Tag: Xau/Usd

Gold’s record-setting bull market has resumed its charge—but under a new set of drivers. Aggressive buying from China has increasingly taken over from gold’s traditional engines of demand, namely U.S.-based gold ETFs and futures traders. With American participation fading, gold’s ability to hold lofty levels now rests heavily on sustained Chinese demand. This shift has helped gold remain elevated, postponing the corrective phase typically required to rebalance overheated markets.

Between late July and mid-October 2025, gold surged an extraordinary 32.9% in just 2.7 months. During that stretch, the metal logged 24 record closes—roughly three-sevenths of all trading days—while its strongest gains were spread relatively evenly across the calendar. At the time, U.S. investors were aggressively piling into gold, providing powerful upside momentum.

That enthusiasm was clearly reflected in holdings of the world’s largest gold ETFs—SPDR Gold Shares (GLD), iShares Gold Trust (IAU), and SPDR Gold MiniShares (GLDM). According to the World Gold Council’s Q3’25 data, these three vehicles together accounted for more than three-sevenths of all gold held by global ETFs. During the rally, their combined bullion holdings jumped 10.9%, or 169.4 metric tons, helping propel gold to around $4,350 by mid-October and pushing technical conditions to extreme levels.

At its peak, gold was trading 33% above its 200-day moving average—ranking among the most overbought readings since 1981. The bull market had delivered gains of 139.1% over 24.5 months without a single correction exceeding 10%, making it the largest cyclical gold bull ever in U.S. dollar terms since the gold standard was abandoned in 1971. Historically, such excesses have almost always been followed by sharp pullbacks.

A correction initially appeared to be unfolding, with gold dropping 9.5% into early November—its steepest decline of the cycle and close to formal correction territory. Then the pattern abruptly changed.

Since mid-October, gold has climbed another 10.9% over roughly three months, yet this time without meaningful participation from U.S. investors. ETF holdings at GLD, IAU, and GLDM rose just 2.2% (37.8 tons), less than one-quarter of the prior buildup—and all of that increase occurred only in the past month. Those holdings didn’t even recover their mid-October peak until mid-December, shortly before gold began printing fresh record highs.

Gold’s ability to avoid a deeper correction despite some of the most extreme overbought conditions in decades raised questions. Normally, such excesses demand a reset in sentiment and positioning. Since U.S. investors were not driving the rebound, another source of demand had to be absorbing supply.

Clues emerged in the timing of gold’s strongest advances. Since mid-October, nearly all of gold’s gains have occurred on Mondays—a striking anomaly given that Mondays have historically been gold’s weakest trading day. Major upside moves were logged on November 10, November 24, December 22, January 5, January 12, and again this week following a Monday market holiday. Collectively, these few sessions accounted for the vast majority of gold’s rally since October.

Closer inspection revealed that most of these gains occurred overnight during Asian trading hours—well before European or U.S. markets opened. In other words, Chinese traders were responsible for driving price action when the rest of the world was largely inactive. These sessions effectively became “China Mondays,” periods when Chinese market flows dominated global pricing due to minimal competing liquidity.

Because China is uniquely active during the late Sunday-to-early Monday window, its influence on gold prices during that time is disproportionate. On other weekdays, extended trading hours in Western markets dilute that impact. The clustering of gains during these windows strongly suggests that China has become the primary marginal buyer supporting gold at record levels.

Until U.S. investors re-engage meaningfully, gold’s resilience at these heights will depend largely on whether Chinese demand remains strong enough to keep the rally alive.

China’s influence on Sunday-night trading is further magnified by the weekend effect. Weekends represent the longest stretch when traders are unable to react to new, market-moving developments. As a result, many participants square positions and shut down algorithmic trading systems ahead of the weekend. Meanwhile, algorithms that remain active into early Monday often have a backlog of news to process, which can intensify price moves during thin overnight liquidity. This dynamic can significantly amplify China-driven buying in gold.

Before delving further into China’s growing dominance in the gold market, it’s useful to look at how dramatically conditions shifted around gold’s mid-October peak. In the months leading up to that high, heavy share buying in GLD, IAU, and GLDM was the primary force behind gold’s explosive rally. Since then, demand from U.S. equity investors has been largely muted. Even so, gold has managed to surge back into extreme overbought territory—an outcome that underscores how unusual and China-dependent this phase of the rally has become.

China’s dominance during Sunday-night trading is reinforced by the structure of weekends themselves. Weekends are the longest periods when traders cannot respond to new, market-moving information. As a result, many participants flatten positions and shut down algorithmic systems before markets reopen. Meanwhile, algorithms that remain active into early Monday often need to process a backlog of news, which can magnify price movements in thin overnight liquidity. This dynamic amplifies China-driven gold buying when global participation is minimal.

Before exploring China’s growing grip on gold prices further, it helps to contrast the months before and after gold’s mid-October peak. In the run-up to that high, aggressive share buying in GLD, IAU, and GLDM was the dominant force behind gold’s explosive advance. Since then, U.S. stock investor demand has been largely muted—yet gold has still surged back into extreme overbought territory, underscoring how unusual and externally driven this rally has become.

While American equity investors were slow to chase this China-led surge until recently, U.S. gold-futures speculators jumped in aggressively. Futures positioning is reported weekly, and in late November—just after gold’s second “China Monday” surge—total speculative long positions stood at 307,000 contracts. Over the following seven weeks, that figure ballooned. By the January 13 Commitments of Traders report, total spec longs had risen to 362,400 contracts—an increase equivalent to roughly 172 metric tons of gold. That dwarfed the roughly 52-ton increase in GLD, IAU, and GLDM holdings over the same period, meaning futures traders significantly amplified China-driven momentum.

However, futures-driven buying power is limited and quickly exhausted. Gold futures allow extreme leverage—often 20x to 25x—which dramatically restricts the pool of participants willing to assume such risk. Assessing speculative positioning within its historical range provides insight into whether traders are more likely to add exposure or begin selling.

As of mid-January, speculative long positions were already 58% into their bull-market range, while shorts were just 6% in. The most bullish setup occurs when longs are near the bottom of their range and shorts are near the top, leaving ample room for buying. The current configuration is far closer to the opposite—suggesting diminishing upside fuel from U.S. speculators.

That leaves gold’s ability to continue defying a necessary corrective phase largely dependent on China. Unfortunately, reliable, consistent data on Chinese gold markets is scarce, especially in English. Even if such data were available, it would require extensive historical analysis to establish meaningful relationships with price behavior.

Still, anecdotal evidence is abundant. Major financial publications regularly report frenzied gold buying in China. Silver’s recent parabolic surge—largely driven by Chinese demand—appears to have spilled over into gold, fueling enthusiasm both domestically and globally. Without transparent data, Western analysts are left guessing how long this demand can persist.

Cultural factors may offer some clues. In Western markets, gold had long been dismissed as outdated, resulting in minimal portfolio allocations for years. In contrast, gold has always held deep cultural significance in China. Chinese investors therefore began this cycle with far greater enthusiasm, potentially making them more willing to buy aggressively and stay invested longer.

Capital controls also play a role. Chinese investors have limited avenues to diversify wealth outside the domestic financial system, while gold and silver offer a rare escape from policy risk. Additionally, Chinese culture places a stronger emphasis on wealth accumulation and status—traits that can fuel speculative behavior.

These dynamics make China uniquely susceptible to a speculative gold mania. Evidence increasingly suggests one is underway, reinforced by the repeated “China Monday” surges. Yet Chinese markets remain opaque. Financial transparency is limited, economic data series have been quietly discontinued when trends turn unfavorable, and even official gold reserve figures from the People’s Bank of China are widely viewed with skepticism.

For example, China reported identical gold reserves for more than six years before suddenly announcing a 57% jump in a single month—an implausible scenario. Many analysts believe China has accumulated far more gold than officially disclosed for years. If official reserve data lacks credibility, confidence in broader market transparency is equally questionable.

That uncertainty is unsettling. History shows that speculative manias eventually end in sharp, symmetrical collapses once buying power is exhausted. Whether China’s gold frenzy lasts months—or reverses abruptly—is unknowable.

What is clear is that gold’s recent breakout has been almost entirely driven during Chinese trading hours. Since December 19, gold has climbed roughly $487, yet nearly all of those gains occurred on just four “China Mondays.” This concentration of upside is highly abnormal and inherently risky.

Chinese markets have repeatedly demonstrated how quickly sentiment can flip once fear takes hold. Any government action—such as curbing speculative activity—could trigger rapid selling. Without strong participation from U.S. investors or futures traders to absorb that supply, gold could fall sharply.

In short, Chinese trading has seized control of the gold market. After peaking at extreme overbought levels in mid-October, gold required a corrective reset. That process was prematurely halted by surging Chinese demand. With U.S. participation limited and futures buying power fading, gold’s current position is precarious. If Chinese enthusiasm wanes or policy shifts intervene, a forced and potentially violent rebalancing could follow.

Sources: Adam Hamilton

Gold vaulted above the psychological $5,000-per-ounce threshold on Monday, building on last week’s explosive rally as investors flocked to the traditional safe haven amid escalating geopolitical risks.

Spot gold climbed 1.1% to a fresh all-time high of $5,035.83 per ounce by 18:52 ET (00:52 GMT), while U.S. gold futures also advanced 1.1% to a record $5,074.71 per ounce.

The precious metal surged more than 8% last week, repeatedly setting new highs, and is now up nearly 17% year-to-date.

The broader precious metals complex also strengthened. Silver jumped over 2% to a record $106.56 per ounce, while platinum edged higher to a new peak of $2,798.46 per ounce.

Gold has climbed sharply since the beginning of the year, supported by geopolitical tensions, expectations of looser U.S. monetary policy later in 2026, and continued buying from central banks and investors hedging against market volatility.

Geopolitical tensions, Trump tariff threats lift gold

A key catalyst behind gold’s sharp rally this month has been mounting friction between the United States and its NATO partners over Greenland, a dispute that has rattled global markets.

President Trump’s comments on U.S. strategic ambitions in the Arctic have further strained transatlantic ties, fueling fears of wider diplomatic and economic repercussions.

Adding to those geopolitical pressures, Trump escalated trade tensions with Canada over the weekend, warning of a 100% tariff on Canadian imports should Ottawa move forward with a trade agreement with China.

Trump said on his social media platform that Canada could serve as a “drop-off port” for Chinese goods entering the United States, warning that Beijing would “eat Canada alive” if the agreement proceeds.

Fed rate decision in focus

Gold has also found support from expectations around U.S. monetary policy. The Federal Reserve is set to wrap up its policy meeting on Wednesday, with markets broadly expecting officials to leave interest rates unchanged.

Although a hold decision is largely priced in, investors will closely examine the Fed’s statement and remarks from Chair Jerome Powell for signals on the timing and pace of potential rate cuts later this year.

Gold typically benefits from lower interest rates, which reduce the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding assets.

“Both the data and Chair Powell’s strong defence of central bank independence suggest there is little chance of a Fed rate cut on January 28,” ING analysts said in a note.

“Attention will instead turn to President Trump’s forthcoming nomination for the next Fed chair, upcoming economic data, and whether that nominee can steer the committee toward additional rate cuts,” they added.

Sources: Reuters

The modern state increasingly rests on three foundations: debt, fiat currency, and coercive power. Concepts such as “national security” and “critical minerals” have become the latest government talking points, widely promoted and readily accepted by the public. Meanwhile, personal preparedness—once a priority during health crises—has faded from focus, even as harmful consumer habits and ultra-processed foods continue to be normalized and aggressively marketed.

Political leaders often project strength through military posturing and geopolitical confrontation while avoiding personal sacrifice, financing these actions primarily through expanding debt and currency creation. In several regions, power structures are maintained through force, information control, and repression rather than genuine legitimacy or accountability.

Across parts of the world, regimes with deeply troubling records are frequently rebranded as sources of “stability” when it suits geopolitical or economic interests, particularly in energy and resource markets. This pattern underscores a broader contradiction: governments race to announce ambitious initiatives and sweeping strategies, yet largely ignore the importance of real savings and sound money.

Against this backdrop, a growing share of the global population—particularly in Asia, along with a minority of investors in the West—has turned toward long-term wealth preservation through tangible assets such as gold and silver. For those already positioned this way, the erratic behavior and short-term thinking of governments is more a source of frustration than fear.

Gold is the currency of independent citizens. While the U.S. dollar is technically due for its fifth cyclical rebound against gold in the past 50 years, that does not mean it must happen immediately—and when it does…. Gold-focused savers should stay prepared to add to their gold holdings—and silver as well.

On the weekly chart, gold appears technically overbought, yet its price behavior is beginning to resemble the equity market’s powerful advance in the mid-1990s. Momentum indicators such as RSI and Stochastics are finding support near the 50 level before pushing above 70 and remaining elevated for extended periods—an indication of strong, persistent trends rather than imminent reversals.

Against a backdrop of rising debt, expanding fiat issuance, and escalating geopolitical risks, prominent gold investors such as Pierre Lassonde have projected that gold prices could approach the $20,000 level in the years ahead.

From a portfolio-management perspective, selectively taking profits—up to roughly 30% in many cases—can be prudent, not as a call on a fiat-denominated price peak, but as a way to build liquidity. That capital can then be redeployed during the next meaningful pullback, which is likely to occur at price levels well above today’s.

Psychologically, sharp corrections can be challenging, particularly for investors without available cash. Maintaining some dry powder through partial profit-taking enables investors to add to gold, silver, and mining positions when opportunities arise—this is the primary rationale for trimming exposure now.

Fundamentally, the case for gold remains exceptionally strong. Recent statements suggesting potential military actions involving NATO allies underscore the degree of geopolitical uncertainty. Even without direct conflict, such rhetoric alone could propel gold significantly higher against fiat currencies. In the event of an actual escalation, price moves of $2,000 per ounce—or more—could unfold rapidly.

The Shiller (CAPE) ratio—an inflation-adjusted price-to-earnings measure for the S&P 500—highlights the extreme valuation levels currently embedded in U.S equities.

If U.S. policymakers continue to pressure European allies through aggressive tariff measures while openly discussing military options, the resulting backlash could be severe. At some point, a tipping point may be reached, prompting European governments and institutions to rapidly reduce exposure to U.S. government bonds and U.S. equities.

Such a scenario would carry profound risks. Asset freezes or retaliatory measures could follow, severely disrupting global financial markets. Under those conditions, gold could experience explosive upside moves, potentially rising by thousands of fiat-denominated dollars in very short order. At the same time, forced selling from Europe could trigger a rapid collapse in U.S. equity markets, with a speed and scale rivaling—or even exceeding—historic market crashes.

The broader takeaway is that gold increasingly functions as a form of sovereign money for billions of individuals, particularly across Asia, who already view it as a long-term store of value. As pressures build on systems dominated by fiat currency, debt expansion, and coercive policy tools, the resilience of those systems may be tested. Should confidence fracture, the adjustment—especially in the U.S.—could be both abrupt and far-reaching.

Turning to the 10-year Treasury yield chart, the recent upside breakout carries profound implications for both the U.S. government and gold. For years, the notion of unlimited quantitative easing was promoted as a sustainable solution, but that framework was always unrealistic. Instead, it appears to be giving way to a regime of persistently higher interest rates—and, in parallel, steadily rising fiat-denominated gold prices.

This shift reflects a deeper issue: confidence in governments and their currencies is eroding. As debt burdens expand and monetary credibility weakens, markets are beginning to price in a structural change rather than a temporary cycle. In that environment, higher yields and higher gold prices are not contradictions but complementary signals of systemic stress.

The loss of trust in fiat-based systems is no longer a distant risk; it is an active force shaping global markets—and one that is likely to persist.

While a new Federal Reserve chair has yet to be appointed, the leading candidate, Kevin, is known to favor aggressive quantitative tightening and has openly described equity markets as severely overvalued. To restore credibility in the U.S. government, its bond market, and the dollar, a substantial and sustained QT program would likely be required.

What I continue to regard as one of the most significant base formations in market history is the inverse head-and-shoulders pattern on the CDNX. I have long argued that a breakout from this structure would likely coincide with a major move higher in long-term interest rates, and recent developments suggest that this scenario is unfolding decisively.

My long-term objective for the CDNX stands at 10,000, and well before that level is reached, many junior resource stocks could deliver outsized returns—potentially achieving multi-hundred- or even thousand-fold gains.

Another chart I encourage investors to monitor closely is the GDX-to-gold ratio. Of particular note is the 14,3,3 Stochastics oscillator at the bottom of the chart. As the upside breakout gains traction and the rally develops, this momentum indicator could remain in overbought territory not merely for months or years, but potentially for an extended secular period.

The broader takeaway is clear: Markets appear to be entering a new phase—one defined by a sustained gold bull cycle. In this environment, informed and disciplined investors stand to benefit the most, as capital increasingly shifts toward real assets and away from fiat-based complacency.

Sources: Stewart Thomson