Gold futures opened lower on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, with December contracts starting at $4,391.40 per troy ounce, down 0.7% from Tuesday’s close. Prices later moved higher in early trading as the U.S. dollar and Treasury yields pulled back slightly, with gold trading at $4,479.90 per ounce as of 8:53 a.m. ET.
The U.S. Dollar Index declined 0.2%, while the benchmark 10-year Treasury yield fell 0.4%. Investors are watching the release of the Federal Reserve’s July meeting minutes for further clues on the central bank’s interest rate outlook, as policymakers balance inflation risks from the Middle East conflict with recent weakness in retail sales.
Market expectations continue to influence gold prices, with CME FedWatch showing a 67.4% probability that the Fed will keep rates unchanged at its September meeting. Lower expectations for rate increases have supported gold, which has gained more than 10% over the past three weeks as investors reassess the outlook for monetary policy.
Current Gold Price Performance
The opening price of gold futures on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, compared with previous periods:
- One week ago: -0.3%
- One month ago: +10.5%
- One year ago: +31.9%
