Where are we in the gold cycle; what has it rhymed with?
Overlay today's price action on every gold bull run since 1970. A 6-step pattern has preceded each one — pick a cycle to see how gold recovered after the shock.
The 6-step transmission mechanism
Oil shock → dollar → gold dip → yields → Fed pivot → breakout
The Iran-Hormuz Oil Shock has seen oil surge 77%, driving gold down 18.8% to a $4397 bottom while yields spiked. The next critical development to watch is a Dollar surge, which typically sets the stage for a Fed pivot. History suggests this pattern often leads to a powerful gold bull run, with 59% of past cycles seeing gold make new highs and average gains of +216% from the bottom.
Historical cycles
Pick a cycle · % gain from bottom · trading days
What's Happening Right Now
The Iran-Hormuz Oil Shock has triggered 3 of the 6 steps in the oil shock transmission mechanism: oil shock, gold falls, yield spike.
Oil spiked +77%, which is the catalyst that starts the sequence.
Gold fell -18.8% — the counterintuitive but mechanically predictable step where leveraged traders dump gold for liquidity.
Bond yields spiked +49bps as sticky oil-driven inflation kept the Fed from cutting.
Next to watch: dollar surges.
The current super-cycle is 960 days old with a 191% gain from the cycle low — that's 109% of the average historical super-cycle duration.
Historically, when the mechanism reaches 5+ steps, gold has averaged +216% from bottom to peak. 59% of oil-shock drops eventually recovered and made new highs.
Historical Backtest — Oil Shock + Gold Crash
Since 1973, 17 oil shocks triggered a gold drop of 10%+. Here's what happened next:
The failures share a common trait — they occurred during secular bear markets for gold where structural tailwinds (debt expansion, central bank buying, negative real yields) were absent. When structural conditions are supportive, the hit rate is significantly higher.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are we in the gold bull market cycle?▼
The oil shock transmission mechanism shows 3 of 6 steps confirmed. The current super-cycle is 960 days old (109% of the average historical duration) with a 191% gain from the cycle low.
How long do gold bull markets last?▼
Based on 10 gold super-cycles since 1970, the average duration is 2.4 years. The current cycle is at 109% of that average.
What are the stages of a gold bull market?▼
Gold bull markets progress through four phases: (1) Confusion — oil shock, dollar surge, gold falls, retail panics; (2) Accumulation — smart money loads while DXY/yields plateau; (3) Dollar Reversal — DXY rolls over, gold breaks out to new highs; (4) Real-Asset Revaluation — gold trends higher, silver outperforms, gold/silver ratio compresses from 80+ toward 60.
When does a gold bull market end?▼
Bull markets end when structural drivers reverse — fiscal stress eases, the dollar strengthens, real yields rise above inflation, and geopolitical risk fades. Watch DXY and 10-year real yields as the key signals. Gold doesn't end because prices "feel high."
What is the gold-silver ratio telling us?▼
The ratio is currently 61.4:1. Elevated — silver has catch-up potential (mid-cycle) In past bull markets, the ratio compressed from 80–120 toward 40–60 in the final phase.
Is gold overvalued in 2026?▼
With US debt/GDP at 120% and interest costs at 3.9% of GDP, the structural case for gold remains intact. The oil shock transmission mechanism has 3 of 6 steps confirmed — the pattern is still developing.
Data updated daily. Cycle pivots detected algorithmically using zigzag log-price reversal with a 20% threshold. Past performance does not predict future results. This is not financial advice.