Gold prices briefly caused a stir after hitting a new record, but then slowed. The main trigger: US President Donald Trump withheld the threat of tariffs on Europe and claimed there was a "framework" for a future agreement on Greenland. This calmer tone made the market a little more willing to take risks, thus easing the pressure to buy gold as a safe haven. However, the big picture hasn't changed: gold remains in high territory because the world remains filled with uncertainty. Trade wars could resurface at any time, geopolitical tensions haven't completely subsided, and investors are...
The US dollar weakened again on Tuesday, extending its decline for two consecutive days. Improving risk sentiment ahead of the year-end period was the main factor driving the dollar's weakness. The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index fell 0.1%, after plunging 0.4% on Monday. Investors began to show optimism ahead of the year-end holidays, which impacted major currency movements. The yen strengthened significantly, breaking through 157 against the dollar, supporting the previously depressed Japanese currency. USD/JPY fell 0.3% to 156.58 after Japanese Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama stated that...
Gold prices hit a new record on Monday, rallying sharply amid rising geopolitical tensions and speculation that the Federal Reserve (The Fed) will cut interest rates further next year. Gold surged to $4,459.60 per ounce, registering a 2.4% gain on the day—its biggest gain in more than a month. The surge in gold prices was driven by market expectations that the Fed will lower borrowing costs again in 2026, a policy that would benefit the precious metal. Gold, as a non-interest-bearing asset, often benefits in a lower interest rate environment. Geopolitical tensions, particularly those in...
Oil prices held on to four consecutive days of gains as the US continued its blockade of oil shipments from Venezuela. In this morning's trading, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) was trading around $58 per barrel, after rising about 5% in the last four sessions, while Brent closed near $62 per barrel. US President Donald Trump confirmed that the US would continue to withhold oil from seized vessels linked to Venezuela. The US has already seized two oil tankers and is pursuing a third, as part of further pressure on the government of Nicolás Maduro. Despite the ship seizures, more than a dozen...
Oil prices rose on Monday (December 22nd) after the U.S. Coast Guard attempted to intercept an oil tanker in international waters near Venezuela the day before, and Ukraine damaged two ships and a dock in Russia, raising the risk of oil supply disruptions. Brent crude rose $1.60, or 2.7%, to $62.07 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude rose $1.49, or 2.6%, to $58.01 a barrel. The U.S. Coast Guard attempted to intercept an oil tanker on Sunday that U.S. officials said was part of an illegal Venezuelan sanctions-evasion operation, the third such operation this month. The pursuit...
Gold (XAU/USD) rallied more than 2% on Monday (December 22nd), hitting a record high of $4,442 amid rising geopolitical tensions and expectations that the Federal Reserve (Fed) will continue to cut interest rates next year, pushing US Treasury yields lower. At the time of writing, XAU/USD was trading at $4,435, having rebounded from a daily low of $4,338. Gold prices surged more than 2% amid rising tensions in the Middle East and Venezuela, while markets expect a deeper Fed rate cut for 2026. Tensions in the Caribbean escalated after US President Donald Trump announced last week a...
Silver (XAG/USD) extended its bullish momentum on Monday, trading around $69.05 at the time of writing, up 2.75% on the day, after hitting a new all-time high of $69.47 earlier in the day. The white metal benefited from strong follow-through buying after several weeks of steady gains, supported by a macroeconomic and geopolitical backdrop that remains favorable for safe-haven assets. Silver's rise occurred amid persistent expectations for monetary easing in the United States. Markets continue to price in additional interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve (Fed) through 2026, as recent data...
Oil prices rose as President Donald Trump tightened the blockade on Venezuela, with US forces boarding one tanker and pursuing another within weeks of capturing a vessel. West Texas Intermediate oil traded as high as $58 per barrel on Monday after two weeks of declines. The US Coast Guard boarded the tanker Centuries in the Caribbean on Saturday, carrying about 2 million barrels of Venezuelan crude. It was the first non-sanctioned vessel to be targeted. US forces are also pursuing the Bella 1, which was en route to Venezuela. Washington has been increasing pressure on the government of...
Gold and silver surged to all-time highs, as rising geopolitical tensions and bets on further U.S. interest rate cuts added momentum to their best annual performance in more than four decades. Gold and silver rose 2.1% to surpass their previous record of $4,381 an ounce set in October, while silver gained 3.4%, approaching $70 an ounce. This move extended a remarkable rally that has put both metals on track for their strongest annual performance since 1979. This latest surge came as traders bet the Federal Reserve would cut interest rates twice by 2026, and as U.S. President Donald Trump...
Gold rises in the early Asian trade. There's a broad commodities uptrend, driven by macro uncertainty, a weaker dollar, and persistent demand for "hard" assets, says Fawad Razaqzada, market analyst...
Oil extended declines after OPEC+ agreed to a bigger-than-expected production increase next month, raising concerns about oversupply just as US tariffs fan fears about the demand outlook.
Brent...
The Japanese Yen (JPY) weakened against its US counterpart and reversed part of Friday's recovery from the lowest level since July 23 following Bank of Japan (BOJ) Governor Kazuo Ueda's remarks....