#global-markets

#global-markets

Gold soars past $5,500 an ounce as US President Donald Trump renews threats against Iran. Gold prices have set a new record amid United States President Donald Trump's threats of military action against Iran and the weakness of the US dollar. Bullion surged past $5,500 an ounce on Thursday, extending an extraordinary rally that has seen the precious metal gain more than 20 percent in value since the start of the year.

Markets are operating in a fragmented geopolitical environment where security concerns increasingly shape trade, investment, and technology policy. Geopolitical tensions, supply chains disruptions, and intense competition in areas such as artificial intelligence are influencing where capital flows and how risks are priced. Although US growth remains relatively strong, it exists alongside ongoing geopolitical uncertainty, stubborn services inflation, and uneven global policy direction.

Asian markets closed out the week on a negative footing, as the tech-sector rout from Wall Street spilled across the globe. Meanwhile, a raft of concerning data points out of China saw weak retail sales, industrial production, and home price figures. This had a particular impact on tech-focused consumer firms such as Alibaba and JD.com. The weakness in both consumer and business indicators signalled a need to be cautious in the region.

Global markets have fallen after a tech sell-off that fuelled Wall Street's worst day in a month and weak economic data in China showing an unprecedented slump in investment. Japan's tech-heavy Nikkei fell 1.8% on Friday, South Korea's Kospi plunged 2.6% and there was a 1.5% fall in Australia, after a torrid day on Wall Street as Nvidia and other tech companies tumbled over valuation concerns.

Global stock markets fell sharply and gold hit a record high after two US regional banks said they had been exposed to millions of dollars of bad loans and alleged fraud. Signs of credit stress rattled markets across Europe and Asia. In London the FTSE 100 fell 1.5%, Germany's Dax fell 2%, the Ibex in Spain was off 0.8% and France's Cac 40 dropped 1.5%, before recovering some ground.

Rarely does a 29-page scholarly paper merit the attention of top-level executives, but every business leader should be familiar with a recent study from OpenAI. It's the best description yet of how AI can handle real-world tasks, showing which AI models are excelling, and hinting at what it all means for humans in the years ahead. The paper can be heavy going, but you can get a masterful summary from our AI Editor, Jeremy Kahn.

Brand executives clearly sense a more unpredictable and volatile market. They are being asked to manage risk while also delivering on growth objectives.

The two countries have agreed to a new trade consultation mechanism, suggesting a warming in relations as tensions eased after recent tariffs.

Germany's extreme fiscal conservatism, criticized in the past, is now rewarded as investors flock to safe-haven assets like bunds amidst global market turmoil.

Realme is set to launch the GT7 in China on April 23, featuring a Dimensity 9400+ SoC and a 7,000 mAh battery with 100W fast charging.