Why Gold Has a Special Status
Gold is not an ordinary trading instrument. While stock indices reflect a country or sector's economy, gold is a global store of value with 5,000 years of history. On Sentmo, gold is tracked as XAU/USD.
What Drives the Gold Price
The US Dollar has an inverse correlation — when the dollar rises, gold typically falls. Real interest rates (nominal rates minus inflation) determine gold's opportunity cost. Geopolitical uncertainty drives safe-haven demand. Central bank purchases (especially from China, Russia, India) provide structural support.
Gold Sentiment Characteristics
Gold has a stronger natural long bias among retail traders than most other instruments — 60-70% long is normal. Contrarian short signals only become relevant above 78-80% long. Contrarian long signals are meaningful already at 55-60% short (unusually bearish for gold).
Trading Strategies
Combine dollar correlation with sentiment. When the dollar falls AND over 75% of retail traders are short gold, that is a strong contrarian long signal. During geopolitical shocks, gold spikes quickly but often corrects within 24-48 hours — check sentiment after the spike. Gold can move 30-60 dollars on volatile days, so position sizing must be conservative.