Oil prices hit four year high: Latest news on the Middle East conflict on 9 March
Global oil prices reached a four year high on Monday (9 March), surpassing $...
Gold prices rose above $4,000 an ounce for the first time on Wednesday, fuelled by investor demand for safe-haven assets amid rising geopolitical tensions and expectations of U.S. interest rate cuts.
Spot gold climbed 0.9% to $4,017.16 per ounce by 0442 GMT, with U.S. gold futures for December delivery up 0.9% at $4,040. The precious metal has surged 53% so far in 2025, after gaining 27% in 2024, making it one of the year’s top-performing assets.
Analysts cited a confluence of drivers behind the rally, including fears over global political instability, a weak dollar, sustained central bank buying and strong inflows into gold-backed exchange-traded funds.
"There’s so much faith in this trade right now that the market will look for the next big round number which is 5,000," said Tai Wong, an independent metals trader. He added that debt concerns, reserve diversification and a weakening dollar were likely to continue supporting gold in the medium term.
The U.S. government shutdown, now in its seventh day, has delayed key economic data, further clouding the outlook and reinforcing bets on lower interest rates. Traders are now pricing in a 25-basis-point rate cut at the Federal Reserve’s October meeting, with another expected in December.
Tim Waterer, chief market analyst at KCM Trade, said, “Rising uncertainty levels tend to fuel gains in the gold price and we are seeing this theme play out again.”
Political developments abroad are also influencing sentiment. In Japan, the weekend election of Sanae Takaichi and expectations of increased deficit spending have added to safe-haven demand, said Kyle Rodda of Capital.com.
Other precious metals also rose. Spot silver increased 1.3% to $48.44 per ounce, platinum rose 2.4% to $1,657.33, and palladium gained 2.3% to $1,368.68.
Both Goldman Sachs and UBS have raised their gold price forecasts for 2026, citing sustained central bank purchases and further monetary easing.
Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is a hardline cleric with strong backing from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. His rise signals continuity in Tehran's anti-Western policies.
Global oil prices surpassed $119 a barrel on Monday (9 March, 2026), an almost four year high, as the Middle East conflict rumbled on.
Trump says the United States "don’t need people that join wars after we’ve already won," targeting his criticism at UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Israel continues to fire missles at strategic sites in Iran and Gulf regions report more strikes from Iran.
China has urged Afghanistan and Pakistan to resolve their dispute through dialogue after Chinese envoy Yue Xiaoyong met Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, as fighting between the two neighbours entered its eleventh day.
Iran named Mojtaba Khamenei to succeed his father Ali Khamenei as supreme leader on Monday (9 March), signaling that hardliners remain firmly in charge, as the week-old U.S.-Israeli war with Iran pushed oil above $100 a barrel.
Global financial markets remained on edge on Friday as the escalating war involving the United States, Israel and Iran continued to rattle investors, fuelling volatility in stocks and sending energy prices sharply higher.
China’s top leadership has unveiled a new push to turn advanced technologies into large-scale industrial priorities as part of the country’s upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan, which will guide economic and social development from 2026 to 2030.
The European Commission sees no immediate impact on the European Union's security of oil supply from the escalating conflict in the Middle East, it said in an email to EU governments, seen by Reuters on Monday (2 March).
Paramount Skydance emerged as the winner in a months-long battle to acquire Warner Bros Discovery after streaming giant Netflix on Thursday refused to raise its bid for the storied Hollywood studio.
Global debt surged to a record $348.3 trillion at the end of 2025, after nearly $29 trillion was added over the year, marking the fastest annual increase since the pandemic, according to the Institute of International Finance (IIF) report released on Wednesday.
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