Insights 
VT 
Gold prices in the Philippines rose on Monday. The price per gram reached 5,808.68 Philippine Pesos, up from 5,781.28 on Friday.
Gold prices per tola increased from PHP 67,429.88 to PHP 67,749.51. Meanwhile, the cost per troy ounce settled at PHP 180,670.40.
The Value Of Gold
Gold has been used as a store of value and a medium of exchange throughout history. It is currently viewed as a safe-haven asset and a hedge against inflation and currency depreciation.
Central banks are the largest holders, with a record purchase of 1,136 tonnes in 2022. Emerging economies like China, India, and Turkey are rapidly boosting their reserves.
Gold typically inversely correlates with the US Dollar and Treasuries. It is often used to diversify assets during turbulent times.
Geopolitical instability or economic fears can cause Gold prices to rise. Interest rates and USD behaviour also heavily influence its price movements.
Market Factors
The article contains forward-looking statements involving risks. It provides informational content and does not serve as investment advice.
Readers are reminded of the risks associated with open market investments, including potential total loss. The author’s views do not reflect official policy, and investment decisions should be based on personal research.
Gold’s upward movement at the start of the week, reflected in the rise of prices across various units, can be attributed in part to increasing demand from both institutional and national levels. The climb from PHP 5,781.28 to PHP 5,808.68 per gram, while seemingly modest in percentage terms, offers a meaningful signal when paired with broader economic cues. The price per tola and the troy ounce follow similar upward trajectories, suggesting that the shift is not isolated but rather widespread across multiple measurement standards.
Looking at it in the broader frame, central banks—particularly those in developing nations—continue to increase their holdings. Last year’s major acquisitions have offered a kind of baseline signal that demand is likely to remain strong, or at least stable, for the months ahead. When nations like Turkey and India stockpile in such large volumes, we need to ask what underlying concerns are motivating that behaviour. It’s often a combination of domestic uncertainty, foreign currency volatility, or attempts to wean off dependence on the US Dollar.
That’s where the Dollar comes into sharper focus. Gold’s movement is typically in opposition to the US currency and Treasury yields. When rates on American debt instruments climb, gold can weaken, as opportunity costs rise. However, recent weeks have shown inconsistent patterns—raising the possibility that traders are beginning to look at different metrics, or perhaps pricing in the expectation of increased volatility elsewhere.
Those of us watching this space closely should consider how macroeconomic variables like inflation surprises and GDP revisions are impacting positioning. For now, with real rates holding steady and more central banks holding on to tightening biases, the environment remains sensitive to policy language and forward guidance. We’d do better to pay attention not just to actual rate decisions but also to sentiment shifts that can be read between the lines of policy updates or even press conferences.
It’s also worth bearing in mind that geopolitical pressure points have not disappeared. Regional disputes in Europe, cross-strait tensions in Asia, and uncertain trade dynamics have historically been known to push gold prices upwards, especially when other markets wobble. Such scenarios provide a flight-to-safety impulse, and gold continues to benefit when broader risk assets stumble.
Derivative traders looking ahead must prepare for mixed signals driven by alternating waves of optimism and caution. Volatility can suddenly spike on soft data or unexpected political developments that impact currencies or policy expectations. In this case, gold options and futures may serve either as hedges or directional plays, depending on other asset exposure.
From our side, the approach should be to maintain flexibility and avoid over-committing to any single forecast. Monitoring futures curve shifts, open interest changes, and movements in real yields will let us fine-tune short-term positions. This is a season where reactivity and agility will likely outperform predetermined strategy layers.
