Core Viewpoint - The international gold prices have reached new historical highs, with London spot gold and COMEX gold futures surpassing $4500 and $4550 respectively, marking a significant increase of over 70% for the year [1][3][5]. Price Movements - As of December 24, London spot gold peaked at $4525.83 per ounce and COMEX gold futures at $4555.1 per ounce, before settling at $4482.86 and $4516.8 respectively [3][5]. - Domestic gold jewelry prices have also surged, with several brands reporting prices exceeding 1400 RMB per gram for pure gold [7][9]. Market Predictions - Experts predict that international gold prices may continue to rise, potentially exceeding $5000 per ounce by 2026, driven by factors such as anticipated interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve and ongoing geopolitical tensions [5][6]. - The current supportive factors for gold prices include persistent safe-haven demand, a loose monetary environment, and strong structural buying [6]. Consumer Guidance - Consumers are advised to avoid impulsive purchases in the current high-price environment and consider staggered buying strategies to mitigate price risk [9][10]. - For those looking to invest, it is recommended to focus on standardized investment tools with low premium rates and good liquidity, rather than high-value decorative gold items [9].

Gold Spot U.S. Dollar surged to a new record high this week, trading at $4,497.82 per ounce and testing the psychological $4,500 barrier, triggering a significant quantitative breakout for three prominent gold-linked stocks.Breaking Into The Top DecileAlamos Gold Inc. (NYSE:AGI) , OR Royalties Inc. (NYSE:OR) , and Wheaton Precious Metals Corp. (NYSE:WPM) have all surged into the top 10th percentile of Benzinga Edge's Stock Ranking.The Benzinga Edge’s momentum ranking measures a stock’s relative strength bas ...

NEW YORK, NY / ACCESS Newswire / December 22, 2025 / For much of its history, compliance in the gold industry lived at the end of the process. Gold was sourced, refined, and traded first. Documentation followed. Audits came later. Trust was assumed unless challenged.That model is no longer holding.Across global gold markets, regulatory expectations have moved upstream. Responsible sourcing, AML, and ESG frameworks now demand proof that originates at the point of extraction and persists through every hand ...

Company News - UniFirst Corp (NYSE:UNF) received an acquisition proposal from Cintas Corporation (NASDAQ:CTAS) for $275 per share in cash, valuing UniFirst at approximately $5.2 billion, representing a 64% premium to its 90-day average closing price as of December 11, 2025 [2] - Adeia Inc (NASDAQ:ADEA) shares surged 28% to $16.38 after signing a long-term media IP license agreement with Disney and raising its 2025 outlook [8] - Sidus Space, Inc. (NASDAQ:SIDU) shares increased by 88% to $2.18 after being awarded a contract under the Missile Defense Agency's SHIELD IDIQ program [8] - Blacksky Technology Inc (NYSE:BKSY) shares rose 17% to $22.55 after Jefferies initiated coverage with a Buy rating and a price target of $23 [8] - Luminar Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:LAZR) shares dropped 61% to $0.24 after previously jumping around 175% on Friday, following the announcement of voluntary Chapter 11 proceedings [8] - EUDA Health Holdings Limited (NASDAQ:EUDA) shares fell 45% to $1.55 after announcing a strategic technology integration for its Digital Health and Rewards Platform [8] - Anebulo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:ANEB) shares decreased by 21% to $1.72 as the company announced its intent to commence a self tender offer [8] Market Performance - U.S. stocks traded higher, with the Dow Jones index gaining more than 150 points, up 0.39% to 48,322.06, NASDAQ up 0.46% to 23,417.50, and S&P 500 rising 0.46% to 6,866.26 [1] - In commodity news, oil traded up 2.1% to $57.71, gold up 1.8% to $4,464.20, silver up 2.2% to $68.94, while copper fell 0.2% to $5.4970 [5]

Market Overview - U.S. stocks experienced an upward trend, with the Nasdaq Composite increasing by over 100 points on Monday. The Dow rose by 0.18% to 48,222.17, the NASDAQ increased by 0.56% to 23,439.24, and the S&P 500 gained 0.45% to 6,864.96 [1] - Asian markets closed higher, with Japan's Nikkei 225 gaining 1.81%, Hong Kong's Hang Seng up 0.43%, China's Shanghai Composite rising 0.69%, and India's BSE Sensex increasing by 0.75% [6] Sector Performance - Energy shares rose by 1.3% on Monday, while utilities stocks fell by 0.5% [1] Commodity Prices - Oil prices increased by 2.2% to $57.75, gold rose by 1.7% to $4,463.30, silver was up 2.5% to $69.150, and copper fell by 0.1% to $5.5085 [4] European Market Performance - European shares were lower, with the eurozone's STOXX 600 declining by 0.3%, Spain's IBEX 35 Index falling by 0.2%, London's FTSE 100 down by 0.5%, Germany's DAX 40 decreasing by 0.3%, and France's CAC 40 dropping by 0.5% [5] Notable Stock Movements - Haoxin Holdings Limited (NASDAQ:HXHX) shares surged by 118% to $0.7513, while Sidus Space, Inc. (NASDAQ:SIDU) increased by 78% to $2.0650 after receiving a contract from the Missile Defense Agency [8] - Jyong Biotech Ltd. (NASDAQ:MENS) shares rose by 36% to $4.32 [8] - Luminar Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:LAZR) shares dropped by 60% to $0.2396 after announcing voluntary Chapter 11 proceedings [8] - EUDA Health Holdings Limited (NASDAQ:EUDA) shares fell by 25% to $2.09 following a strategic technology integration announcement [8] - Anebulo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:ANEB) shares decreased by 20% to $1.74 as the company announced a self tender offer [8]

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK / ACCESS Newswire / December 22, 2025 / For years, transparency in the global gold market advanced in theory faster than in practice. Standards evolved. Guidance tightened. And, expectations rose. Yet the most important part, implementation, lagged, constrained by fragmented systems that verified paperwork more easily than reality. That gap is now closing, and it is closing quickly.SMX (NASDAQ:SMX) deserves some credit. It's emerging as one of the most active drivers of that shift ...

Group 1: Gold Market Overview - Gold futures opened at $4,481.80 per troy ounce, marking a 0.3% increase from the previous closing price of $4,469.40, and this is the first time gold has opened above $4,400 [1] - Year-to-date, gold prices have surged by 73.6%, driven by strong demand from central banks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) [1] - The U.S. dollar index has declined by 9.8% in 2025, with the first half of the year witnessing the worst performance in 50 years, contributing to the rise in gold prices [2][3] Group 2: Price Changes and Historical Performance - The one-week gain in gold prices is 4.9%, while the one-month and one-year gains are 11.2% and 71.1%, respectively [7] - The current price of gold reflects a significant upward trend, with the highest gains observed in the second half of 2025 [4][7] Group 3: Investment Considerations - Investors should be aware of price risk when purchasing gold at high prices, as buying high in hopes of short-term gains can be challenging [9] - Gold is increasingly viewed as a diversification asset for both central banks and individual investors, recovering from decades of low prices [9] - Speculation risk is also a concern, as gold prices are influenced by unpredictable macroeconomic, political, and financial factors [11]

Core Viewpoint - Gold prices are experiencing upward momentum due to economic and geopolitical factors, with analysts anticipating further rate cuts from the Federal Reserve, which makes gold more attractive compared to yield-bearing assets [2][3]. Group 1: Current Gold Prices - Gold futures opened at $4,369.90 per troy ounce, slightly down from the previous closing price of $4,387.30, which was a record high since October [1]. - The price of gold reached $4,444 during early trading [1]. - The one-year gain for gold as of December 19 was 69% [3]. Group 2: Price Changes Over Time - The opening price of gold futures was 0.4% lower than the previous Friday's close [3]. - Over the past week, gold prices increased by 1.4%, by 8.4% over the past month, and by 67.7% over the past year [8]. Group 3: Factors Influencing Gold Prices - Economic and geopolitical conditions, including U.S.-Venezuelan tensions and anticipated Federal Reserve rate cuts, are significant drivers of gold prices [2]. - Key factors affecting gold prices include geopolitical events, central bank buying trends, inflation, interest rates, and mining production [11].

Summary of Conference Call on China Materials Industry Outlook Industry Overview - The conference call focused on the China materials industry, particularly in the context of an up-cycle expected to continue into 2026, driven by a supportive macro environment and supply disruptions affecting commodity prices [1][2]. Key Insights - **Commodity Price Support**: The macroeconomic environment is expected to weaken the DXY by another 5% into the first half of 2026, with three anticipated rate cuts from the Fed [2]. This is expected to support commodity prices, particularly for aluminum, copper, gold, lithium, and cobalt equities [1][2]. - **Energy Storage Demand**: Demand from Energy Storage Systems (ESS) is projected to grow approximately 50% in 2026, significantly impacting the consumption of copper, aluminum, and lithium [3]. ESS production is expected to increase from 350 GWh in 2024 to around 900 GWh in 2026, leading to potential deficits in aluminum and copper [3]. - **Supply Challenges**: The industry is facing significant supply challenges, particularly in copper and aluminum. Major mine accidents in 2025 have constrained supply growth, and Chinese copper smelters may reduce output by 10% in 2026 [4]. Additionally, aluminum production is threatened by potential shutdowns and power outages, leading to a projected deficit in 2026 [4]. - **Investment Opportunities**: Preferred investment opportunities highlighted include companies such as Zijin Mining, CMOC, Hongqiao, Chalco, JL Mag, Huayou Cobalt, and Huaxin Cement, which are expected to benefit from the favorable market conditions [2][4]. Additional Important Points - **Anti-involution Progress**: The industry is gradually addressing overproduction issues, particularly in coal and cement, with more stringent controls expected to take effect in 2026 [5]. - **Price Forecasts**: The conference provided updated price forecasts for various commodities, indicating a slight increase in aluminum and copper prices for 2026, with aluminum projected at $1.40 per lb and copper at $5.34 per lb [16]. - **Stock Recommendations**: A list of overweight stocks in the Greater China materials sector was provided, including JL Mag, Zhaojin, Huaxin, and Chalco, among others, with target price increases ranging from 10% to 51% [9][10]. - **Market Cap and Liquidity**: The report included details on market capitalization and average daily volume for recommended stocks, indicating strong liquidity for several key players in the sector [9][10]. This summary encapsulates the critical insights and recommendations from the conference call regarding the China materials industry, highlighting both opportunities and challenges ahead.

Gold (GC=F) futures opened at $4,334.30 per troy ounce on Tuesday, nearly even with Monday’s closing price of $4,335.20. The price of gold declined in early trading. The economy and interest-rate outlook continue to be areas of focus for investors. In separate speeches Monday, New York Fed President John Williams and Fed Governor Stephen Miran predicted slower inflation in 2026. Williams was positive about the 2026 outlook and monetary policy heading into the new year, while Miran argued for larger rate ...