Why do my gold trend trades keep stopping out?

Most often because the market was drifting rather than trending, or because the entry came late in a move already extended more than about 1.5 ATR from the session open, leaving too little room to any realistic target.

How deep should a gold pullback be in a trend?

Healthy XAU retracements hold shallow zones such as the 15-minute 20 EMA or session VWAP. A retracement beyond roughly 61.8% of the prior leg, or a close back through VWAP, indicates participation has changed.

Where do gold trends usually stall?

At prior day and weekly extremes and at major round numbers such as $3,400, $3,450 and $3,500, which is why continuation targets should be set into those levels rather than beyond them.

When Gold Trend Trading Fails: Exhaustion

Gold trend continuation fails when a drift is mistaken for a trend, when entries come after price has extended more than about 1.5 ATR from the session open, when retracements exceed 61.8% or close through VWAP, and when targets sit beyond untested major structure.

Healthy XAU pullbacks hold the 15-minute 20 EMA or session VWAP and reclaim quickly; deeper retracements place the trend under review rather than in progress.

Prior day and weekly extremes and the $50 round numbers absorb gold trend moves, so profits should be taken into those levels rather than through them.