Gold prices are on the climb again toward that all-important psychological barrier of $1,000 per ounce. Fears of inflation and market uncertainty could continue to push exchange traded funds (ETFs) higher.

The latest run-up in gold prices has two factors:

• The concerns over inflation are dominating investors’ actions.
• Unvestors may be feeling bearish over a possible decrease in equity stocks.
• Inflation concerns may not be the major reason investors are turning to the safe haven metal. Yields on the 10-year treasury note are still heading lower, so investors are still buying government debt and therefore not overly concerned that interest rates are going to eat into their returns, explains Matt Phillips for The Wall Street Journal.

Tennille Tracey for The Wall Street Journal reports that the price of gold jumped nearly $22 to close at $977 per ounce, its highest close since June 4.

While the U.S. dollar has slipped, one strategist notes that it hasn’t lost enough value to trigger a gold shopping spree. Speculation rests with the possibility that some investors are bracing themselves for a slide in stock prices.

• SPDR Gold Shares (GLD): up 8.5% year-to-date

• PowerShares DB Gold (DGL): up 9.8% year-to-date

For more stories about gold, visit our gold category.

Tags: Commodity ETFs, DGL, GLD, Gold, Precious Metals