Gold crosses Rs 33,000-mark, silver firms up
New Delhi: Gold prices surged by Rs 425 to Rs 33,215 per 10 gram in the national capital Monday due to increased buying by jewellers amid firm trend overseas, according to the All India Sarafa Association.
Silver too rose by Rs 170 to Rs 38,670 per kg on increased offtake by industrial units and coin makers.
Traders said, positive trend overseas and rise in demand from local jewellers led to upward movement in the prices of yellow metal.
In the international market, spot gold was trading higher at USD 1,298.30 an ounce, while silver moved upward to USD 15.23 an ounce in New York.
In the national capital, gold of 99.9 per cent and 99.5 per cent purity rose by Rs 425 to Rs 33,215 and Rs 33,045 per 10 gram, respectively.
On Saturday, the yellow metal had closed at Rs 32,790 per 10 gram.
However, sovereign gold held steady at Rs 26,400 per eight gram.
Silver ready advanced by Rs 170 to Rs 38,670 per kg, while weekly-based delivery gained Rs 594 to Rs 37,753 per kg.
On the other hand, silver coins held flat at Rs 80,000 for buying and Rs 81,000 for selling of 100 pieces.
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Iran attacks oil tanker near Dubai; Trump warns of strikes on energy sites if Hormuz remains shut
Tel Aviv/Washington: Iran attacked and set ablaze a fully loaded crude oil tanker off Dubai on Monday after US President Donald Trump warned that Washington would target Iran’s energy infrastructure if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened.
According to a Reuters report, the Kuwait-flagged tanker Al-Salmi is owned by Kuwait Petroleum Corporation and was capable of carrying around 2 million barrels of crude. . It was struck in what authorities later described as a drone attack. The company said the incident occurred early Tuesday, causing a fire and hull damage. No injuries were reported and the fire was brought under control, Dubai authorities said .
Oil prices rose briefly following the attack and added to volatility in global energy markets. In the United States, retail gasoline prices crossed $4 per gallon for the first time in more than three years, according to data from GasBuddy, as crude prices moved above $101 per barrel.
Israel said it carried out missile strikes on military infrastructure in Tehran and on sites linked to Iran-backed Hezbollah in Beirut. Explosions were reported in parts of Tehran, with Iran’s Tasnim news agency saying power outages occurred in the eastern Pirouzi district following the blasts.
The Israel Defense Forces said four soldiers were killed in southern Lebanon. In recent days, three peacekeepers serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon were also killed in separate incidents in the same area.
Iran’s military spokesperson said Tehran’s latest wave of missile and drone strikes targeted US military positions at five bases in the region and sites in Israel. Thousands of troops from the US Army’s 82nd Airborne Division have begun arriving in the Middle East, according to US officials, expanding Washington’s military options even as diplomatic efforts continue.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Reuters Trump wants an agreement with Iranian leaders before a revised April 6 deadline for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, adding that talks were progressing, while public statements from Tehran differed from private communications.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said proposals received through intermediaries were “unrealistic” and maintained that Iran was focused on defending itself.
In a social media post, Trump said that if a deal is not reached soon and the strait is not reopened, the US would strike Iran’s electric generating plants, oil wells and Kharg Island. However, a report in The Wall Street Journal said Trump had told aides he may be willing to end the military campaign even if the strait remains largely closed and address reopening it later. The White House referred to earlier remarks by Secretary of State Marco Rubio that the strait would be opened “one way or another.”
The administration has also requested an additional $200 billion in funding for the conflict, a proposal that faces opposition in the US Congress.
