Gold (GC=F) December futures opened at $4,522 per troy ounce on Friday, September 4, 2026, down 0.4% from Thursday's closing price. As of 6:45 a.m. ET, gold was trading steadily at $4,521.40 per troy ounce.

Gold opened at its highest level of the week ahead of the August jobs report. Economists expect the U.S. economy to have added 55,000 jobs last month, a rebound from a surprising decline in job growth in July. Economic data released earlier this week suggests the labor market remains in a pattern of minimal but stable growth.

A modest jobs report, combined with comments this week from Fed Governor Chris Waller that he is open to holding rates steady if next week's inflation report shows price gains easing, has led traders to back off bets that the Fed will raise rates later this month — giving gold prices more room to breathe. The relationship matters for gold because the metal pays no interest, so expectations of higher rates tend to weigh on gold by raising the opportunity cost of holding it, while expectations of steady or lower rates tend to work in gold's favor. Nonfarm payrolls, released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, are among the most closely watched inputs the Fed weighs when setting rate policy, which is why gold often trades unevenly around jobs-report days.

Current price of gold

The opening price of gold futures on Friday, September 4, 2026 was down 0.4% from Thursday's close. Compared with earlier periods, the opening gold price stood at:

• One week ago: -1.7%
• One month ago: +11.6%
• One year ago: +27.4%

For context, gold's one-year gain was 95.6% on Jan. 29.

The current price of gold can be monitored on Yahoo Finance 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Investors can also explore the top-performing companies in the gold industry using the Yahoo Finance Screener, which supports custom screeners with more than 150 screening criteria.

How much gold should you own?

A gold investment can add stability and inflation protection to a portfolio, but it can also dilute gains when stock prices are rising quickly. Finding the right balance between gold's diversification benefits and growth potential in other assets is challenging, and experts are divided on the correct approach. Below, five experts explain their recommended gold allocations, which range from 0% to 20%.

No gold: Trade-off is too high

Robert R. Johnson, professor at Creighton University's Heider College of Business, does not advocate gold investing. In his words, "while having a small position in precious metals may dampen portfolio volatility in the short-run, the tradeoff between slightly dampened volatility and the lost long-term return is certainly not a prudent one, particularly for Gen Z/millennials with long investing time horizons."

2% to 5% allocation, depending on the situation

Brett Elliott, director of content and SEO at American Precious Metals Exchange (APMEX), recommends setting an allocation that aligns with an investor's goals. Growth-oriented investors may be comfortable with an allocation of 10% or 15%, according to Elliott, while income investors will prefer a smaller position because gold provides no yield. A 2% to 5% gold allocation can provide some resiliency without an excessive drag on income potential.

5% to 8% gold allocation

Blake McLaughlin, executive vice president at Axcap Ventures, said historical data support a gold allocation of 5% to 8%. "Gold may not offer the outsized return potential of private investments, but the metal holds a set of attributes that are increasingly hard to ignore," according to McLaughlin. Those attributes include the metal's resilience amid economic uncertainty and geopolitical unrest.

5% to 15% gold allocation

Thomas Winmill, portfolio manager at Midas Funds, believes most investors will benefit from a long-term gold allocation of 5% to 15%. Winmill specifically advocates investing in gold mining companies through a mutual fund.

According to Winmill, risk tolerance and the current mix of financial versus hard assets can guide investors to an appropriate allocation:

• Risk tolerance: Keep the allocation percentage low if you tend to panic in volatile cycles.
• Financial vs. hard assets: Financial assets are stocks and bonds; hard assets include tangible items like real estate, gold, collectibles, classic cars, and equipment. If you have no home equity and your wealth is primarily in financial assets, you can set your gold allocation higher. If your home is paid for and worth more than your stock portfolio, gold investing may not be necessary.

20% gold allocation

Vince Stanzione, CEO and founder at First Information, recommends a 20% gold allocation, specifically in physical gold or a gold ETF. Stanzione argues for higher exposure to gold as a wealth protection strategy. As he puts it, "gold keeps with inflation and gold retains its purchasing power," while paper currencies are devaluing around the world.

Related gold coverage

• Gold forecast and tracker: Where will prices land in 2026? — Live gold prices, expert predictions, and whether gold will reach $6,000.
• Gold price outlook: Could prices hit $6,000 in 2026? — Bold predictions for gold's performance.
• Who decides what gold is worth? How gold prices are determined — Spot prices vs. futures prices, gold's historical price, and current dynamics.
• 6 ways to invest in gold from simple buys to more complex bets — Top six ways to invest in gold depending on up-front investment and financial goals.
• Should I invest in gold in 2026? — Gold as an inflation hedge and store of value, plus risks to consider.
• How to invest in gold in 7 steps — Gold's strengths, historical behavior, and pros and cons of physical gold versus mining stocks and ETFs.

Source: Yahoo Finance