Overview
- Spot gold rose about 1.5% to $4,368 per ounce on Jan. 2, with Comex February futures near $4,387 and MCX February contracts up 0.7% to Rs 1,36,752, while silver recovered to roughly $73 on Comex and jumped about 3% on MCX.
- The rally capped a landmark 2025 in which gold gained roughly 64% globally and silver surged about 147%, setting multi-decade records for annual performance.
- Late-December volatility followed two CME margin hikes in a week that forced leveraged selling, with silver sliding about 9–10% and gold retreating from Dec. 26 record highs.
- China’s Jan. 1 curbs on silver exports sharpened supply concerns for a metal with roughly 60% industrial use and renewed focus from its U.S. critical-mineral designation.
- Local markets diverged as India’s retail gold opened 2026 firm in Delhi at Rs 1,38,340 per 10 grams and city rates held broadly steady on Jan. 2, while Pakistan logged a third straight daily drop on Jan. 1 with international gold near $4,322.