot price is lower than buying gold coins, bullion, or jewelry, as it does not include the gold premium markup.

Gold futures are contracts for a gold transaction at a specific price on a future date. They are exchange-traded and settle financially or via delivery. Geopolitical events, central bank trends, inflation, interest rates, and mining production influence gold supply and demand, impacting prices.

Read more at Yahoo Finance: Gold opens below $4,100 as optimism for rate reduction fades