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Global gold demand including over-the-counter (OTC) trading rose by 1% to a record high of 4,974.5 metric tons in 2024 as investment increased, the World Gold Council (WGC) said on Wednesday, adding that central banks sped up buying in the fourth quarter. Spot gold prices rose by 27% last year, the most since 2010, as investors chose the metal to hedge against global risks and as the U.S. Federal Reserve slashed interest rates. Prices hit another all-time high on Tuesday, driven by safe-haven demand after China retaliated with tariffs on the United States in response to President Donald Trump's trade levies.

First off, nobody knows what to make of President Donald Trump's sudden suggestion that the United States take over the Gaza strip and turn it into the Riviera of the Middle East - once the Palestinians are resettled elsewhere, of course. It's not clear if this was a serious proposal, given it sounds eerily reminiscent of an idea floated last year by Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner that Gaza's waterfront property could be very valuable and Israel should remove civilians while the strip was cleaned up. Markets have seemingly taken it with a pinch of salt and there's been no obvious reaction in oil prices.

(Bloomberg) -- A deepening slowdown in corporate earnings is fueling fresh concern over India’s $4.1 trillion stock market, and threatening to undermine Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s latest efforts to revive growth.Most Read from BloombergState Farm Seeks Emergency California Rate Hike After FiresTransportation Memos Favor Places With Higher Birth and Marriage RatesNYC’s Newest Transit Leader Builds a Worker-Driven StrategyNew York’s First ‘Passive House’ School Is a Model of Downtown DensityWh

The S&P 500 will trade in a range that implies the index dropping as much as 8% or rising a little over 1% in the coming months, Morgan Stanley said.

The Federal Reserve can continue cutting interest rates at least "over the medium term," Fed Vice Chair Philip Jefferson said on Tuesday, reiterating the U.S. central bank's message that policymakers needn't rush their next rate cut. In that situation, "over the medium term, I continue to see a gradual reduction in the level of monetary policy restraint placed on the economy as we move toward a more neutral stance as the most likely outcome," Jefferson said. The outlook for this year is good, he said, but "we face additional uncertainties about the exact shape of government policies, as well as their economic implications."

(Bloomberg) -- Federal Reserve Vice Chair Philip Jefferson said it’s appropriate for policymakers to be cautious in adjusting interest rates, as long as the economy and labor market remain strong.Most Read from BloombergState Farm Seeks Emergency California Rate Hike After FiresNYC’s Newest Transit Leader Builds a Worker-Driven StrategyNew York’s First ‘Passive House’ School Is a Model of Downtown DensityTransportation Memos Favor Places With Higher Birth and Marriage RatesWhen French Communists

Social media platforms are fueling the extreme budgeting trend.

Betting markets got attention in 2024 for accurately predicting Trump's election win. Now bettors are predicting the path of inflation and trade policy.

(Bloomberg) -- Bullish Global, a cryptoasset exchange operator whose backers include billionaire Peter Thiel, is considering an initial public offering as soon as this year, according to people familiar with the matter.Most Read from BloombergState Farm Seeks Emergency California Rate Hike After FiresNYC’s Newest Transit Leader Builds a Worker-Driven StrategyNew York’s First ‘Passive House’ School Is a Model of Downtown DensityTransportation Memos Favor Places With Higher Birth and Marriage Rate

Global electronics contract manufacturer Kimball Electronics (NYSE:KE) missed Wall Street’s revenue expectations in Q4 CY2024, with sales falling 15.2% year on year to $357.4 million. The company’s full-year revenue guidance of $1.42 billion at the midpoint came in 4.4% below analysts’ estimates. Its non-GAAP profit of $0.29 per share was 28.9% above analysts’ consensus estimates.