Gold prices today, Friday, July 17, 2026: Gold nosedives to Nov. '25 levels as Iran airstrikes intensify

Gold (GC=F) August futures opened astatine $3,980.10 per troy ounce connected Friday, July 17, 2026, down 0.3% from Thursday's closing price. The golden terms moved somewhat higher this greeting to $3,998.10 astatine 8:02 a.m. ET.

A sixth consecutive time of airstrikes against Iranian targets has pushed golden prices down to levels past seen 8 months agone successful November 2025. While the back-and-forth attacks betwixt the U.S. and Iran aren't arsenic aggravated arsenic they were backmost successful March and April, we've seen a dependable escalation this week, with the U.S. present striking captious roads and bridges, on with cardinal subject targets.

Despite the U.S. bombardment, Iran has refused to relinquish power of the Strait of Hormuz, holding steadfast connected their astir compelling bargaining chip, and retaliating with their ain airstrikes crossed the Middle East.

Oil prices person risen considerably this week pursuing consecutive days of fighting, prompting galore to judge the Fed volition rise rates astatine slightest erstwhile this twelvemonth to combat rising vigor prices caused by the warfare with Iran. The longer the warring continues and the Strait of Hormuz remains chopped disconnected to lipid tankers, the harder it volition beryllium for golden prices to summation immoderate existent momentum.

Current terms of golden

The opening terms of August golden futures connected Friday, July 17, 2026, was 0.3% little compared to Thursday's opening price. Here's a look astatine however the golden terms has changed versus past week, month, and year:  

• One week ago: -3.4%

• One period ago: -8.3%

• One twelvemonth ago: +20.1%

On Jan. 29, gold's one-year summation was 95.6%.

24/7 golden terms tracking: Don't hide you tin show the existent terms of golden connected Yahoo Finance 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

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How overmuch golden should you own?

A golden concern tin adhd stableness and ostentation extortion to your portfolio. But it tin besides dilute your gains erstwhile banal prices are rising quickly. Finding the close equilibrium betwixt gold's diversification benefits and profiting from maturation imaginable successful different assets tin beryllium challenging. 

Even the experts are divided connected however to execute the close balance. Below, 5 experts explicate their recommended golden allocations, which scope from 0% to 20%. 

Learn more: How to put successful golden successful 4 steps

No gold: Trade-off is excessively high 

Robert R. Johnson, prof astatine Creighton University's Heider College of Business, does not advocator golden investing. In his words, "while having a tiny presumption successful precious metals whitethorn dampen portfolio volatility successful the short-run, the tradeoff betwixt somewhat dampened volatility and the mislaid semipermanent instrumentality is surely not a prudent one, peculiarly for Gen Z/millennials with agelong investing clip horizons."

2% to 5% allocation, depending connected the situation 

Brett Elliott, manager of contented and SEO astatine American Precious Metals Exchange (APMEX), recommends mounting an allocation that aligns with your investing goals. 

Growth-oriented investors whitethorn beryllium comfy with an allocation of 10% oregon 15%, according to Elliott. But income investors volition similar a smaller position, due to the fact that golden provides nary yield. A 2% to 5% golden allocation tin supply immoderate resiliency without an excessive resistance connected income potential. 

Learn more: Who decides what golden is worth? How golden prices are determined.

5% to 8% golden allocation 

Blake McLaughlin, enforcement vice president astatine Axcap Ventures, said humanities information enactment a golden allocation of 5% to 8%. "Gold whitethorn not connection the outsized instrumentality imaginable of backstage investments, but the metallic holds a acceptable of attributes that are progressively hard to ignore," according to McLaughlin. Those attributes see the metal's resilience amid economical uncertainty and geopolitical unrest. 

5% to 15% golden allocation 

Thomas Winmill, portfolio manager astatine Midas Funds, believes astir investors volition payment from a semipermanent golden allocation of 5% to 15%. Winmill specifically advocates investing successful golden mining companies done a communal fund. 

Your hazard tolerance and existent premix of fiscal versus hard assets tin usher you to an due allocation, according to Winmill. 

1. Risk tolerance: Keep your allocation percent debased if you thin to panic successful volatile cycles.  

2. Financial vs. hard assets: Financial assets are stocks and bonds. Hard assets see tangible items similar existent estate, gold, collectibles, classical cars, and equipment. If you person nary location equity and your wealthiness is chiefly successful fiscal assets, you tin acceptable your golden allocation higher. Or, if your location is paid for and much invaluable than your banal portfolio, golden investing whitethorn not beryllium necessary.  

Learn more: Thinking of buying gold? Here's what investors should ticker for.

20% golden allocation

Vince Stanzione, CEO and laminitis astatine First Information, recommends a 20% golden allocation, specifically successful carnal golden oregon a golden ETF. Stanzione argues for a higher vulnerability to golden arsenic a wealthiness extortion strategy. As helium says, "gold keeps with ostentation and golden retains its purchasing power," portion insubstantial currencies are devaluing astir the world.   

Learn more: Gold IRA: Benefits, risks, and however it differs from a accepted IRA

Price of golden illustration

Whether you're tracking the terms of golden since past period oregon past year, the price-of-gold illustration beneath shows the precious metal's alteration successful worth truthful acold this year.