The U.S. dollar has lost approximately 95% of its purchasing power since 1925, a trend that financial researcher Jim Rickards examines in a new presentation. By 2025, $100 held in 1975 had the purchasing power of only $16.40, marking an 84% decline over that period. This long-term erosion of value frames the increasing interest in hard assets as a store of wealth for savers.

The U.S. Dollar Index fell about 9.4% in 2025, driven by policy uncertainty and tariffs, prompting investors to turn to alternatives such as gold and silver. The metals market saw significant activity, with gold reaching record highs above $5,000 per ounce in January 2026. Silver also broke above $100 for the first time in history, partly due to a sixth consecutive year of supply deficit, before both metals pulled back.

Rickards extends his analysis to specific domestic resources, highlighting an American deposit estimated to hold 82 million ounces of gold. He connects this to the U.S. money supply, which has grown past $22 trillion. Historically, maintaining confidence in a currency involved anchoring a portion of it to gold, often around 40%. Rickards projects a potential gold price of $10,000 an ounce, suggesting $50,000 is possible over the long term.

The presentation suggests that at projected price levels, the gold within this specific deposit could become a major untapped monetary asset. A small company holds the full rights to the site, which remains frozen due to environmental restrictions, with its stock trading under $2 per share. Rickards argues that as cash loses value, tangible assets and domestic resources become critical for protecting purchasing power for everyday savers.

Gold prices and related securities faced significant selling pressure as market attention shifted back toward inflation and the Federal Reserve's policy path. Spot gold fell below $4,100 an ounce for the first time since November, sliding as much as 3.5% in a single session to trade around $4,117.29. U.S. gold futures also declined about 2.2% to settle near $4,194.90 per ounce. The pullback indicates that gold is losing support from safe haven flows as investors anticipate tighter financial conditions.

Higher Real Yields Pressure Non-Yielding Assets

Analysts attributed the decline to rising real yields, which create a difficult backdrop for gold as the metal does not generate income. The oil spike pushed May inflation to 4.2% year over year, the hottest reading since April 2023, with energy driving more than 60% of the monthly gain. This has strengthened expectations that central banks will maintain tight policy for longer. Money markets currently see a 98.2% chance the Federal Reserve holds rates steady next week and about a 40% chance of a hike by October. The European Central Bank is also expected to raise rates by 25 basis points on Thursday.

Strategists Anticipated The Shift

Brett Elliott, director of content at APMEX, noted that gold had built a strong negative correlation with oil as the Iran conflict dragged on. "If hostilities reignite, we expect a drop in precious metal prices," he said at the time. In late May, Ridgemont Metals CEO Deric Ned flagged that markets had already priced out 2026 rate cuts while gold held firm. "Normally, that would crush gold, but it hasn't," he said. The subsequent drop saw gold close in on $4,050, the bottom of APMEX's range, even while holding a roughly 25% gain on the year.

Deleveraging Adds To Selling Pressure

Market strategists described the move as part of a broader reduction in leverage across asset classes. Rajiv Sawhney of Wave Digital Assets observed that recent trading shows signs of investors cutting exposure. Gold also fell below its 200 day moving average, a level that often signals a shift in trend. Raj Abrol of Galytix added that gold is reacting to the same tightening forces affecting credit markets, where rising real yields and a firming dollar create restrictive funding conditions. The drop's speed also hints at forced selling, with multi-asset funds dumping a liquid winner to cover losses elsewhere.

Critical Levels To Watch for SPDR Gold Trust

From a technical standpoint, the SPDR Gold Trust (GLD) has slipped well under its short-term averages. The fund sits 8.8% below its 20-day simple moving average at $413.25 and 11.1% under its 50-day simple moving average at $424.09. GLD is also 7.1% under the 200-day simple moving average at $405.54. The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) is positioned under its signal line with a negative histogram, signaling that buying pressure has faded.

The moving-average layout sends a mixed message; the 20-day simple moving average has fallen under the 50-day simple moving average, a short-term negative, while the 50-day simple moving average remains above the 200-day simple moving average. Resistance sits near $422, while support is near $368.50.

GLD Shares Are Under Pressure

SPDR Gold shares were down 3.44% at $377.33 at the time of publication on Wednesday. Miners like Newmont and Barrick carry higher beta and tend to overshoot the metal's move. For the opposite side, energy names Exxon Mobil and Chevron climb on the very oil spike that is sinking gold.