Gold prices surged to fresh historical highs at the start of 2026, driven by growing demand for safe-haven assets and expectations that the US Federal Reserve may begin easing monetary policy. Investors are increasingly turning to precious metals amid heightened global uncertainty, DKNews.kz reports.
Spot gold rose by more than 1 percent, reaching $4,563.61 per ounce, marking its first record of 2026. The rally quickly extended further in futures markets.
Gold futures break above $4,600 for the first time
On the New York Comex exchange, gold futures climbed to $4,612.7 per troy ounce, breaking above the $4,600 level for the first time in history. February gold futures jumped 2.5 percent, highlighting strong investor inflows into the metal.
Later, gains eased slightly. By the morning session, gold was trading around $4,588.5 per ounce, still hovering close to record levels.
Silver also sets record highs
Silver followed gold’s rally with an even sharper move. March silver futures on Comex surged 6.53 percent, hitting a peak of $84.52 per ounce, an all-time high.
As trading continued, silver pared some gains and was hovering near $84.3 per ounce, though investor interest remained strong.
Platinum joins the rally
Other precious metals also posted solid gains. Platinum prices rose 4.6 percent, reaching $2,389.5 per ounce. Analysts note that platinum is benefiting both from safe-haven demand and expectations of stronger industrial consumption.
What is driving the surge
Market analysts point to several key factors behind the rally in precious metals:
- rising demand for safe-haven assets;
- expectations of looser US monetary policy;
- ongoing uncertainty in global financial markets;
- reduced appetite for riskier investments.
In such conditions, gold traditionally serves as a store of value and a hedge against economic volatility.
What comes next
Investors are now closely watching signals from the US Federal Reserve and upcoming macroeconomic data. If expectations of interest rate cuts materialize, demand for gold and other precious metals could remain elevated.
The first weeks of 2026 have already shown one thing clearly — investors are willing to pay record prices for safety.
