Gold prices fall on Friday and are on track for a third consecutive weekly loss, according to reports. The move is largely attributed to a firmer U.S. dollar and hawkish signals from the Federal Reserve, which increase expectations that U.S. interest rates may rise. As the dollar strengthens, gold—priced in dollars and not directly yielding—tends to face pressure. One report points to the Fed’s projections as supporting the possibility of a rate hike later this year, which would further weigh on gold sentiment. In addition, analysts cited by one outlet expect upside later in the year despite the near-term weakness: Goldman Sachs projects gold could reach $4,900 by December. Overall, the articles present a consistent picture of near-term downside driven by currency and interest-rate expectations, alongside differing forward-looking forecasts for the remainder of the year.