Gold surged to its highest price in three months on Tuesday, reaching $4,696.18 per ounce before paring some gains. The rally coincided with extended weakness in the US dollar and a drop in long-term Treasury yields, factors that have strengthened gold’s appeal among investors during August.
Gold extends rally amid weaker dollar and bond yields
The rally in gold prices followed the US Treasury Department’s decision last week to expand its bond buyback program. The World Gold Council reported that gold prices jumped 3% after this announcement. Falling yields and a softer dollar have been principal drivers as investors sought safe haven assets.
Gold has traditionally been seen as a hedge against macroeconomic and geopolitical risk. The precious metal is often sought for its perceived stability, especially during periods of fiscal uncertainty or economic turbulence worldwide.
Demand for gold-backed exchange-traded funds (ETFs) rebounded in July after two months of outflows. According to the World Gold Council, global gold ETFs attracted $3 billion in net inflows for the month, raising total holdings by 23 metric tons to 4,068 tons. At the same time, assets under management reached $530 billion, up 1% month-on-month.
ETH
SOL
BSC
ROBINHOOD
USDT
AAPL| Region | July Net Inflows |
|---|---|
| Europe | $2 billion |
| Asia | $616 million |
| North America | $71 million |
Flows into European funds led the recovery, with inflows exceeding $2 billion, representing the largest demand by region, followed by Asia and North America.
The World Gold Council stated that markets are largely discounting the possibility of a Federal Reserve rate hike in September, as data weakened and concerns over further tightening diminished. The council also noted that Commodity Trading Advisor positioning in Treasury futures remains heavily short, which could potentially amplify downward pressure on yields and further weaken the dollar if positions reverse.
Markets have largely priced out a September Fed hike as softer data, albeit influenced by seasonality and World Cup-related distortions, have eased concerns about further tightening. At the same time, Commodity Trading Advisor (CTA) positioning in Treasury futures is still very short, and a reversal could reinforce downward pressure on yields and an already softer dollar, adding further support to the nascent recovery in gold since the beginning of the month.
Bitcoin matches gold’s surge as ‘hard asset’ demand grows
Bitcoin also experienced a notable increase, crossing $80,000 for the first time since mid-May and briefly hitting $81,237 before pulling back. The cryptocurrency has often been compared to gold in recent years as both are viewed by some investors as protection against monetary debasement and fiscal instability.
Jake Kennis, senior research analyst at Nansen, observed that this parallel rally in both Bitcoin and gold aligns with concerns about currency debasement and fiscal credibility. However, he cautioned that the relationship between these assets and the dollar includes other factors such as inflation uncertainty and changes in growth expectations, making the current correlation suggestive rather than definitive.
Gold and Bitcoin have both been positively influenced by macroeconomic uncertainty and geopolitical developments. The August rally was further strengthened by the expansion of US Treasury bond buybacks as well as increased uncertainty following the end of the US-Iran ceasefire earlier in the month.
While gold is traditionally regarded as a safe haven during crises, Bitcoin’s role as an ‘alternative asset’ has grown, particularly among investors seeking to diversify away from conventional monetary systems.
BTC and gold rising together while the dollar weakens is consistent with debasement and fiscal-credibility concerns, i.e., the classic ‘hard asset’ hedge trade. But a weaker dollar alongside elevated yields can also reflect higher term premium, inflation uncertainty, or changing growth expectations rather than a pure loss of faith in Treasuries, so the correlation is suggestive rather than proof as of now.
Both assets remain under close watch by global investors as economic and geopolitical factors continue to influence demand throughout August.
