Gold Hits One-Week High as Fed Rate-Cut Bets Grow and Venezuela Tensions Fuel Demand

Gold Hits One-Week High as Fed Rate-Cut Bets Grow and Venezuela Tensions Fuel Demand

Gold prices climbed further on Tuesday, reaching a one-week high as comments from U.S. Federal Reserve officials strengthened expectations of interest rate cuts, while rising geopolitical tensions involving Venezuela increased demand for safe-haven assets.

Spot gold rose 0.5% to $4,469.96 per ounce as of 05:34 GMT, extending gains of nearly 3% from the previous session. The precious metal had earlier set a record high of $4,549.71 on December 26 and posted its strongest annual performance since 1979 in 2025, surging 64%.

U.S. gold futures for February delivery also advanced, gaining 0.7% to trade at $4,481.30 per ounce.

Market participants are currently pricing in at least two U.S. interest rate cuts this year and are closely watching the nonfarm payrolls report due on Friday for further clues on monetary policy direction.

Adding to market uncertainty, Venezuela’s former president Nicolas Maduro pleaded not guilty on Monday to narcotics-related charges following his capture by U.S. President Donald Trump, a development that has unsettled global leaders and forced officials in Caracas to reassess their strategy.

Elsewhere in the precious metals market, spot silver jumped 3.5% to $79.18 per ounce. Silver previously touched an all-time high of $83.62 on December 29 and ended 2025 with an exceptional annual gain of 147%, outperforming gold in its strongest year on record.

Spot platinum also rose, climbing 2.8% to $2,334.25 per ounce. The metal had surged to a record high of $2,478.50 last week and earlier gained more than 5% during the session, marking a one-week high.

About Author

BillionBill

I am Engineer Jisieike Samuel fondly called Engr. BillionBill, an entrepreneur and digital strategist dedicated to empowering lives with reliable information on business, technology, and opportunities. Through my contents, i provide actionable insights that support growth, learning, and better decision-making in today’s technology driven world.

See author's posts