Sustained demand from investors is also helping to drive the price uptick and will likely play a role in future price growth. As more investors buy gold to capitalize on its upward price trajectory (or gain access to the many other benefits it offers), the price of gold is likely to climb.

Gold pulled back from a record high after Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell signaled policymakers aren’t in a rush to aggressively lower interest rates following Wednesday’s half percentage point cut by the US central bank.

The cut, and the prospect of more before the end of the year, pushed MSCI's 47-country world stocks index close to a record high. Wall Street futures were up after the S&P 500 hit its own all-time peak overnight [.N], and Europe also opened strongly. [.EU]