Australian Household Spending Rebounds Strongly in May as Travel and Dining Drive Consumer Growth 
Trump Requests $11 Billion More in Farm Aid as Rising Costs Pressure U.S. Farmers 
Oil Prices Drop as Strait of Hormuz Shipping Recovers 
Bank Regulation Rollbacks in the U.S. and UK Could Increase Financial Risks, Study Warns 
Japan Signals Preference for Low Interest Rates as BOJ Policy Debate Intensifies 
Gold Falls Below $4,000 as Strong Dollar and Fed Rate Hike Expectations Weigh on Prices 
Morgan Stanley Sees Chinese Auto Market Recovery Gaining Momentum in Late Summer 
Asian Stocks Sink as Apple Price Hikes Spark AI Valuation Fears, South Korea and Japan Lead Selloff 
US Dollar Slips After PCE Inflation Data as Fed Rate Hike Expectations Stay Elevated 
Iran Attack in Strait of Hormuz Pushes Oil Prices Higher 
World Bank Approves $1.1 Billion Emergency Funding for Bangladesh Amid Food and Energy Price Pressures 
Oil Prices Rebound as Strait of Hormuz Tensions Return After Ship Attack Near Oman 
Asian Currencies Trade Mixed as Yen Hovers Near 40-Year Low, Dollar Holds Firm on Fed Outlook 
South Korea’s KOSPI Plunges as Apple Price Hikes and OpenAI IPO Delay Shake AI Chip Stocks 
BOJ Hawk Signals Faster Interest Rate Hikes Amid Inflation Risks 
Wall Street Ends Mixed as Micron Surges, Apple Drops After Price Hikes 
Gold prices declined in Asian trading on Friday, with spot gold dropping 0.8% to $3,214.90 per ounce and June futures down 0.3% to $3,217.65. The precious metal is on track for its steepest weekly loss since November 2024, falling about 3.2% as easing tensions between the U.S. and China reduced demand for safe-haven assets.
The recent agreement between Washington and Beijing to temporarily lower trade tariffs boosted global risk appetite, prompting a rally in equities and risk-driven assets. This shift in sentiment led traders to lock in profits from gold’s recent record highs. Additionally, strength in the U.S. dollar and rising Treasury yields applied further downward pressure on gold prices.
Despite the decline, gold remains above the key $3,000/oz level. Market participants are cautiously awaiting a more definitive trade resolution between the U.S. and China, while soft U.S. economic data continues to cloud the growth outlook.
Other precious metals also faced losses. Platinum futures fell 0.5% to $989.90/oz, and silver futures slipped 0.3% to $32.593/oz, both set for weekly declines alongside gold.
In the industrial metals segment, copper prices edged lower on Friday. London Metal Exchange copper dipped 0.2% to $9,567.30 per ton, and U.S. copper futures also lost 0.2% to $4.6695 per pound. Despite the dip, copper held onto weekly gains driven by optimism over China’s economic prospects.
Traders now look ahead to key Chinese economic indicators, including industrial production and retail sales data due Monday, followed by the People’s Bank of China’s loan prime rate decision on Tuesday, which could signal further stimulus measures.
