Gold prices today, Wednesday, July 15, 2026: Gold prices not advancing as airstrikes continue

Gold August ( GC=F ) futures opened at $4,059.80 this morning, Wednesday, July 15, 2026 , down 0.2% compared to Tuesday's closing price. The price of gold is falling this morning, moving down to $4,035.40 as of 7:41 a.m. ET.

U.S. airstrikes have targeted Iranian military sites for the fourth day in a row this week in retaliation for Iranian attacks on ships trying to navigate the Strait of Hormuz. President Trump says the U.S. will continue their selective bombardment until the strait is opened and safe for merchant ships.

Yesterday's softer-than-expected inflation report aligns with more peaceful conditions between the warring countries last month, but renewed escalations in July have sent oil prices sharply upward once again. Oil prices ( BZ=F ) are up over 9% in the last five days.

While most market observers are confident the Fed will not raise rates later this month to battle inflation, September will remain a focal point, especially if the violence continues.

The opening price of gold futures on Wednesday was down 0.2% compared to Tuesday's opening price. Here's how the opening gold price has changed versus last week, month, and year:

24/7 gold price tracking: Don't forget you can monitor the current price of gold on Yahoo Finance 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Want to learn more about the current top-performing companies in the gold industry ? Explore a list of the top-performing companies in the gold industry using the Yahoo Finance Screener. You can create your own screeners with over 150 different screening criteria.

If you're looking for a gold alternative, Yahoo Finance also tracks the daily price of silver ( SI=F ) and the daily price of bitcoin ( BTC-USD ) and ethereum ( ETH-USD ).

Learn more: Gold alternatives? How to invest in silver, platinum, and palladium.

There are different ways to invest in gold, and each has pros and cons. Four common options are:

Physical gold includes jewelry, gold bars, and gold coins. Some prefer physical gold over other forms because it's tangible and easy to purchase. You can easily buy a gold necklace at the mall or gold bars at Costco ( COST ).

Intrigued by Costco's precious metals offering? Read more here to learn key considerations for precious metals investing, the details of the Costco selection, and tips for managing your new investment.

Readily accessible for use: If you keep your physical gold at home, it is easily available to use as a medium of exchange in an economic emergency.

No added volatility or ongoing fees: If you hold the gold yourself, "you eliminate counterparty risk and storage fees or expense ratios," explained Brett Elliott, director of content and SEO at American Precious Metals Exchange (APMEX). You also avoid the added business volatility associated with gold mining stocks, as explained below.

Risk of theft or loss: Physical gold must be properly secured. You can store it at home for free, or invest in third-party storage and insurance. Remember that fees associated with storage or insurance dilute your returns.

Lower liquidity: Physical gold is less liquid — that is, harder to sell quickly — than stocks or ETFs. Also, if you are not using the gold as a medium of exchange, you must find a dealer and pay a markup on the sale.

Gold mining stocks are equity positions in gold miners. They can be volatile because their profits are tied to gold prices, plus these companies are heavily exposed to "geopolitical risks and management risks" according to Vince Stanzione, CEO and founder at financial publisher First Information. To manage the volatility, many investors prefer diversified gold mining funds over individual mining stocks.