South Korea’s KOSPI Plunges as Apple Price Hikes and OpenAI IPO Delay Shake AI Chip Stocks 
Morgan Stanley Sees Chinese Auto Market Recovery Gaining Momentum in Late Summer 
Malaysia Central Bank Moves to Support Ringgit Amid Foreign Fund Outflows 
Gold Drops Below $4,000 as Strong US Dollar and Fed Rate Hike Expectations Pressure Bullion 
Asian Currencies Trade Mixed as Yen Hovers Near 40-Year Low, Dollar Holds Firm on Fed Outlook 
S&P Affirms Brazil’s BB Credit Rating with Stable Outlook Amid Fiscal Challenges 
Asian Markets Rally as Micron and Qualcomm AI Outlook Lifts Global Tech Stocks 
Bessent Says U.S. Must Strengthen Supply Chains and Economic Security 
Wall Street Ends Mixed as Tech Stocks Struggle Ahead of Micron Earnings 
Japan Signals Preference for Low Interest Rates as BOJ Policy Debate Intensifies 
South Korea Remains MSCI Emerging Market Despite Reform Progress 
Gold Prices Fall Below $4,000 as Strong Dollar, Fed Rate Hike Bets Weigh on Bullion 
Gold Prices Rise Above $4,000 as Inflation Data and Weaker Dollar Boost Demand 
Iran Attack in Strait of Hormuz Pushes Oil Prices Higher 
US Dollar Slips After PCE Inflation Data Eases Fed Rate Hike Expectations 
Australia Jobs Growth Strengthens Rate Hike Outlook 
Asian Stocks Sink as Apple Price Hikes Spark AI Valuation Fears, South Korea and Japan Lead Selloff 
Gold prices edged up in Asian trading on Monday, recovering modestly after a turbulent week marked by sharp volatility tied to escalating geopolitical tensions between the United States and Iran. Spot gold climbed 0.4% to $4,509.51 per ounce, while gold futures similarly gained 0.4%, reaching $4,537.40 per ounce. The precious metal had plunged to a weekly low of $4,000 per ounce before rebounding close to $4,500 by Friday's close.
Other precious metals showed mixed performance. Spot silver slipped 0.9% to $69.09 per ounce, while platinum outperformed with a 1.8% gain, settling at $1,898.73 per ounce.
Analysts at OCBC cautioned that gold's recovery from recent lows looks largely technical rather than fundamentally driven. They pointed out that prices had dropped nearly 20% since the Iran conflict began, and while bearish momentum shows early signs of cooling — with the relative strength index climbing out of oversold territory — the road to a sustained recovery remains uncertain. Key resistance levels to watch are $4,624, $4,670, and $4,850 per ounce. According to OCBC, a lasting rebound would require gold to break above and hold those thresholds. Persistent energy price inflation poses an additional headwind, as it could push Treasury yields higher and weigh on gold's appeal.
Geopolitical risk continued to dominate sentiment after Yemen's Houthi rebels, backed by Iran, launched fresh attacks on Israel over the weekend. The group's potential to disrupt Red Sea shipping lanes adds another layer of uncertainty to global markets. Iran has signaled readiness for a U.S. ground offensive, while Washington has been reportedly mobilizing thousands of troops to the region. President Trump indicated that diplomatic negotiations with Iran are progressing and that a deal may be near, though no concrete timeline was provided. He also extended the deadline for potential strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure to early April, keeping markets on edge.
