Woofun AI reports that gold prices have declined below $4,000 per ounce, marking a weekly drop of more than 3%. Escalating tensions between the United States and Iran have intensified concerns regarding energy costs and inflation, potentially necessitating Federal Reserve rate hikes. Soojin Kim of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group noted that market dynamics now prioritize the risk of prolonged high U.S. interest rates over traditional safe-haven demand.