Ireland Limits Planned Trade Ban on Israeli Settlements to Goods Only 
Bank of Korea Downplays Liquidity’s Role in Weak Won and Housing Price Surge 
ASX Shares Slide After ASIC Imposes A$150 Million Capital Requirement 
Korea Zinc Plans $6.78 Billion U.S. Smelter Investment With Government Partnership 
Australian Consumer Sentiment Slumps in Early December as Inflation Fears Resurface 
Russia Stocks End Flat as Energy and Retail Shares Show Mixed Performance 
Asian Technology and Chipmaking Stocks Slide as AI Spending Concerns Shake Markets 
Fed Near Neutral Signals Caution Ahead, Shifting Focus to Fixed Income in 2026 
Korea Zinc to Build $7.4 Billion Critical Minerals Refinery in Tennessee With U.S. Government Backing 
Oil Prices Slip in Asia as 2026 Supply Glut Fears and Russia-Ukraine Talks Weigh on Markets 
China’s Small Bank Consolidation Struggles as Profits Fall and Risks Persist 
Japan PMI Data Signals Manufacturing Stabilization as Services Continue to Drive Growth 
Asian Currencies Trade Sideways as Dollar Weakens Ahead of Key U.S. Data 
U.S. Dollar Slips Near Two-Month Low as Markets Await Key Jobs Data and Central Bank Decisions 
Global Markets Slide as Tech Stocks Sink, Yields Rise, and AI Concerns Deepen 
Gold and Silver Prices Dip as Markets Await Key U.S. Economic Data 
Gold Prices Slip Slightly in Asia as Silver Nears Record Highs on Dovish Fed Outlook 
Gold Prices Stabilize as Demand for Safe Haven Assets Grows
Gold prices saw a slight increase in Asian trading on Thursday, recovering from recent lows but still below record highs due to ongoing anxiety surrounding the U.S. presidential election and shifting interest rate expectations favoring the dollar.
Despite Wednesday’s declines, gold continues to trade higher for the week, supported by strong safe-haven demand. As of 00:23 ET (04:23 GMT), spot gold rose 0.3% to $2,724.70 an ounce, while December gold futures increased by the same margin to $2,737.15 an ounce. Earlier this week, spot prices reached a peak of $2,758.53 an ounce.
Safe Haven Demand Drives Gold Prices
The yellow metal maintains its strength as geopolitical tensions and domestic political uncertainty keeps investors wary. Harsh rhetoric from Israeli officials regarding Iran has heightened fears of potential escalations in the ongoing conflict, while tensions continue between Israel and Hamas.
In the U.S., Republican nominee Donald Trump is perceived to be gaining an advantage over Vice President Kamala Harris just weeks before the election, leading to a climate of uncertainty that favors safe haven assets like gold.
Broader Market Trends in Precious Metals
The strengthening of haven demand has helped gold and other precious metals withstand the dollar's gains, supported by expectations of slower interest rate cuts. Other precious metals also recorded gains, with platinum futures up 0.7% to $1,037.80 an ounce and silver futures rising 0.6% to $34.050 an ounce.
Industrial Metals Update: Copper Prices Rise
In the industrial metals sector, copper prices rose by 0.7% to $9,581.50 a ton, while December futures climbed to $4.3637 a pound. Market attention is now focused on upcoming purchasing managers index reports from the U.S. and Eurozone, with traders looking for indications of potential fiscal stimulus in China.
