XAUUSD XAU/USD

Gold is a very popular trading instrument. It is measured in troy ounces and has roughly 31.1 grams in it. So, its price is displayed in U.S Dollar for the troy ounce. Indeed, gold has some unique features:
- It is traditionally considered as a safe haven asset, which is in demand when market uncertainty and risks are rising. Geopolitical tensions, economic turbulence, and high inflation usually contributes to rising gold prices;
- Gold prices usually move in the opposite direction to the U.S. Dollar vs other currencies. This is not only because gold prices are measured in U.S. Dollars, but also because it derives from the comparison of the yields of safe haven Dollar-denominated assets like U.S. Treasuries that have regular coupons and Gold itself that has no extra paid interest. So, a rising Dollar and Dollar-denominated assets result in lower demand for Gold, dumping its price;
- The demand for precious metal and its use in production purposes also affect gold prices. For example, central banks may have extra demand for gold because they want to store it into their Forex and Gold reserves. Jewelers can contribute to elevated demand too;
- Gold prices could become extremely volatile during trading in a very short period of time. This volatility usually exceeds currencies, commodities, and stocks by far. It may result in a large profit, but it also has large risks while trading.
Traders must be cautious when trading gold. It is better to trade with low volumes. Experience in trading is vital to exercise gold trading.