XAUUSD analysis, 21 August 2026: Gold closes above the 20-day average after a $125 range
Daily levels for Friday 21 August 2026: pivots from the previous session, moving averages, average daily range and what the session did with them. Education, not signals.
The read into the session
Gold came into the session at $4,571.4 (the 20 Aug 2026 close), above the 20, 50 and 200-day averages, and above the daily pivot at $4,558.2. The nearest pivot levels were R1 at $4,610.3 above and P at $4,558.2 below. If price holds above P, the R1 level is the next one traders watch; if it loses P, attention moves to the level under it. The market came into the session after 2 consecutive up days. The 14-day average range was $105.7 and the nearest round numbers $4,700 and $4,650.
ADR(14) $105.7 · ADR(20) $98.6 · 10-day realised volatility 19.6% annualised
Daily pivots from 20 Aug 2026 H $4,597.1 · L $4,506.0 · C $4,571.4
| Pivot | Classic | Fibonacci | Close vs classic | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R3 | $4,701.4 | $4,649.3 | -20.8 | -0.44% |
| R2 | $4,649.3 | $4,614.5 | +31.3 | +0.67% |
| R1 | $4,610.3 | $4,593.0 | +70.3 | +1.52% |
| P | $4,558.2 | $4,558.2 | +122.4 | +2.69% |
| S1 | $4,519.2 | $4,523.4 | +161.4 | +3.57% |
| S2 | $4,467.1 | $4,501.9 | +213.5 | +4.78% |
| S3 | $4,428.1 | $4,467.1 | +252.5 | +5.70% |
Moving averages, swing levels and round numbers
| Level | Price | Close vs level | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20-day SMA | $4,293.7 | +386.9 | +9.01% |
| 50-day SMA | $4,191.6 | +489.0 | +11.67% |
| 200-day SMA | $4,514.1 | +166.5 | +3.69% |
| 52-week high 29 Jan 2026 | $5,586.2 | -905.6 | -16.21% |
| 52-week low 28 Oct 2025 | $3,901.3 | +779.3 | +19.98% |
| Prior week high | $4,509.1 | +171.5 | +3.80% |
| Prior week low | $4,365.5 | +315.1 | +7.22% |
| Prior week close | $4,437.3 | +243.3 | +5.48% |
| Prior month high Jul 2026 | $4,215.5 | +465.1 | +11.03% |
| Prior month low Jul 2026 | $3,963.0 | +717.6 | +18.11% |
| Round number above | $4,700.0 | -19.4 | -0.41% |
| Round number below | $4,650.0 | +30.6 | +0.66% |
Education, not signals. Levels are calculated from COMEX gold futures daily data, so they can differ from your broker's XAUUSD quote by a few dollars. Nothing here is a buy or sell recommendation, a target or a forecast. Risk disclaimer.
What happened
Gold opened at $4,577.0, traded between $4,565.5 and $4,690.4 (a $124.9 range, 118% of ADR(14)) and closed at $4,680.6, +109.2 (+2.39%) on the day. The session touched R1, R2, and the close was above the daily pivot ($4,558.2) and above the 20, 50 and 200-day averages that were on the chart at the open. It was a higher high with normal range versus the 14-day average. That made 3 up closes in a row.
Frequently asked questions
What was the daily pivot for gold on 21 August 2026?
The classic pivot was $4,558.2, with R1 at $4,610.3, R2 at $4,649.3, S1 at $4,519.2 and S2 at $4,467.1, all calculated from the 20 Aug 2026 high ($4,597.1), low ($4,506.0) and close ($4,571.4). During the session price touched R1, R2.
How big was gold's range on 21 August 2026 compared with its average?
Gold traded between $4,565.5 and $4,690.4, a $124.9 range, which was 118% of the 14-day average daily range of $105.7 (normal range). The 20-day ADR was $98.6 and 10-day realised volatility was 19.6% annualised.
Where did gold close relative to its moving averages on 21 August 2026?
Gold closed at $4,680.6, above the 20, 50 and 200-day averages. The 20-day SMA was $4,293.7, the 50-day $4,191.6 and the 200-day $4,514.1, measured from the closes before that session. This is a description of where price sat, not a signal.
Generated automatically from COMEX gold futures daily data. Education, not signals. Not financial advice. Levels differ slightly between brokers and data feeds. See our risk disclaimer.