Evening digest: Trump-Putin talks are stalled, Sarkozy begins prison term, gold crashes

Political Developments - The planned Trump-Putin summit is in jeopardy due to Moscow's refusal to agree to an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine, with a key preparatory meeting already postponed [4][6] - Washington perceives Russia's stance as inflexible, leading to hesitance in moving forward with the summit unless Moscow shows flexibility [6] Legal and Political News - Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has begun serving a five-year prison sentence related to illegal campaign financing from the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, marking a historic moment as he is the first modern French ex-president to be imprisoned [8][9] Commodity Market Insights - Gold prices experienced a significant drop of over 6%, the largest decline in more than five years, following a record high of $4,381 per ounce [10][11] - The decline in gold prices is attributed to profit-taking by traders, a strengthening US dollar, and reduced fear-driven demand as optimism grows regarding US-China trade talks [10][11] Corporate Governance Changes - Novo Nordisk's board chair, Helge Lund, along with six other board members, will not seek re-election following a clash with the controlling shareholder, the Novo Nordisk Foundation, regarding board composition [13][14] - This board shake-up occurs amid broader leadership changes within the company, including the recent firing of CEO Lars Fruergaard Jorgensen, as Novo Nordisk aims to reset its direction after challenges in the obesity drug market [14]