Gold and Silver Prices Plummet Amid Global Market Weakness; Rupee Hits 93.84 Against Dollar
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Mumbai, March 23 (NationPress) The prices of gold and silver in India experienced a significant decline on Monday, mirroring the downturn in global bullion markets amid increasing worries about inflation and possible interest rate increases due to rising tensions between the US and Iran.
On the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX), gold futures opened with a notable drop. Gold futures for April 2 plummeted by as much as 5.59 percent, equating to a loss of Rs 8,089, hitting an intra-day low of Rs 1,36,403 per 10 grams by 9:40 am, while silver saw a steeper decline of 6.63 percent, or Rs 15,043, reducing its price to Rs 2,11,729 per kg.
Later in trading, silver was priced at Rs 2,14,745, down by Rs 12,027 or 5.3 percent, while gold was at Rs 1,37,924, which is Rs 6,568 or 4.5 percent lower.
Internationally, bullion prices continued to slide, with gold reaching its lowest point in nearly four months.
Spot gold fell by 3.80 percent to $4,320.19 per ounce, marking its ninth consecutive session of losses, while US gold futures decreased by 4 percent.
Similarly, silver prices weakened on the global stage, with spot silver dropping by 4.65 percent to $64.63 per ounce.
Experts noted that this sharp decline in precious metals signifies a shift in investor sentiment, as rising geopolitical tensions have increased inflationary risks and expectations for stricter global monetary policies.
Last week, gold prices had already seen a decline of over 10 percent, indicating persistent selling pressure in global markets.
Market observers are now keenly watching for further developments in geopolitical tensions and the international interest rate outlook, which are anticipated to influence bullion prices in the near future.
In the oil market, crude prices surged due to escalating tensions in West Asia, with Brent crude futures rising by 0.68 percent to $112.95 per barrel, while US WTI crude futures experienced a 3.32 percent increase, trading at $101.50.
In currency trading, the rupee reached a new low of 93.84 against the US dollar. Equity benchmarks also opened lower, with both the Sensex and Nifty decreasing by 2 percent each.