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The State Oil Fund of the Azerbaijan Republic (SOFAZ) will continue buying gold in 2025, aiming to increase its assets to 170 tonnes by April-May.
"SOFAZ is targeting to increase the share of gold in its investment portfolio to 25%," - according to SOFAZ Investment Department Director Farhad Zeynalov.
As of December 31, 2024, the total volume of gold in SOFAZ's investment portfolio was 146.6 tonnes, accounting for 20.6% of the portfolio, valued at $12.4 billion. This means the gold volume could increase by 16% by April-May.
In 2024, SOFAZ purchased 44.8 tonnes of gold, with 41 tonnes already delivered to the country. Zeynalov noted that the price of gold rose 27.2%, from $2,063 to $2,624 per troy ounce in 2024.
SOFAZ accumulates government revenues from oil and gas sales, tariffs on oil and gas transportation, leasing government property, and other activities. The fund's assets totaled an estimated $60 billion at the end of 2024.
Open-source intelligence (OSINT) sources reported a significant movement of U.S. military aircraft towards the Middle East in recent hours. Dozens of U.S. Air Force aerial refuelling tankers and heavy transport aircraft were observed heading eastwards, presumably to staging points in the region.
Diplomatic tensions between Tokyo and Beijing escalated as Japan slams China's export ban on dual-use goods. Markets have wobbled as fears grow over a potential rare earth embargo affecting global supply chains.
Iran’s chief justice has warned protesters there will be “no leniency for those who help the enemy against the Islamic Republic”, as rights groups reported a rising death toll during what observers describe as the country’s biggest wave of unrest in three years.
Two people have been killed after a private helicopter crashed at a recreation centre in Russia’s Perm region, Russian authorities and local media have said.
"Change is coming to Iran" according to U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham during an interview with Fox News on Tuesday (6 January). He warned Iran that "if you keep killing your people for wanting a better life, Donald Trump is going to kill you."
U.S. oil major Chevron and private equity firm Quantum Capital Group are reportedly preparing a joint bid to acquire Lukoil’s international assets, as the sanctioned Russian energy company seeks to divest its overseas operations.
The U.S. dollar's share of global reserves fell to nearly 40% at the end of 2025, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which says it's 10% lower than at the start of 2024. However, gold has risen and overtaken the dollar to be above 50% in global reserves according to the IMF data.
The U.S. dollar has strengthened against major peers on Tuesday, while the euro fell following slower-than-expected inflation in Europe. Market movements were relatively subdued as investors focused on upcoming U.S. economic data.
Wall Street closed higher on Tuesday, boosted by optimism over artificial intelligence (AI) and a strong rally in Moderna shares, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average approaching a record high.
India’s largest oil refiner, Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), has taken a significant step towards diversifying its crude oil supply by purchasing Colombian crude, from state oil company Ecopetrol, for the first time.
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