Gold (XAU/USD) is the price of one troy ounce of gold in US dollars. It has been used as a store of value for over 5,000 years — longer than any currency in existence.
Gold is unique: it doesn't pay interest or dividends, it doesn't grow like a company, and it doesn't rust. Its value comes from being universally accepted, finite in supply, and politically neutral — no government can print gold or sanction it away.
How does it affect gold?
This IS the gold price — it doesn't 'affect' gold, it IS gold.
But why does it move? In short: gold rises when investors are worried about the value of paper money, when the world feels dangerous, or when real interest rates are low.
Gold falls when the economy is growing confidently, real interest rates are high, and the US dollar is strong.
This site tracks all the key indicators that explain WHY gold is moving on any given day.