HSBC Survey: Gold Allocations More Than Double Amid Market Uncertainty

A new HSBC survey reveals a growing appetite among affluent investors for alternative assets — and gold is taking center stage. Over half of respondents said they plan to invest in alternatives like private market funds and hedge funds in the next 12 months, doubling their current exposure. Notably, gold saw the largest jump of any asset class. Portfolio allocations to gold have more than doubled from 5% to 11%, with nearly half of investors planning to add it in the year ahead. Physical gold remains a favored safe haven, especially in uncertain markets, while younger investors are also showing […]

June Inflation Hits 4-Month High as Import Costs Rise

Inflation ticked up in June to its highest level in four months, reaching 2.7% year-over-year. While the rise was expected, signs are growing that tariffs are playing a bigger role in pushing prices higher for everyday goods. Items like appliances, toys, video equipment, and home linens — many of which depend on imports — saw notable price spikes. Large retailers had been holding the line on prices thanks to excess inventory stockpiled before tariffs took effect. But those inventories are now shrinking, and consumers are beginning to feel the impact. While inflation is still considered manageable, economists say the cumulative […]

Trump Threatens Blanket 10–15% Tariff Rate on 150+ Countries

President Trump has announced plans to notify over 150 countries of a new standardized tariff rate — likely 10% or 15% — as part of a sweeping expansion of his trade agenda. These letters, which will be sent out soon, effectively serve as notice that tariffs will take effect unless new trade terms are agreed upon before August 1. While Trump claims these letters are “deals,” many of the targeted countries — mostly smaller economies — are left scrambling. Economists say this move may offer some predictability, but also signals ongoing volatility. Key U.S. trade partners like the EU and […]

Tariffs Begin to Bite as Inflation Creeps Higher

New government data shows that prices for import-heavy goods like clothing, furniture, and coffee surged last month, pointing to the early effects of President Trump’s tariffs. Tariff-related price spikes were most noticeable in categories with slim profit margins, where companies are passing along the added costs to consumers. Still, analysts say the broader rise in inflation — which reached 2.7% in June — is driven more by housing and food, not tariffs. The average U.S. household is now paying an extra $2,800 annually due to the tariff burden, the Yale Budget Lab estimates. More levies, including a proposed 50% tariff […]

Fed’s Williams Warns: Inflation Rising, Tariff Effects Just Starting

John Williams, President of the New York Fed, believes current interest rates are appropriately “modestly restrictive,” giving the central bank space to monitor economic developments. But he warns that the full economic impact of tariffs hasn’t hit yet — and it’s coming. Williams expects tariffs to increase inflation by 1 percentage point through early next year, pushing inflation to as high as 3.5% in the near term before cooling to 2.5% in 2026, with a return to the 2% target only by 2027. He also sees GDP slowing to just 1% and unemployment ticking up to 4.5% by year-end. While […]

Why China Still Dominates Rare Earths – And How the West Can Catch Up

Rare earth elements, essential for everything from EVs to missile systems, aren’t actually that scarce. The real bottleneck lies in refining — a complex, costly, and often environmentally messy process. China dominates that stage, accounting for over 90% of global refined output, thanks to government subsidies that let its companies accept razor-thin margins. Western miners prefer extracting raw materials, which is more profitable than refining. But this hands-off approach has left a strategic vulnerability. As prices fall, non-Chinese refiners can’t compete without help. Governments in the U.S., South Korea, and France are now stepping in with subsidies, price guarantees, and […]

Ruthenium: The Tiny Metal Powering Big Tech

An under-the-radar metal is outperforming major commodities, and AI is the reason. Ruthenium — a rare element used in electronics and data storage — has soared to $800 an ounce, nearly doubling in a year. Unlike gold and silver, it isn’t traded on exchanges, and supply is extremely limited. As AI expands, so does the need for cheap, high-density data storage, and ruthenium delivers. But with production falling and demand climbing, the market is heading toward a deficit. While gold remains the cornerstone of monetary defense, ruthenium’s rise offers a compelling look at how emerging technologies can drive raw material […]

Gold Drops from Recent Highs as Trump Says Powell Stays

Gold prices dipped Thursday as the U.S. dollar strengthened, following comments from President Trump stating he does not plan to remove Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. This statement eased investor concerns, pulling gold back after a brief rally sparked by earlier rumors that Trump was considering Powell’s removal. Spot gold fell 0.5% to $3,330.21, while U.S. gold futures dropped 0.7%. Analysts say gold remains range-bound between $3,300 and $3,400 as traders await U.S. economic data and Fed commentary. Silver, platinum, and palladium also saw modest declines.

ING: Gold In Need of a Fresh Catalyst

Gold’s momentum has slowed since its all-time high in April, but the core drivers of the rally—central bank demand and global uncertainty—are still firmly in place. Central banks added 20 tonnes to reserves in May and have continued steady buying into June, with China marking eight straight months of additions. However, investor sentiment has softened, as seen in cooling ETF flows and fewer net long futures positions. With the U.S. threatening new tariffs and geopolitical tensions persisting, gold could soon break out of its holding pattern—especially if trade negotiations unravel.

China’s Gold ETFs Hit Record Inflows as Investment Demand Surges

China’s gold market had a strong first half of the year, with both domestic and international gold benchmarks seeing their best H1 performance in nine years. Despite a slower June, Chinese gold ETFs attracted record inflows of RMB 64 billion (about $8.8 billion), marking the largest semi-annual increase on record. Gold futures trading also surged on the Shanghai Futures Exchange. The People’s Bank of China continued its buying streak, adding 19 tonnes of gold in the first half. However, gold withdrawals from the Shanghai Gold Exchange dropped 18% year-over-year, and imports in May declined, reflecting softer physical demand.