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

Core Viewpoint - Gold prices have shown significant growth, with a 65% gain in 2025, driven by strong demand from central banks and geopolitical risks [2][3]. Group 1: Gold Price Performance - Gold futures opened at $4,340 per troy ounce, nearly unchanged from the previous closing price of $4,341.10, with early trading seeing prices rise above $4,400 [1]. - The one-year gain for gold was reported at 74.5% as of December 29, 2025 [4]. - The price of gold closed at $4,341.10 on December 31, 2025, marking its best annual performance since 1979 [2]. Group 2: Demand Drivers - Continued strong demand from global central banks is a key factor in gold's price increase, as banks diversify away from the U.S. dollar [2]. - Geopolitical tensions, including the war in Ukraine and U.S.-Venezuela relations, have bolstered safe-haven demand for gold [3]. Group 3: Investment Strategies - Experts recommend varying gold allocations based on individual investment goals, with suggestions ranging from 0% to 20% [5][6]. - A 2% to 5% allocation is suggested for income investors, while growth-oriented investors may consider 10% to 15% [9]. - Some experts advocate for a higher allocation of 20% in physical gold or gold ETFs as a wealth protection strategy [13].