DBT Bureau
Pune, 12 Jan 2026
Geojit Investments’ latest commodities report stated that precious metals surged to record highs on strong safe-haven demand amid escalating geopolitical tensions and rising global economic uncertainty, while energy and base metals showed mixed trends.
- Precious metals soared to new highs as investors flocked to safehaven assets amid escalating geopolitical tensions and a criminal investigation targeting Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.
- Gold spot hit USD4,600 per troy ounce for the first time, while silver spot climbed to a record high of USD84.60 per troy ounce, driven by renewed safe-haven demand in the bullion market.
- Escalating geopolitical tensions are amplifying risk aversion amid unrest in Iran, arrest and ouster of Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro and discussions of forcibly annexing or purchasing Greenland. These developments are fueling uncertainty and dampening investor appetite for riskier assets.
- U.S. job growth slowed in December 2025, with payrolls rising by just 50,000, falling short of expectations and November’s figure. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate eased to 4.4%, signaling a cooling labor market that could reinforce concerns over economic momentum and weigh on investor risk appetite.
- Crude oil prices dipped, after Iran said it had “total control” following weekend violence, easing some concerns over supply from the OPEC producer, while investors also weighed efforts to resume oil exports from Venezuela.
- Chile’s copper output showed mixed performance in November. Staterun Codelco reported a 3% year-on-year decline to 130,900 metric tonnes, while production at BHP’s Escondida, the world’s largest copper mine, slumped 12.8% to 94,400 tonnes. In contrast, Collahuasi, jointly operated by Glencore and Anglo American, posted a modest 2.7% increase to 37,700 tonnes.
- NYMEX natural gas prices perked up from a two-and-a-half-month low while forecasts point to mostly mild weather over these two weeks, continue to pressure prices.
