When the U.S. launched strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, many expected gold to skyrocket. Instead, the market barely flinched. In an exclusive interview with ausbiz, Brian Chu, founder of the Australian Gold Fund, explains why this reaction isn't just surprising - it's revealing.
"Gold remains near record highs in both USD and AUD terms," Brian notes. "But the muted movement tells us the market doesn't see this as a full-blown escalation - yet."
Oil rose modestly, up 2–3%, and gold slightly dipped - a clear signal that investors are waiting to see how Iran responds. More importantly, the Federal Reserve's split stance on interest rates, amid sticky inflation and oil price uncertainty, is keeping gold from pushing higher in the short term.
Meanwhile, the ASX Gold Index has fallen nearly 9% in a week. Brian's proprietary Gold Stocks Valuation Index places large producers firmly in the overvalued zone, with rising energy costs threatening to compress margins further.
But not all is bleak. "There's still strong value in early-stage gold explorers and developers - especially those with healthy balance sheets and scalable projects," Brian says. As long as oil stays under $100 and gold holds steady, these smaller players offer real upside.
The takeaway? This isn't a time for panic - but for precision. Watch Brian's full interview above, and follow Follow the Australian Gold Fund and GoldHub Australia for the latest analysis, pricing insights, and investor guidance.