100 Days In: Trump’s ‘Strategic Uncertainty’ on Tariffs Leaves Markets Guessing

Gold has set 12 record highs in just two months of 2025, reaching as high as $2,940 per ounce and marking an 11% year-to-date gain. This rally, reminiscent of the COVID-19 era surge, has been driven by a perfect storm of market conditions. Central banks, especially in Asia, are actively diversifying away from U.S. dollar reserves, with China leading the charge by reducing U.S. Treasury holdings in favor of gold purchases. Major investment firms, central banks, and retail investors are all participating in this historic rally, pushing domestic gold prices past ₹85,000 per 10 grams. The metal’s traditional role as

Citibank has raised its gold price target to $3,300, citing unprecedented physical demand rather than speculation as the primary driver. “Using our quarterly price changes model, we see gold prices rising to well over $3,300/oz, though we view this is a bull case given the potential for jewelry and scrap over the next 12 months. We take a more conservative base case… which suggests gold increases to $2,900-3,000/oz over the next 6-12 months” – Kenny Hu, Max Layton and team for Citi. The bank’s analysis shows that 95% of mine supply will be absorbed by investors by late 2025, while

Gold has surged to a record $2,940 per ounce, marking its seventh peak in 2025 and an 11% gain this year following 2024’s 27% advance. President Trump’s announcement of 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports has amplified inflation concerns, while central banks’ persistent buying – surpassing 1,000 tons annually for three straight years – demonstrates sustained institutional demand. The gold market’s enthusiasm is evident in the unusual premium for U.S. gold futures, currently around $28 over spot prices, sparking a global scramble to move physical gold to American exchanges. This has led to a significant 90% increase in COMEX