According to the Korea Gold Exchange prices as of July 30, 2026, the price of pure gold (24K, 3.75g) was recorded at 826,000 won for buying and 696,000 won for selling. The buying price rose 2,000 won, up 0.24% from the previous trading day, while the selling price also increased by 2,000 won, up 0.29%.

The selling price of 18K gold was 511,600 won, up 0.29% (1,500 won increase) from the previous trading day, and the selling price of 14K gold was 396,800 won, up 0.3% (1,200 won increase).

Platinum (3.75g) was recorded at 325,000 won for buying and 264,000 won for selling. The buying price rose 1,000 won, up 0.31% from the previous trading day, and the selling price also increased by 1,000 won, up 0.38%. Silver (3.75g) was recorded at 11,080 won for buying and 9,360 won for selling. The buying price fell 70 won, down 0.63% from the previous day, and the selling price also dropped 60 won, down 0.64%.

■ Wall Street Declines Across the Board... Capital Flows into Precious Metals on Weak Dollar

On the same day in the New York financial market, the precious metals market, including gold and silver, showed strength, while investors were simultaneously watching U.S. stock market volatility and changes in future interest rate expectations.

The U.S. stock market fell across the board, regardless of large-cap or small- and mid-cap stocks, closing lower. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at 51,551.18, down 1,152.46 points (2.18%) from the previous trading day. The S&P 500 index recorded 7,313.92, down 112.38 points (1.51%), and the Nasdaq Composite Index closed trading at 24,425.34, down 433.97 points (1.74%). The Russell 2000 index, which reflects the trend of small- and mid-cap stocks, also recorded 2,902.71, down 1.60%. The spread of selling pressure from major indices to small- and mid-cap stocks indicates that overall market investment sentiment has contracted.

While the weakening dollar led to inflows of buying into the precious metals market, market observers point out that it is difficult to interpret this trend simply as a flight from risk assets.

■ Gold Price Rise: Not Simple Safe-Haven Demand but "Complex Factors at Work"

Gold prices are influenced by a variety of variables beyond stock market trends, including the value of the dollar, U.S. Treasury yields, real interest rates, and central bank purchase demand. Therefore, this precious metals rally is also interpreted as the result of multiple complex factors.

The weakness in the New York stock market was driven by a combination of factors, including the Federal Reserve's monetary policy, international oil price trends, and earnings pressure on artificial intelligence (AI)-related companies. In particular, after the recent military conflict between the United States and Iran, international oil prices surged, heightening inflation concerns and interest rate burdens. During that process, gold also faced upward pressure from rising Treasury yields, which limited its upward momentum. Analysts suggest that this precious metals rally reflects, in part, a changed interest rate and dollar environment compared to that time.

In an environment of increasing volatility in AI and semiconductor-related stocks, some investors may expand their allocation to precious metals as part of asset diversification. However, gold prices are not determined solely by corporate earnings or stock market trends; they are also influenced by macroeconomic variables such as U.S. Treasury yields, the value of the dollar, and monetary policy outlook. When expected corporate profits decline or Treasury yields, which act as a discount rate, rise, the present value of growth stocks can fall rapidly. Conversely, when interest rates stabilize or the dollar weakens, investment sentiment for precious metals can also improve.

Since gold is not an asset directly tied to dividends, operating profits, or corporate earnings, it is often used as one of several portfolio diversification tools during periods of expanding financial market volatility or changing monetary policy expectations. As a result, gold market trends may not necessarily move in the same direction as the stock market.

■ Silver, Platinum, and Palladium Rise Together... "Buying Spreads Across Precious Metals"

The strength in the precious metals market was not limited to gold. Silver spot prices and platinum also showed strength, and palladium rose as well. The fact that gold, silver, platinum, and palladium all rose together indicates that buying interest was not concentrated on a specific commodity but spread across the broader precious metals market.

However, it is difficult to interpret this trend simply as a preference for safe assets due to geopolitical tensions. During the recent U.S.-Iran conflict, a surge in international oil prices stimulated inflation and interest rate concerns, which acted as a burden on gold prices. Therefore, the prevailing view is that this rally reflects a combination of dollar trends, changes in interest rate expectations, and improved investment sentiment.

Silver is a precious metal similar to gold, but it also has the characteristics of a commodity with a high proportion of industrial use. As it is used in a wide range of industries, including solar panels, semiconductors, electric vehicles, and electronic devices, it is simultaneously influenced by investment demand and manufacturing sector outlook. The fact that silver prices rose more sharply than gold in this session is interpreted as reflecting expectations for industrial demand along with improved precious metals investment sentiment. It is also analyzed that buying was concentrated in silver, which has relatively higher price volatility.

Generally, when the stock market plunges, forecasts emerge that demand for industrial metals may decrease due to concerns about an economic slowdown. However, since silver has the dual characteristics of being both an industrial material and a precious metal, it is interpreted as being simultaneously influenced by the various macroeconomic variables reflected in the market at that time.

[Investment decisions are the responsibility of each individual, and as short-term volatility has expanded, a cautious approach is required.]