Express News | The U.S. PPI recorded its largest increase since 2022, driven by rising energy costs.
India significantly raised the import tariffs on gold and silver to 15% in a bid to curb imports and strengthen the rupee.
India announced an increase in import duties on gold and silver from 6% to 15%. Prime Minister Modi appealed to the public to avoid purchasing gold for a year to alleviate the trade deficit and help protect foreign exchange reserves. As the world's second-largest consumer of precious metals, industry insiders anticipate that the significant rise in tariffs will lead to a further decline in compliant imports, directly suppressing physical gold demand.
Express News | India raises basic customs duty on gold and silver imports from 5% to 10%.
What does the April CPI imply? 'New Fed Wire': Rate cuts are no longer a 2026 story, and Kevin Warsh is in trouble.
Nick Timiraos believes that the April CPI will not alter the fundamental stance of hawks or doves within the Federal Reserve, but if subsequent data continues in this vein, the doves will find themselves in a more difficult position. Future discussions within the Fed will largely hinge on whether fuel and commodity shipments in the Persian Gulf can return to normal. Should disruptions persist, it will become increasingly challenging to marginalize the topic of interest rate hikes in internal deliberations. Analysts note that traders are increasingly inclined to believe that the Fed may not cut interest rates at all this year, and if they do, such action is more likely to be delayed until later in the year. Some institutions have begun discussing the potential need for further rate hikes.
UBS Group continues to be bullish on gold, citing multiple supportive factors. Gold prices are still expected to hit new highs within the year.
Teves pointed out that the factors driving this rise in gold prices remain stable—primarily supported by expanding demand from private investors and central banks. Amid increasing macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainties, gold is gradually becoming a core component of investment portfolios.
The UAE involved in the conflict? Reports claim it secretly attacked Iran, hitting an oil refinery on an island in the Persian Gulf in April.
According to reports, the UAE has long attempted to maintain a relatively balanced position between Iran and the West. However, as Iran's ongoing missile and drone attacks on the UAE territory continue to impact key industries such as aviation, tourism, and real estate, the UAE government’s stance has shifted, increasingly favoring the use of its advanced military capabilities to directly counter the Iranian threat. Following the report, crude oil prices extended their gains, with West Texas Intermediate (WTI) climbing towards $99 per barrel.