Gold price today, Friday, January 2: Gold rises above $4,400 to start 2026

Gold (GC=F) futures opened at $4,340 per troy ounce Friday, nearly the same as Wednesday’s closing price of $4,341.10. The price of gold rose above $4,400 in early trading. Gold closed out 2025 with a 65% gain, based on the Jan. 2 opening price of $2,633 and the Dec. 31 closing price of $4,341.10. It was the precious metal’s best calendar year performance since 1979. Continued strong demand for gold from central banks globally was a driving force. Banks are using gold in part to diversify away from the ...