Sri Lanka, Oct. 9 -- Gold fever has gripped the globe once again. The metal that built empires and calmed crises has smashed through $4,000 an ounce, its highest level in history - the boldest surge since the 1970s.

But beneath the sparkle, some warn the shine may soon fade.

"This level of momentum is unsustainable - a pullback is coming in the months ahead," cautioned Ambassador V. Kananathan, former envoy and economic analyst.

The rally began when Washington's tariff battles rattled global trade, reigniting economic anxiety. With the U.S. government temporary shutdown dragging into a second week and data releases stalled, uncertainty became the market's only constant. In that chaos, gold - the eternal "safe haven" - became the global...