Gold Holds High Even as U.S. Consumer Spending Surprises — A Sign of Deeper Economic Stress, Not Strength

Consumers Spend More, But Gold Still Rises — What’s Really Going On? The mainstream media is celebrating the latest retail data out of Washington. According to the U.S. Commerce Department, retail sales rose 0.6% in November, outperforming Wall Street expectations of a 0.4% gain. On the surface, this sounds like an economy on solid footing. But gold markets aren’t buying the optimism. Even as consumer spending surged, gold held steady above $4,630 per ounce, logging a 1% gain on the day. That’s not how precious metals usually behave when the economy is “booming.” What we’re seeing isn’t just a market quirk — it’s a signal. A warning. And it demands your attention. The Key Takeaways from the Data — and…