How High Can Gold Rally?

Key Points

  • Gold is rallying to test $5,000 per ounce.
  • The Dollar Index is falling steeply.
  • The new Fed Chair is unlikely to hike rates before the November midterms.
  • But crude oil may spoil the party.

Gold has rallied to $4,635 per ounce and looks set to test resistance at $5,000, but will it have enough momentum to carry further?

Spot Gold

The Gold rally was caused by a dovish FOMC meeting at the end of July. The bond market had expected a Fed rate hike to establish the new Fed Chair’s hawkish credibility. Warsh disappointed, with strong words but no action. The 1-Year Treasury Bill rate broke its 6-month trendline, signaling a shift in expectations.

1-Year Treasury Yield (CNBC)

Also, the Dollar Index broke support, signaling a test of primary support at 97.

Dollar Index

The last steep rally in Gold was after a dovish keynote speech by former Fed Chair Jerome Powell at Jackson Hole on August 22 last year. Gold climbed $2,000 per ounce within 6 months.

Spot Gold & S&P 500 ($INX)

The first divergence between Gold (orange above) and the S&P 500 index (blue) occurred shortly after President Trump’s inauguration, when he launched his tariff onslaught on trading partners. The second massive divergence after Powell’s speech was followed by a sharp fall starting in March 2026 after the attack on Iran forced some countries to sell reserves, including Gold, to provide liquidity. Selling will likely resume only if there is another spike in oil prices.

A breakout of Brent Crude above $100 per barrel would be cause for concern.

Brent Crude Futures (ICE October'26)

Conclusion

We don’t expect the new Fed Chair to hike rates before the November midterms, which should give Gold plenty of time to break resistance at $5,000 per ounce, setting off a fresh advance.

The wild card is crude oil prices. A spike in Brent Crude above $100 per barrel could trigger further selling of Gold reserves by major oil importers to defend their currency, and Gulf states to cover lost export revenues. High energy prices could also force the Fed Chair to hike rates.

We are convinced that Gold will eventually reach $10,000 per ounce, but are unsure whether that will be in one year or ten years. Trends seldom travel in a straight line, as the first half of this year has just reminded us.

Acknowledgments

Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR)

Crude oil futures are being manipulated by White House spin about an imminent “peace deal” whenever Brent reaches $100 per barrel.

Brent Crude Futures (ICE October'26)

However, the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) is declining at a rate of 1 million barrels/day as the government draws from the reserves to offset the shortage.

EIA Strategic Petroleum reserve (SPR)

Conclusion

Acknowledgments