[Analysis: Risk Aversion Struggles Against Inflation Expectations, Gold Prices Plunge After Four Consecutive Gains] Reported by Jinse Finance, after four consecutive days of gains, gold prices have plummeted over 5%. Traders are assessing the tug-of-war between the escalating Middle East conflict, a strengthening U.S. dollar, and high inflation expectations. At the start of the U.S. trading session, spot gold fell 5.3% to $5,034.22 per ounce. The Middle East conflict has already caused energy prices to surge, which could seep into inflation data, increasing the likelihood of the Federal Reserve maintaining interest rates unchanged for a longer period. High interest rates typically pressure non-yielding assets like gold, while a stronger dollar also poses downward pressure on gold.