BLUEPRINT

Advertiser Disclosure

Editorial Note: Blueprint may earn a commission from affiliate partner links featured here on our site. This commission does not influence our editors' opinions or evaluations. Please view our full advertiser disclosure policy.

What is the price of gold today?

As of 9 a.m. ET, gold was trading at $2,372.20 per troy ounce. That price represents a change of 0.61% from the same time yesterday. Since the start of the year, the price has shifted up 14.80%.

Over the last day, the lowest price for an ounce of gold was $2,349.80. The highest price in the previous 24 hours: $2,385.10.

Current gold prices

The spot gold price is XAU/USD, representing its price in U.S. dollars. For this symbol, it’s gold (XAU) trading against the dollar (USD). Other markets, though, trade in different currencies. The best-known labels include XAU/EUR for trading euros and XAU/GBP for British pounds.

Spot gold prices are listed as the price for a troy ounce. Troy ounces are used for trading precious metals and are slightly heavier than a standard ounce. However, prices can also be quoted in grams or kilos, so pay attention to the units.

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 14.80% 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.

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 is one of the most direct ways to invest in the asset. It can also involve storage or insurance costs.

The “spread” is the difference between buying and selling prices when trading physical gold. That spread can ultimately reduce investor gains. Dealers include their own markups and fees into those spreads. As a result, you might pay more to purchase gold than the current spot price. Similarly, your sale price might be less than what gold is trading at.

Some alternatives include gold exchange-traded funds, certificates and trusts. These can offer additional liquidity and make transactions easier. However, these methods usually include management fees, and they might not track the price of gold precisely.

So, spot prices are really more of a benchmark. The cost to buy or sell gold will likely include transaction costs or fees.

Precious metals spot prices

Precious metals are often used as investment vehicles but also have industrial uses. Like gold, the price of commodities like palladium, silver and platinum varies based on market forces. Due to their industrial applications, they also have other sources of demand.

Silver spot prices

Silver possesses both monetary and industrial value. While it's used as a hedge against economic volatility, it's also crucial in the electronics, automotive and medical industries. Its dual-use nature can lead to different market dynamics compared to gold.

The price of silver opened at $30.74 per ounce, as of 9 a.m. ET. That’s up 1.55% from the previous day's silver price per ounce and up 28.49% since the beginning of the year.

The lowest trading price within the last day: $30.18 per ounce. The highest silver spot price in the last 24 hours: $31.00 per ounce.

Price of platinum

Platinum is another precious metal that commands attention. Rarer than gold and silver, its primary use is in automotive catalytic converters, which help reduce harmful emissions. Given the push for cleaner automotive technologies, the demand dynamics for platinum can vary, influencing its spot price.

The price of platinum opened at $1,021.16 per ounce, as of 9 a.m. ET. That’s up 0.70% from yesterday’s platinum price per ounce and up 3.38% year to date.

The lowest trading price within the last 24 hours: $1,001.35 per ounce. The highest platinum spot price in the last 24 hours: $1,026.30 per ounce.

Price of palladium

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 $1,026.50 per ounce, as of 9 a.m. ET. That’s down 0.30% from yesterday’s palladium price per ounce and down 6.64% year to date.

The lowest trading price within the last 24 hours: $1,016.98 per ounce. The highest palladium spot price in the last 24 hours: $1,043.26 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.”

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 July 5, 2024, the price of gold rose from $2,066.32 per troy ounce to $2,372.20, representing a 14.80% increase.

Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Blueprint has an advertiser disclosure policy. The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Blueprint editorial staff alone. Blueprint adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.

Wayne Duggan

BLUEPRINT

Wayne Duggan is a regular contributor for Forbes Advisor and U.S. News and World Report and has been a staff writer for Benzinga since 2014. He is an expert in the psychological challenges of investing and frequently reports on breaking market news and analyst commentary related to popular stocks. Some of his prior work includes contributing news and analysis to Seeking Alpha, InvestorPlace.com, Motley Fool, and the Lightspeed Active Trading blog. He’s the author of the book "Beating Wall Street With Common Sense," which focuses on practical investing strategies to outperform the stock market. He resides in Biloxi, Mississippi

Farran Powell

BLUEPRINT

Farran Powell is the lead editor of investing at USA TODAY Blueprint. She was previously the assistant managing editor of investing at U.S. News and World Report. Her work has appeared in numerous publications including TheStreet, Mansion Global, CNN, CNN Money, DNAInfo, Yahoo! Finance, MSN Money and the New York Daily News. She holds a BSc from the London School of Economics and an MA from the University of Texas at Austin. You can follow her on Twitter at @farranpowell.