Gold Price USA - XAUUSD
Gold Price UK - XAUGBP
Gold Price EURO - XAUEUR
How the International Gold Rate Works
Gold trades globally in US dollars per troy ounce (31.103 grams) on markets that run nearly around the clock — led by London's over-the-counter bullion market, the world's price-setting hub, and New York's COMEX futures exchange. The benchmark most institutions reference is the LBMA Gold Price, set twice each business day in London through an electronic auction. When you see "the gold price" quoted internationally — the number financial news reports, the figure sites worldwide track — it's this dollar-per-ounce spot price.
The international rate is the raw material for every local gold price on earth, including Pakistan's. No country's gold trades independently of it for long: local prices are the world price, converted into local currency, plus local costs.
What Moves the International Price
Four forces dominate the global rate:
- US interest rates and the Federal Reserve. Gold pays no interest, so when US rates rise, holding gold costs more in forgone yield and the price tends to fall; when rates fall or cuts are expected, gold rises. Fed decisions and US inflation data are the single biggest short-term drivers.
- The US dollar itself. Gold is priced in dollars, so a weaker dollar makes gold cheaper for the rest of the world and lifts demand — and the price. A stronger dollar does the reverse.
- Safe-haven demand. Wars, financial stress, and geopolitical shocks push investors toward gold as a store of value, spiking demand regardless of rates. For more on this, read our analysis on gold price volatility.
- Central-bank and investment buying. Central banks have been record buyers in recent years as they diversify reserves, and flows into gold-backed funds add or remove tonnes of demand at a time.
From the World Price to Pakistan's Tola Rate
The gold rate in Pakistan is built directly on the international price, in three steps: take the world spot price in dollars per ounce, convert it at the prevailing USD–PKR exchange rate, then re-express it in Pakistan's traditional unit — the tola (11.664 grams) — and add a small local premium for import costs and market conditions. The result is the benchmark announced daily by the All-Pakistan Gems and Jewellers Sarafa Association (APGJSA) in Karachi.
This two-input structure is why Pakistani gold can hit record highs even when world gold is flat: rupee depreciation alone raises the local price. A Pakistani buyer is exposed to both the international market and the currency — which is exactly why tracking both numbers, side by side as on this page, gives the full picture.
Ounce, Gram, Kilo, Tola: Converting Between Units
International markets quote per troy ounce (31.103 g — slightly heavier than the common ounce). Refiners and Asian markets often quote per gram or kilogram. Pakistan quotes per tola (11.664 g). Quick anchors: 1 troy ounce ≈ 2.667 tolas; 1 tola ≈ 0.375 troy ounces; 1 kilogram ≈ 85.7 tolas.
The tables above convert today's live price across all units automatically. Learn more in our tola weight guide.
FAQ
What is the international gold rate today?
The international gold rate today is $4,008 per troy ounce. In grams, that's $129 per gram. Converted at the current USD–PKR rate of Rs 278, it equals roughly Rs 417,873 per tola in Pakistan.
Who sets the international gold price?
No single body sets it — it emerges from global trading, anchored by the LBMA Gold Price auction in London (set twice each business day) and COMEX futures in New York. These benchmarks are what banks, refiners, and national markets, including Pakistan's, reference.
Why is gold priced in US dollars?
The dollar is the world's primary reserve and trade currency, and the major gold trading hubs (London, New York) operate in dollars. Every local market then converts the dollar price into its own currency.
Is the gold rate in Pakistan linked to the international rate?
Directly. Pakistan's gold rate is the international spot price converted at the USD–PKR exchange rate, plus a small local premium — announced daily by the APGJSA in Karachi. When world gold or the rupee moves, Pakistan's rate follows within hours.
Why does gold in Pakistan sometimes rise when the international price doesn't?
Because of the exchange rate. If the rupee weakens against the dollar, the PKR price of gold rises even with world gold unchanged. Pakistani buyers carry both market risk and currency risk.
How many tolas are in one troy ounce?
One troy ounce (31.103 g) equals about 2.667 tolas. One tola (11.664 g) is about 0.375 troy ounces.
What is spot gold vs futures gold?
Spot is the price for immediate delivery — the number this page shows. Futures are contracts for delivery at a later date, traded on exchanges like COMEX; they usually trade close to spot but can differ slightly.