Spot gold edges higher on Tuesday, holding above $4,000 but still near a nine-month low

Spot gold edged higher on Tuesday, 30 Tir 1405 (21 July 2026), trading in a roughly $4,020 to $4,045 range depending on the source, about half a percent to one percent above the previous day. Despite the small gain, gold remained close to its lowest level in nine months.

The main pressure on gold comes from firming expectations of a Federal Reserve rate hike: a jump in oil prices amid the Strait of Hormuz crisis has revived concerns about energy-driven inflation and pushed US Treasury yields higher. Gold pays no yield, so higher interest rates typically dim its appeal. Moves in the global ounce feed directly into domestic gold and coin prices in Iran, and from there into households' asset markets.