Gold continues trading near $2,990 per ounce after briefly surpassing the $3,000 mark on Friday, as investors balance news of the US avoiding a government shutdown against ongoing economic growth concerns.
The precious metal has gained 14% this year amid market uncertainty driven by President Trump’s trade policies, which pushed the S&P 500 into correction territory last week.
Major banks are forecasting further price increases, with Macquarie Group projecting $3,500 per ounce in Q2 and BNP Paribas also forecasting averages above $3,000.