Gold Extends Slide After Worst Quarter In 13 Years

Gold prices fell further Tuesday, extending losses after bullion posted its worst quarterly performance in 13 years as renewed concerns about higher U.S. interest rates weighed on the metal.

Gold dropped below the closely watched $4,000 level in Comex trading, according to multiple market reports. Silver also sold off sharply, moving in tandem with gold as investors pulled back from precious metals.

The latest decline follows a quarter in which gold plunged about 14%, marking its steepest quarterly drop since roughly 13 years ago, according to published reports on the move. The slide has been broad-based across the precious-metals complex, with silver suffering heavy losses as well.

The main driver cited in market coverage was rising anxiety that the Federal Reserve could keep rates higher for longer, or potentially raise them further, a backdrop that typically pressures non-yielding assets like gold. Higher rates can make interest-bearing investments more attractive relative to bullion, which does not pay income.

The move matters because gold often serves as a barometer of investor confidence and a hedge against uncertainty. A sustained downturn can affect decisions across the market, from institutional portfolio allocations to consumer demand for jewelry and coins.

It also matters for inflation and currency watchers. Gold’s price is frequently viewed alongside the U.S. dollar and Treasury yields, with shifts in rate expectations often reverberating across commodities and risk assets.

Tuesday’s losses put added focus on how quickly sentiment has turned after gold spent recent months pushing toward and around the $4,000 threshold. Traders have been watching whether the metal can stabilize after a deep quarterly drawdown, or whether selling pressure continues as interest-rate expectations remain a central market theme.

Market participants will now look to upcoming Federal Reserve communications and U.S. economic data for signals on the path of monetary policy. Any changes in rate expectations could influence whether gold finds support or extends its decline.

For now, the precious-metals market is entering the new month under pressure, with bullion and silver searching for a floor after a historically weak quarter.

Gold’s next moves will hinge on whether interest-rate fears ease or intensify, but the immediate picture remains clear: bullion is still sliding after a bruising quarter that has reshaped expectations across the metals market.