Gold rallies past $4,100 as jobless claims undershoot forecasts

With initial unemployment filings hitting 215,000 for the week ending June 27, gold prices surged past the $4,100 per ounce threshold. The Labor Department data arrived slightly cooler than the 220,000 claims anticipated by economists, triggering an immediate reaction in precious metals markets during Thursday’s trading session.

Money Talk·July 2, 2026·reads: 3,396

Spot gold climbed 2.11% to trade at $4,116.72 per ounce immediately following the release. The report coincided with the June nonfarm payrolls update, creating significant volatility. While the initial claims figure beat expectations, the four-week moving average reached 222,000, slightly exceeding the 220,500 forecast, indicating some underlying friction in the labor market.

Continuing claims for the week ending June 20 rose to 1.814 million, edging past the 1.810 million expected by analysts. The previous week’s initial claims figure saw a minor upward revision to 216,000. Despite these mixed indicators regarding individuals already receiving benefits, the market focused heavily on the initial filings, driving the aggressive move in gold pricing.