Gold and silver prices fell, with both metals down by nearly 1% as a firmer U.S. dollar and rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East damped sentiment. The U.S. dollar index moved above 101 amid a fresh round of confrontation between the U.S. and Iran, with Iran reportedly hitting U.S. military installations and the U.S. continuing strikes on Iranian military facilities. COMEX gold slipped 0.48% to $4,030 an ounce and silver fell 0.41% to $57.80 an ounce. In India, MCX gold and silver futures also declined by close to 1% and broke key technical support levels.

On July 20, gold and silver futures on India’s MCX climbed, with the August gold contract reaching an intraday high of Rs 1,41,649 per 10 grams (+0.52%) and September silver rising to Rs 2,20,408 per kg (+1.85%). In global trade, COMEX gold edged down 0.24% while COMEX silver gained 0.88%. Analysts said a softer U.S. dollar helped underpin bullion, though crude oil above $90 a barrel has fueled inflation worries and reinforced expectations of further Federal Reserve rate hikes.

HDFC Bank reported a 5% year-on-year rise in consolidated net profit to ₹19,060 crore for the quarter ended June 2026 (Q1FY27). Excluding a ₹9,130 crore one-time gain booked in Q1FY26, adjusted net profit rose by about 10%. Net interest margin narrowed to a record low of 3.26%, while gross non-performing assets inched up to 1.17%. The results indicate resilient earnings, but pressure on margins and asset quality remains.

India’s retail inflation came in at 4.38% in June, up from 3.93% in May. Silver jewellery prices jumped 133.21% year on year and gold jewellery rose 36.82%, making them major contributors to the overall CPI. Food inflation was mixed, with tomatoes and ginger rising sharply while potatoes and peas fell. The reading remains within the Reserve Bank of India’s 2%–6% tolerance band, even as the RBI has raised its FY27 CPI inflation forecast to 5.1%.

India’s Enforcement Directorate issued a provisional order attaching assets worth Rs 1,021 crore linked to Reliance Power, including equity shares held by Reliance Infrastructure and certain receivables from Sasan Power and Reliance Power. The action is part of a money-laundering probe under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. It follows a CBI FIR involving Reliance Home Finance Limited and Reliance Commercial Finance Limited. The move is a regulatory enforcement measure that directly affects assets tied to Reliance Power and may influence assessments of its balance sheet, shareholder interests and debt-servicing capacity.

South Korea’s KOSPI opened up 3.3% but gave up part of its gains as retail investors sold, while the index still rose 2.08% to 7397.40. Samsung Electronics added 1.8% and SK hynix surged 6.65%, while Hyundai Motor fell 2.38% and Hanwha Aerospace slid 6.72%. Foreign and institutional investors were net buyers of chip shares, while individuals were net sellers of 1.07 trillion won. Investors also weighed renewed Middle East tensions and uncertainty around the next phase of AI demand.

On July 6, 2026, Comex gold rose nearly 2% to $4,205.50 per ounce and silver gained 3.11% to $62.965 per ounce after weak US jobs data. In India, MCX gold and silver futures also moved higher but saw intraday volatility. Across major cities, 24K gold was quoted around ₹14,672–₹14,945 per gram, while silver was priced at ₹2,49,900–₹2,59,900 per kg. The move highlights how shifts in interest-rate expectations can be rapidly priced into precious metals.

June 29, renewed geopolitical tensions rose after fresh vessel attacks near the Strait of Hormuz amid U.S.-Iran exchanges. COMEX gold fell 0.41% to $4,078 per ounce and silver slid more than 1% to $58.52, while India’s MCX gold futures dropped 0.48% to Rs 1,43,470 per 10 grams and silver eased 0.13%. Analysts said a stronger U.S. dollar and higher U.S. Treasury yields weighed on bullion, while the geopolitical flare-up lifted Brent crude about 1% to $72.78 a barrel.

South Korea’s average retail gasoline price fell below 2,000 won per litre on June 27 for the first time in nearly two months, reaching 1,991.1 won, while diesel dropped to 1,982.3 won per litre. The decline follows a government move to cut the fuel price ceiling, including a 150 won reduction in the cap for regular gasoline to 1,784 won per litre, after Dubai Crude slid 34.3% over the past month from US$98 per barrel on May 26 to $64.4 Thursday. Analysts expect pump prices to ease gradually over the next two to three weeks, though a weaker won and a rebound in refined product prices could limit further declines.