Gold and Silver Industry & Investing News

At its July meeting, the Federal Reserve chose to keep interest rates steady, rejecting President Trump’s calls for a rate cut. The decision came in a 9-2 vote, marking the first time in decades with two dissenting members who favored easing rates, believing inflation was under control. Fed Chair Jerome Powell explained that inflation remains above the 2% target, and the economy’s strength justifies holding rates for now. Recent data shows inflation rose slightly in June, influenced partly by new trade tariffs, which are beginning to affect prices on goods like appliances and groceries.

Gold is experiencing a strong rally, reaching record prices driven by geopolitical tensions, economic uncertainty, and heavy central bank buying. Although the recent gold price highs invite comparisons to the 1980 peak during a period of extreme inflation and political turmoil, today’s economic conditions are different—current inflation and unemployment are lower, and markets are generally healthier. Central banks now actively buy gold, unlike in the 1980s when they were mostly sellers. This shift, combined with rising geopolitical risks, supports gold’s role as a key safe-haven asset, potentially sustaining its high value.

Both President Trump and Democratic leaders are making conflicting and sometimes misleading claims about inflation and price changes during Trump’s current term. Trump says prices for groceries, energy, and eggs have fallen, while Democrats say costs keep rising. Experts note many factors affect prices—like tariffs, weather, disease outbreaks, and global markets—so it’s too soon to fully judge the impact of policies. For instance, grocery and beef prices rose due to tariffs and supply issues, while egg prices fell mainly because the bird flu eased. Gasoline prices are steady but not as low as Trump claims, and electricity costs have gone...

In its Q2 2025 Gold Demand Trends report, the World Gold Council (WGC) says total gold demand, including over‑the‑counter trades, rose 3 % year‑on‑year to 1,249 tonnes amid geopolitical uncertainty. Gold ETF inflows of 170 t in Q2 and 397 t in the first half were the strongest since 2020, while bar and coin demand grew 11 % to 307 t, led by a 44 % surge in Chinese investment and solid Indian buying. Central banks added 166 t of gold—slower than previous quarters but still high, and jewellery demand fell 14 % due to high prices. WGC analyst Louise...

The World Gold Council reported that worldwide gold demand (including over‑the‑counter trading) increased 3 % year‑on‑year to 1,248.8 metric tons in Q2 2025. Investment demand jumped 78 % as exchange‑traded funds posted their largest semi‑annual inflows since 2020, offsetting a 14 % slump in jewellery consumption. High prices deterred buyers in China and India, pushing global jewellery demand to its lowest since late‑2020. Central‑bank purchases fell 21 % in the quarter but remained significant at about 166.5 tons.

After the Federal Reserve left its key interest rate unchanged on July 30, former President Donald Trump lashed out at Chair Jerome Powell on social media, calling him “too late” and “too political”. Trump has repeatedly threatened to fire Powell for not cutting rates, yet legal experts note that the president cannot remove the Fed chair without cause because the central bank’s independence is protected by law. Powell himself has said that board members are only removable “for cause” and that bipartisan support makes any change unlikely.

Visa plans to broaden its settlement platform by adding two new U.S.‑dollar‑backed stablecoins (Global Dollar and PayPal USD) and two additional blockchains (Stellar and Avalanche) alongside existing support for Ethereum and Solana. Visa executive Rubail Birwadker said the company is building a “multicoin and multichain foundation” and believes that trusted, scalable stablecoins could transform global money movement. The platform will also let select partners settle in a euro‑denominated stablecoin, EURC, aiming to make Visa’s crypto‑settlement infrastructure more versatile across currencies and networks.

The U.S. dollar index climbed while MSCI’s global equities gauge fell as investors digested signs of rising U.S. inflation and braced for Trump’s Aug 1 trade‑deal. June inflation rose because tariffs pushed up import costs, and weekly jobless claims were lower than expected. The Federal Reserve kept rates steady and said it needed more data before adjusting policy, adding to market caution. Small‑cap stocks lagged sharply, oil prices slid on trade concerns and gold edged up 0.51 % as investors sought a safe haven.

Gold gained 0.6 % to around $3,294.56/oz as traders sought protection before Trump’s Aug 1 deadline for higher tariffs. Spot silver, platinum and palladium hit multi‑week lows, underscoring the broader market’s caution. The president extended the U.S.–Mexico trade deal by 90 days and announced multiple tariff hikes on other countries. June inflation climbed 0.3 % as import duties raised consumer prices, while the Federal Reserve held rates steady and signaled no immediate cuts.

Gold rose about 0.3 % to $3,299.54/oz on Friday after President Trump surprised markets by slapping steep tariffs on exports from Canada, Brazil, India and Taiwan. Despite the uptick, bullion was still down 1.4 % for the week and analysts said a strong jobs report could push prices towards $3,200. Investors are awaiting the U.S. July non‑farm payrolls data after June inflation rose 0.3 % as tariffs boosted import costs. The Federal Reserve kept rates in the 4.25 – 4.5 % range on July 31, dampening hopes of a September cut.