Gold futures trading on the COMEX exchange stops on Fridays at 21:00 UTC and resumes on Sundays at 22:00 UTC. The difference between the Sunday open and the Friday close creates a weekend gap, a phenomenon traders often say 'always fills.' A recent analysis of 24 Sunday opens from April 26 to October 18, 2026, reveals that gaps do not always fill, especially when they are larger.
The study found that small gaps (10 dollars or less) were more likely to fill quickly. Out of 10 such cases, 5 filled in the first hour, 6 within 4 hours, and 8 within a day. Only 2 remained unfilled after 48 hours. In contrast, larger gaps (over 10 dollars) were less likely to fill. None of the 14 cases filled in the first hour, only 3 within 4 hours, and 7 within a day. Seven of these larger gaps remained unfilled after 48 hours.
Two recent examples illustrate this pattern. On October 11, a small gap of +0.4 dollars filled within the first hour. On October 18, a larger gap of about +10 dollars took 14 hours to fill, after the Asian and most of the London trading sessions. The analysis suggests that small gaps are more likely to be filled quickly, while larger gaps may indicate a significant change in market conditions.
As of Friday's close, the December gold futures contract settled at 4,007.9 dollars, while spot gold (XAUUSD) closed near 3,996 dollars. Order flow analysis showed significant activity around the 4,003-4,008 dollar range, indicating potential resistance or support levels for Sunday's trading.