Trump Threatens 100% Tariffs on Countries Imposing Digital Services Taxes on U.S. Tech Firms 
SpaceX Eyes Starlink Mobile Phone Service to Challenge Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile 
China Factory PMI Seen Returning to Growth in June as AI Export Demand Supports Economy 
China Expands Export Controls, Adds 20 Japanese Companies to Restricted List 
Asian Currencies Trade Mixed as Yen Hovers Near 40-Year Low, Dollar Holds Firm on Fed Outlook 
US Dollar Slips After PCE Inflation Data as Fed Rate Hike Expectations Stay Elevated 
Gold Prices Fall Below $4,000 as Strong Dollar, Fed Rate Hike Bets Weigh on Bullion 
Gold Price Ends Lower for Fourth Week Despite Rebound as Fed Rate Hike Bets Strengthen 
South Korea’s KOSPI Plunges as Apple Price Hikes and OpenAI IPO Delay Shake AI Chip Stocks 
Wall Street Ends Mixed as Micron Surges, Apple Drops After Price Hikes 
S&P Affirms Brazil’s BB Credit Rating with Stable Outlook Amid Fiscal Challenges 
Oil Prices Drop as Middle East Supply Recovery Eases Market Concerns 
Oil Prices Rebound as Strait of Hormuz Tensions Return After Ship Attack Near Oman 
Japan Targets 1%+ Real Economic Growth With ¥370 Trillion Investment Plan 
Asian Stocks Sink as Apple Price Hikes Spark AI Valuation Fears, South Korea and Japan Lead Selloff 
Oil Prices Rise as US-Iran Tensions Threaten Strait of Hormuz Oil Shipments 
Gold prices remained steady on Monday, hovering near recent record highs as safe-haven demand surged due to concerns over a U.S. economic slowdown and escalating trade tensions. Spot gold edged up 0.1% to $2,940.18 an ounce, while April gold futures held at $2,952.97 an ounce.
Last week, the precious metal hit an all-time high of $2,954.97 an ounce, driven by market uncertainty following weak U.S. economic data and President Donald Trump’s renewed tariff threats. Sluggish services PMI and consumer sentiment reports raised fears of slowing private spending, adding to worries sparked by lower-than-expected January retail sales.
A weakening U.S. dollar further supported gold’s rally. The dollar index slipped 0.3% to a 2.5-month low, while Treasury yields declined, fueling expectations of more interest rate cuts. This also impacted other metals, with platinum futures rising 0.6% to $994.0 an ounce, while silver remained flat at $32.998 an ounce.
Industrial metals saw mixed movement. London Metal Exchange copper futures fell 0.2% to $9,535.95 per ton, while March copper futures steadied at $4.6170 per pound. Copper has surged in recent weeks, supported by optimism over China’s economic outlook.
With ongoing inflation concerns, trade policy uncertainty, and economic headwinds, investors continue to seek gold as a hedge against volatility, keeping the metal near its historic highs.
