For Immediate Release
Chicago, IL – April 14, 2026 – Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: SPDR Gold Trust GLD, Invesco DB US Dollar Index Bullish Fund UUP, United States Brent Oil Fund LP BNO and iShares Gold Trust IAU.
Here are highlights from Monday’s Analyst Blog:
Should You Play Gold's Third Weekly Gain with ETFs?
Gold logged a third consecutive weekly advance, thanks to hopes of a ceasefire to the Iran conflict and continued central bank buying. Gold bullion-based exchange-traded fund SPDR Gold Trust added about 1.9% last week, although the fund is off about 6.4% over the past one-month frame (as of April 10, 2026), as some investors sold gold to cover losses in other assets during the peak of the Iran war.
Geopolitics in Focus
Uncertainty around the Middle East remained a key driver. Market attention shifted to negotiations in Islamabad, where a U.S. delegation led by Vice President JD Vance met Iranian officials over the weekend.
As per the latest update, the United States and Iran failed to reach an agreement after 21 hours of negotiations in Pakistan. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump issued warnings to Tehran over potential shipping fees in the Strait of Hormuz, per Bloomberg, as quoted on Yahoo Finance. Also, Israeli strikes in Lebanon last week raised concerns about the constancy of a recently agreed truce.
Macro Factors Supporting Gold
Gold is finding support from a weaker U.S. dollar. Invesco DB US Dollar Index Bullish Fund has lost about 1.3% past week. Plus, oil prices have been falling. United States Brent Oil Fund LP slumped about 13.4% last week.
Inflationary Fears & Interest Rate Uncertainty
The conflict-driven energy shock has heightened inflation risks, prompting expectations that central banks may delay rate cuts or even consider hikes. The move is a negative for non-yielding assets like gold.
Any Brighter Outlook for Gold?
Weak U.S. consumer spending and concerns about economic slowdown may lead the Fed to lower rates, or at least act in a less hawkish way. The Fed Chairman Jerome Powell recently stated that long-term inflation expectations remain stable despite the latest oil-induced price pressures.
He noted that the monetary policy is “in a good place” to adopt a wait-and-see approach, dampening expectations of aggressive rate hikes. The move would be a plus for gold investing (read: Should You Buy Gold ETFs on Fed's Assurance?).
The U.S. consumer price index rose 0.9% sequentially in March, as expected by the market, with a 21.2% sequential jump in gasoline prices. While the rise in energy costs will likely increase the annual inflation rate even higher over the next few months, the pricing pressure is likely to be transitory, per ING.
Central Bank Buying Remains a Strength
Strong demand from central banks continues to underpin gold prices. Poland is aiming to boost its gold reserves to 700 tons, while China added roughly five tons in March — its largest monthly purchase in over a year, per Bloomberg, as quoted on Yahoo Finance. The article went on to reveal that ANZ expects recent price corrections to motivate more stockpiling, with official central-bank buying for 2026 to be around 850 tons.
Bottom Line
While gold ETFs like GLD and iShares Gold Trust are likely to recover in the near term (due to the Fed’s assuring comments on U.S. inflation), geopolitics is less likely to return to the pre-war level.
Given the latest war updates, it is less likely for gold to go back to the glorious days of 2025. Note that GLD jumped about 47.6% over the past year, including the latest crash.
But then, despite near-term volatility, macro uncertainty and inherent concerns around U.S. fiscal sustainability continue to position gold as a safe asset and crucial portfolio diversifier, per ANZ analysts.
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SPDR Gold Shares (GLD): ETF Research Reports
iShares Gold Trust (IAU): ETF Research Reports
Invesco DB US Dollar Index Bullish ETF (UUP): ETF Research Reports
United States Brent Oil ETF (BNO): ETF Research Reports
This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).