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Gold and silver prices broke all previous records – SUCH TV
Gold, silver, and platinum hit record highs on Friday, as speculative momentum and thinning year-end liquidity powered the precious metals, along with markets pricing in more US rate cuts, and rising geopolitical tension.
Spot gold rose 0.6% to $4,504.79 per ounce, as of 0423 GMT, after touching a record $4,530.60 earlier, while US gold futures for February delivery climbed 0.7% to $4,535.20.
Spot silver jumped 3.6% to $74.56 per ounce, after touching an all-time high of $75.14.
“Momentum-driven and speculative players have been powering the rally in gold and silver since early December, with thin year-end liquidity, expectations of prolonged US rate cuts, a weaker dollar and a flare-up in geopolitical risks combining to push precious metals to fresh record highs,” said Kelvin Wong, senior market analyst at OANDA.
“Looking ahead into the first half of 2026, gold could move towards the $5,000 level, while silver has the potential to reach around $90.”
Gold has staged a strong rally this year, recording its biggest annual gain since 1979, fueled by Federal Reserve policy easing, geopolitical uncertainty, strong central bank demand, rising ETF holdings, and ongoing de-dollarisation. Silver soared 158% year-to-date, outpacing gold’s nearly 72% gain, on structural deficits, its listing as a US critical mineral, and robust industrial demand.
With traders pricing in two US rate cuts next year, non-yielding assets like gold are likely to remain well-supported in a low-interest-rate environment.
On the geopolitical front, the US is focusing on enforcing a “quarantine” of Venezuelan oil for the next two months. On Thursday, it struck Islamic State militants in northwest Nigeria over attacks on local Christian communities.
Spot platinum rose 7.8% to $2,393.40 per ounce, after touching an all-time high of $2,429.98 earlier, while palladium climbed 5.2% to $1,771.14, following a three-year high in the previous session. All precious metals are headed for weekly gains.
Platinum and palladium, widely used in automotive catalytic converters, have surged on tight supply, tariff uncertainty, and rotation from gold investment demand, with platinum up roughly 165% and palladium more than 90% year-to-date.
“Platinum prices are being supported by strong industrial demand, and stockists in the US have been covering positions amid sanctions-related concerns, which is helping keep prices elevated,” said Jigar Trivedi, senior research analyst at Reliance Securities based in Mumbai.
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Hetero rolls out generic semaglutide exports to over 75 countries – The Times of India
Hyderabad: Pharma player Hetero on Friday said it has rolled out exports of its generic semaglutide injection portfolio as part of a multi-year plan to widen access to treatments for type 2 diabetes and obesity in more than 75 countries.The Hyderabad-based pharmaceutical company said initial rollouts are under way in Africa, Asia and the Middle East, with additional launches planned in other markets subject to regulatory approvals.The injectable therapies will be sold under the brand names Truglyx, Rolmodl and Moto G. Semaglutide belongs to the GLP-1 class of medicines, which are used in diabetes care and weight management.Hetero said the export launch is part of its broader strategy to improve access to advanced cardio-metabolic therapies, particularly in emerging markets.The company said the products will be offered in multi-dose disposable pen devices designed in line with innovator formats and will be available in several strengths, including 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, 1 mg, 2 mg, 1.7 mg and 2.4 mg, allowing dosing flexibility for both diabetes and obesity treatment.Hetero said it is also awaiting approval from India’s Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) after completing clinical trials in type 2 diabetes and obesity and plans an India launch after regulatory clearance.Hetero managing director Dr Vamsi Krishna Bandi said the company aims to provide high-quality, affordable generic semaglutide through a single global product platform backed by its manufacturing and development capabilities.He said Hetero would use its commercial networks across Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America to support supply and access. The Hyderabad-headquartered Hetero operates in more than 145 countries and employs over 30,000 people.
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India-US trade deal update: Piyush Goyal meets USTR Jamieson Greer, discusses next steps in BTA talks – The Times of India
Commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal on Friday met US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and reviewed the next steps in negotiations for the proposed India-US bilateral trade agreement (BTA).The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 14th ministerial conference (MC14) of the World Trade Organisation in Yaounde, Cameroon, where both sides also exchanged views on issues related to the WTO agenda.“Had a very productive discussion with @USTradeRep Jamieson Greer on the sidelines of the WTO Ministerial Conference. Exchanged views on the #WTOMC14 agenda, next steps in the India-US BTA negotiations and explored ways to further deepen our economic cooperation and bilateral trade ties,” Goyal said in a social media post.The development comes amid ongoing efforts by both countries to finalise an interim trade pact. Last month, India and the US announced that they had finalised a framework for the first phase of the agreement, though it is yet to be signed.The two sides had earlier announced a trade deal on February 2, followed by a joint statement on February 7 outlining the contours of the agreement.As part of the framework, the US had agreed to reduce tariffs on Indian goods to 18%. However, the tariff structure has since undergone changes after the US Supreme Court struck down sweeping tariffs imposed under earlier measures.Following the ruling, US President Donald Trump introduced a 10% tariff on all countries for a period of 150 days starting February 24.In view of these developments, a planned meeting between chief negotiators of India and the US — aimed at finalising the legal text of the agreement — has been postponed. The pact was earlier expected to be signed this month.An official had earlier said that the interim trade agreement would be signed once the new global tariff framework of the US is fully in place.
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