Gold prices retreated by 1% on Thursday, weighed down by a surge in oil costs that has reignited concerns over persistent inflation. As energy prices climb, market participants are increasingly betting that the Federal Reserve will implement further interest rate hikes, a prospect that has bolstered both the U.S. dollar and Treasury yields. This shift in the macroeconomic landscape has created a difficult environment for bullion, which typically struggles to compete when borrowing costs rise and the dollar strengthens.

The recent instability in energy markets is largely tied to geopolitical tensions, specifically involving Iran, which has sparked uncertainty regarding potential diplomatic breakthroughs and global supply chains. Since the onset of the conflict in late February, gold has faced significant downward pressure, losing over 15% of its value as inflation fears have mounted. With traders now assigning a 58% probability to an interest rate hike later this year, the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding assets like gold remains high, keeping the precious metal under persistent selling pressure.