Gold holds below $4,000 on Friday, set for its biggest weekly loss in six weeks

Spot gold held below $4,000 an ounce on Friday, July 17, 2026, trading around $3,986. The metal was on track for a weekly decline of about 3.4%, its biggest weekly loss in six weeks and near its lowest level since November 2025.

Higher oil prices, driven by escalating US-Iran tensions over the Strait of Hormuz, have revived inflation worries and strengthened the case for the Federal Reserve keeping interest rates elevated, adding selling pressure on gold. On the other side, softer US inflation data that has trimmed the odds of a rate hike at the upcoming meeting has offered the metal some support.