Weekly Market Recap – February 16, 2026

After three consecutive years of double-digit gains, including an eye-popping 65% in 2025, investor appetite for gold has never been higher. In recent years, demand for gold has accelerated amid concerns about long-term U.S. fiscal health, geopolitical tensions, inflation and U.S. dollar weakness. This backdrop has prompted central banks, institutions and individual investors to seek diversification by hedging against heightened macro uncertainty. Robust demand and inelastic supply—global above-ground stocks have only grown by an average of 1.5-2% per year—have continued to push prices higher.