Gold Fell. China Bought Its Most in 17 Months. Here’s Why.

Five things drove gold and silver lower this week — a stronger dollar, spiking Treasury yields, the hottest US producer inflation in over three years, a new Federal Reserve chair, and a Trump-Xi summit with no deal. All five are documented and short-term. Meanwhile, the People’s Bank of China quietly made its largest gold purchase in 17 months. That contrast is the story.
Gold Near $4,700: The Chaos Isn’t a Ceiling. It’s a Floor

Gold is holding near all-time highs because five institutional systems are under simultaneous stress: a new Fed chair inheriting uncontrollable inflation, mortgage rates at a six-month high, India’s gold market fracturing under a sudden import duty hike, a US-Iran ceasefire on life support, and a World Bank forecast of 42% precious metals gains in 2026. These aren’t five separate stories. They’re the same story told five ways.
Gold Is Up 41% From a Year Ago. The Fed Can’t Stop It

Gold is trading at $4,648/oz — up 41% from a year ago, down 14% from January’s record. Both numbers are true. The one that matters is the 41%. It held through a war, three hawkish Fed holds, and the most fractured FOMC vote since 1992. Here’s why that gap between the record and today’s price is a floor, not a warning.
