Gold price today, Wednesday, February 11: Gold’s first move above $5,100 since Jan. 30

Group 1: Gold Price Movement - Gold futures opened at $5,126.40 per troy ounce, marking a 1.9% increase from the previous day's closing price of $5,031, the first time gold has surpassed $5,100 since January 30 [1] - The increase in gold prices follows weaker-than-expected U.S. retail data, which showed December retail and food service sales were nearly unchanged from the prior month, contrary to analysts' expectations of a 0.4% growth [1][2] - Gold's price increase is supported by soft retail sales and weak hiring trends, which bolster the case for lower interest rates that benefit gold investments [3] Group 2: Economic Indicators - The Trump Administration indicated that the upcoming December jobs report is expected to be disappointing, with ADP's employment data showing the U.S. economy added only 37,000 private jobs in December and 22,000 in January, significantly lower than economists' expectations [2] - The one-year gain for gold as of January 29 was reported at 95.6%, with increases of 4.1% over the past week and 14.6% over the past month [4][8] Group 3: Investment Options in Gold - Various methods to invest in gold include physical gold, gold mining stocks, gold ETFs, and gold futures, each with distinct advantages and disadvantages [6][9] - Physical gold is tangible and easy to purchase, while gold mining stocks can be volatile due to their profits being tied to gold prices and exposure to geopolitical risks [12][18] - Gold ETFs track the price of gold and can invest in physical gold, mining stocks, or futures, with the largest being SPDR Gold Shares, which is backed by physical gold stored in vaults [19][23]