Gold's record-setting run continued this week as the yellow metal breached the US$2,700 per ounce mark for the first time. After starting 2024 around US$2,040, gold is now up approximately 32 percent year-to-date.

What's behind the precious metal's latest price milestone? Among other factors, experts are pointing to safe-haven buying as the US election approaches and as tensions in the Middle East increase.

There's also the latest interest rate cut from the European Central Bank (ECB). Its third reduction so far this year came on Thursday (October 17), with President Christine Lagarde saying the ECB is in the process of breaking the neck of inflation.

"Have we broken the neck of inflation? Not yet. Are we in the process of breaking that neck? Yes" — Christine Lagarde, European Central Bank

As an asset that doesn't bear interest, gold tends to fare better in low-rate environments.

Looking more broadly at the yellow metal's rise over the last year, Randy Smallwood of Wheaton Precious Metals (TSX:WPM,NYSE:WPM) said this week that while gold was being driven by eastern buying earlier in 2024, the western world is now beginning to participate. He thinks US$3,000 is in the cards within a couple of years.

Others see US$3,000 gold coming much quicker than that. Delegates at the London Bullion Market Association's annual gathering see gold rising to US$2,941 in the next 12 months. They're calling for an even bigger gain in silver, which is anticipated to rise to US$45 per ounce. Platinum and palladium are expected to stay relatively flat.

Silver is finishing the week at the US$33.70 level, a point not seen since 2012. The volatile white metal is known for lagging behind gold when the yellow metal starts to run, but then typically outperforms.

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Securities Disclosure: I, Charlotte McLeod, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

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