Precious metals Gold and Silver experienced a notable correction from their record-highs on December 29, 2025, as markets began to normalize ahead of the New Year's holiday. After reaching unprecedented peaks in the preceding days, both gold and silver saw sharp declines. Gold was trading around $4,495, down approximately 1% for the day, while silver was down 1.5% at $78.15. This correction was largely driven by profit-taking by investors and a return to more typical trading volumes after a period of intense activity. The strength of the US Dollar also played a role, as a stronger dollar typically exerts downward pressure on dollar-denominated commodities like gold and silver. Globally, financial markets presented a mixed picture as 2025 drew to a close. While many Asian markets were closed for holidays, those that were open showed varied performance. However, many Asian stock markets were on track to finish the year with strong gains, largely propelled by the technology and semiconductor sectors, fueled by accelerating demand for artificial intelligence. Despite periodic volatility linked to US trade policy, markets like Japan's Nikkei 225, South Korea's KOSPI, and Hong Kong's Hang Seng recorded significant annual increases. The year-end period also saw typical market activities such as tax-loss selling and portfolio repositioning by investors. The US Dollar Index (DXY) showed fluctuations, with some periods of strength influencing commodity prices. The overall market sentiment reflected a year characterized by robust gains in technology and AI-driven stocks, alongside significant appreciation in precious metals, albeit with a late-year correction for gold and silver.