Precious metals Record gold price: troy ounce over 4800 US dollars
The price of gold has continued to rise and is heading for the 5000 US dollar mark after hitting another record high. A troy ounce (approx. 31.1 grams) of the yellow precious metal peaked at 4878 dollars in early trading on Wednesday, the highest price ever.
21.01.2026, 09:30
SDA
Most recently, the price rose 2.2 percent to 4867 dollars, extending the year's gain to almost 13 percent. Gold was already one of the most sought-after asset classes last year. The price rose by 65%, the highest increase since 1979. Price drivers last year included the many conflict hotspots around the world.
Political tensions were also responsible for the price gains in 2026. Experts attributed the gains in the first trading days of the year primarily to the situation in Iran and the latest tariff threats by US President Donald Trump against some European countries in connection with Greenland.
Silver price also continues to rise
Silver also continued to rise on Wednesday, although this time not as strongly as gold. The price of a troy ounce of silver rose by up to one percent to 95.55 dollars, but remained slightly below the record high of just under 95.89 dollars reached on Tuesday.
At almost 150%, the annual increase for silver in 2025 was significantly higher; in the current year, it has already risen by a further 32%. While the price of gold has risen continuously for around six months, silver's rise has accelerated significantly since the beginning of December.
Precious metals - especially gold - are seen by many investors as safe havens in times of political uncertainty. Silver is also an important industrial metal that is required for numerous applications in the fields of AI, robotics and energy.
