Gold prices soar past $5,000 amid global tensions

Gold prices reached a historic high in late January 2026, climbing above $5,500 an ounce as investors sought a safe haven amid rising geopolitical tensions and financial uncertainty. Spot gold peaked at $5,102 per ounce on 26 January before briefly surging past $5,500 later in the week, according to market reports. Silver also hit record levels, trading at $109.83 per ounce.

“The recent further leg up in gold and silver prices has arrived on the back of geoeconomics issues related to Greenland,” HSBC said in a note.

Analysts attribute the rally to multiple factors. Strains between the United States and the European Union over President Donald Trump’s insistence on acquiring Greenland, alongside tensions in Ukraine, Venezuela, and the Middle East, have fueled demand for safe-haven assets. The U.S. dollar’s recent weakness, following Federal Reserve decisions to keep interest rates steady, has made gold cheaper for foreign investors, further pushing up prices.

Steve Miller, investment strategy adviser at GSFM, said, “The second oil shock and the inflation scare in the late ’70s, early ’80s would be the last time I remember when gold did this – and that was before my time in markets.”

Central banks are also actively stockpiling gold. Morgan Stanley projects gold could reach $5,700 per ounce by the end of the second quarter of 2026. Goldman Sachs raised its 2026 price target from $4,900 to $5,400, citing sustained demand from institutional investors and high-net-worth individuals seeking protection against macroeconomic and policy risks.

“Given the frothiness in the markets and the dominance of flows over fundamentals, it does not need much for a correction,” Julius Baer Group Ltd.’s Carsten Menke said, noting the potential for short-term pullbacks despite the rally. Spot gold fell to $5,276.46 on 29 January amid a stronger dollar, marking the largest intraday drop since October 2025.

Gold’s surge has outpaced most assets, reflecting investors’ lack of confidence in traditional safe havens. U.S. Treasuries are seen as less reliable due to rising debt and deficits, while equities markets have been volatile. Silver and platinum have also extended gains to all-time highs, boosted by industrial demand and investment inflows.

Market watchers anticipate that gold could continue its upward trend as geopolitical and financial risks persist. Analysts at Union Bancaire Privée said, “We anticipate that gold should enjoy another strong year, reflecting ongoing central bank and retail investment demand, with a year-end target price of USD 5,200 per ounce.”

The rally underscores gold’s role as a strategic hedge for investors navigating uncertainty in global markets.