Asian stock markets opened the week with gains due to positive US employment data. Oil prices are rising amid escalating protests in Iran.
Bitcoin ends the first week of 2026 unchanged, hovering around $90,000, down 2% from a year ago. Investors are awaiting tariff decisions and future Fed guidance.
Gold prices remain around $4450 per ounce after the arrest of Nicolas Maduro. Investors are awaiting the US employment report and predict a price increase to $4900 – $5000 per ounce in 2026.
Asian stock markets opened higher, with the MSCI index for global equities reaching an all-time high. This happened amid the capture of Nicolás Maduro by US forces and rising oil prices and PDVSA default bonds.
Gold and silver prices surged on January 5 after the detention of Nicolas Maduro by US forces. Gold surpassed $4370 per ounce, and silver reached $73.32, linked to the escalating geopolitical situation.
The US dollar started 2026 with a strengthening after last year's difficulties, while the yen approached a 10-month low. Traders are awaiting US economic data to forecast changes in interest rates this year.
Precious metals resumed their rally at the beginning of the new year, continuing the unprecedented growth of 2025, supported by geopolitical tensions and expectations of interest rate cuts. Gold rose 1.4% to $4372.35 per ounce, silver rose 3.6% to $73.79 per ounce.
Silver hit $75 for the first time on Friday, with gold and platinum also setting record highs. This occurred amid speculative bets, expectations of US interest rate cuts, and rising geopolitical tensions.
The US dollar weakened on Wednesday, poised for its biggest annual drop since 2017, as investors anticipate further Fed rate cuts. The euro and pound sterling strengthened, reaching new three-month highs.
The price of spot gold rose to $4,476. 15 per ounce, and US gold futures climbed to $4,509.80. Spot silver rose to $69.44 per ounce, renewing its record at $69.98.
Gold and silver prices soared to all-time highs, surpassing previous records. This surge is driven by escalating geopolitical tensions and expectations of interest rate cuts in the US.
On December 22, the spot price of gold reached an all-time high of $4383. 73 per ounce. This increase is driven by the easing of US monetary policy and growing global geopolitical instability.
Silver prices surged to a record $67. 55 per ounce, marking its largest annual gain since 1979. Gold neared its peak, hovering around $4363, driven by geopolitical chaos and expectations of Fed rate cuts.
Gold prices rose 1% to a seven-week high, supported by a weakening dollar and geopolitical instability. Silver set a new all-time record, rising 10.4% for the week.
Brent and WTI crude futures rose by 0. 70%-0.75% due to fears of supply disruptions from Venezuela. This happened after the US seized a tanker with Venezuelan oil and amid cautious market sentiment.
By the end of 2025, gold reached $4. 2 thousand per ounce, a 57% increase over the year. KIT Group analysts attribute this to the US Federal Reserve's policy, the geopolitical situation, and demand from central banks.
Gold prices fell 0. 1% to $4205.4 per ounce, while silver rose 1.1% to $61.34 per ounce, reaching an all-time high. Investors are awaiting Fed Chair Jerome Powell's interest rate forecast.
Oil prices remained stable on Wednesday after falling 1% in the previous session. Brent crude futures rose 0.1% to $62.01 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate crude rose 0.1% to $58.32 a barrel.
The oil market will face a "super-oversupply" next year due to rising supply and weak demand, warns trader Trafigura. A record surplus of over 4 million barrels per day is expected, which has already led to a 16% drop in Brent crude prices this year.
Brent crude futures rose to $63. 84 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate crude traded at $60.16. Investors are anticipating a Fed interest rate cut and monitoring geopolitical risks related to supplies from Russia and Venezuela.
Stocks showed moderate growth on Tuesday, while cryptocurrencies and global government bonds stabilized after sell-offs. This happened amid an expected interest rate hike in Japan, which affected global markets.
The price of silver surged to a record high, exceeding $54. 76 per ounce, driven by hopes of a US Federal Reserve rate cut and a supply shortage. The London silver market reported a severe supply deficit, impacting prices in Shanghai and New York.
The price of gold fell by 0. 3% to $4,153.49 per ounce, futures fell by 0.5% to $4,150. Investors are taking profits, awaiting the Fed's decision on a rate cut amid conflicting signals.
Brent crude futures fell 0. 5% to $62.8 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate crude futures lost 0.6% to $58.33. The price decline is linked to expectations of progress in peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, which could lead to the lifting of sanctions on Russian supplies.
In Asian trading, gold rose by almost 1% due to a weakening dollar and weak economic data from the US, which strengthened expectations of a Fed interest rate cut in December. The spot price of gold rose to $4,166.13 per ounce, February futures to $4,201.15.
The price of gold rose to $4,141. 49 per ounce, reaching its highest level since November 14. This happened after the Fed signaled a possible rate cut in December, which increased the probability of such a decision to 81%.
Brent crude futures fell to $63. 10 a barrel, WTI to $58.61. The decline comes amid fears that supply will outstrip demand next year, despite sanctions on Russian supplies.
Oil prices took a breather after last week's decline as investors weigh the chances of a US rate cut and a possible peace deal between Russia and Ukraine. Brent and WTI crude futures hit their lowest levels since October 21.
European natural gas futures hit an 18-month low, and oil prices fell by more than 1%. This happened amid easing weather forecasts and discussions of a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia proposed by the US.
Bitcoin lost about 23% of its value in November, which is the largest monthly drop since June 2022. This drop follows a wave of liquidations on October 10, which wiped out $19 billion in leveraged tokens.
