Gold Overview for the great week! Gold may face bearish pressures, especially in the first half of 2019, as the real interest rates in the US are likely to rise. The zero-yielding haven metal remained on the defensive for a major part of 2018, despite the US-China trade war, emerging market instability and political tensions in the Eurozone and Britain. That forced many to conclude that gold has lost its safe-haven appeal. Moreover, the US dollar was the preferred safe haven during 2018. Gold felt the pull of gravity, despite a host of risk-off issues across the globe.