Gold prices soared to another record high today, thanks to a nonfarm payrolls report that investors viewed as supportive of a rate cut from the Fed. April-dated gold futures (GCJ24), the most active contract, peaked above $2,192 an ounce earlier before paring some gains. Spot gold has now gained 20% over the past year, with demand driven by global central bank buying, largely as an inflation hedge. In addition to persistent inflation, the mounting U.S. debt \- at nearly $34.4 trillion as of March 6 – a weakening dollar, geopolitical tensions, and election-year uncertainty in several nations wo…