Japanese Yen Holds Steady as Intervention Hopes Grow Ahead of U.S. CPI Data 
Oil Prices Surge as U.S.-Iran Conflict Escalates and Strait of Hormuz Risks Grow 
Australia Consumer Sentiment Rises in July as Fuel Price Relief Lifts Confidence 
IEA Warns China Rare Earth Export Curbs Could Threaten $6.5 Trillion in Global Production 
South Korea Raises Interest Rates to 2.75% as Inflation and Weak Won Drive Tightening 
China Home Prices Fall Again in June Despite Slower Pace of Decline 
Dollar Slides as Softer US Inflation Dims Fed Rate Hike Expectations 
U.S. Imposes 25% Tariff on Select Brazilian Imports After Section 301 Trade Investigation 
China Trade Surplus Hits $125.6 Billion as June Exports, Imports Smash Forecasts 
Port of Los Angeles Posts Record June Cargo Volume as Importers Rush Ahead of U.S. Tariffs 
US Stock Futures Hold Steady as Soft Inflation Data Eases Fed Rate Hike Fears 
Asian Currencies Hold Steady as Middle East Tensions Offset Weaker US Dollar 
ECB's Kocher Says No Inflation Spillover Yet From Iran Conflict, Warns Risks Remain 
Oil Prices Rise as U.S. Strikes on Iran Raise Strait of Hormuz Supply Fears 
Asian Stocks Slide as Oil Surge, U.S.-Iran Tensions and Fed Rate Bets Weigh on Markets 
Asian Stocks Rise as Softer U.S. Inflation Boosts Sentiment Despite Middle East Tensions 
US Inflation Expected to Ease in June, but Fed Rate Hike Risks Persist Amid Middle East Tensions 
Gold prices advanced in Asian trading on Friday and were on track to secure a fourth consecutive month of gains in November, supported by growing expectations that the U.S. Federal Reserve will begin cutting interest rates next month. Spot gold rose 0.6% to $4,183.01 an ounce by 01:21 ET (05:21 GMT), extending a strong rally driven by increased safe-haven demand and shifting monetary policy sentiment.
Although bullion briefly dipped in the previous session, investors quickly returned to gold as confidence strengthened around a potential rate cut at the Fed’s December 9–10 meeting. According to CME FedWatch, traders are now pricing in an 82.8% probability of a 25-basis-point cut—up dramatically from just 28.5% a week earlier. Dovish comments from Fed officials combined with soft U.S. economic data have amplified expectations for easing, further boosting gold’s appeal.
Gold has gained 4.6% so far in November and is up nearly 3% this week alone. The broader metals market also benefited from a weaker U.S. dollar. Platinum surged 2.4% to $1,643.04 per ounce, while silver jumped 1.3% to $54.0905 per ounce, putting it back near record highs. Both metals recorded strong monthly performances, rising 4.5% and 11.3%, respectively.
However, trading activity across commodities was disrupted on Friday due to an outage at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. A cooling issue at CyrusOne data centers halted futures trading for gold, platinum, copper, and silver, with the last recorded trades showing at 00:00 ET (05:00 GMT). The outage added to already slow market volumes following the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday.
Despite the temporary disruption, sentiment in the precious metals market remains upbeat as investors position themselves for potential monetary easing and continue to seek safe-haven assets amid lingering geopolitical tensions.
