Silver Rises Over 120% YTD 
Major central banks are taking divergent policy paths as U.S. tariffs create different challenges across the global economy. While the U.S. Federal Reserve holds rates steady due to inflation concerns, the Swiss National Bank is considering negative rates to combat currency strength, and the Bank of Japan maintains a potential hiking bias despite growing caution. The article outlines the current positions of ten developed-market central banks, with many European and Pacific nations cutting rates or signaling future cuts while dealing with the disinflationary effects of stronger currencies against the dollar and the broader impact of trade tensions.
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Oil Crashed 11%. Gold Went Up. That Tells You Everything.
Oil crashed 11% on Friday when Iran reopened the Strait of Hormuz. Gold went up. That rare divergence — oil down, gold up, same catalyst — signals that gold’s rally is driven by monetary forces, not geopolitical ones. The war premium left oil. The monetary premium stayed in gold. Here is what that means for precious metals investors watching the Fed’s next move.
April 17, 2026
