On Wednesday, the most actively traded gold futures hit a record high as investors avoided risk amid heightened geopolitical tensions and the situation around tariffs. April gold futures are up 0.1% during trading on Wednesday and are trading at $3045 per ounce. At the same time, quotes reached $3052.5 per ounce during the session.
Since the beginning of the year, the price of gold has risen by 14.6%, over the past 12 months – by 34.1%.
Israel has launched the deadliest strike on Gaza since the ceasefire in the conflict with Hamas and warned that this is “just the beginning,” Trading Economics writes.
Meanwhile, US tariffs, including a 25 percent levy on steel and aluminum, have increased tensions in global trade, and Washington’s counter duties on imports from countries that impose duties on US goods are due to take effect in early April.
“It is planned to impose duties on April 2,” the White House said.
“Unless customs and non-customs barriers are equalized or US duties are higher, these duties will go into effect,” Reuters quoted a White House official as saying.
In addition, on Wednesday, the Federal Reserve will summarize the results of its regular meeting, which, along with the interest rate decision, will release new forecasts for the US economy.
In January-February, Ukraine exported $33.534 million worth of dosed or packaged medicines for retail sale.
As reported by the State Customs Service (SCS) on Tuesday, exports of medicines for retail sale to Lithuania amounted to $7.764 million, to Uzbekistan – $6.799 million, and to Iraq – $2.901 million.
At the same time, according to the State Medical Service, imports of packaged/dosed medicines for retail trade amounted to $312.316 million during the same period.
In particular, in January-February, Ukraine imported $60.618 million worth of medicines for retail sale from Germany, $26.157 million from India, and $24.284 million from Turkey.
Both Russia and China are interested in establishing relations with the United States, US President Donald Trump said on Fox News’ The Ingraham Angle on Tuesday.
Asked by the host if it was possible to believe that Putin really wants this, while he is influenced by “his close friend, President Xi of China,” Trump replied that “we have our own discussions with President Xi of China, and he also wants to make a deal and we want to make a deal with him. And we will do that.”
Trump blamed the Barack Obama administration for the rapprochement between Russia and China.
“Obama really forced them together through energy and bad energy policy. And when he did so many different things, he forced (them) into a marriage that should never have happened. Because it’s unnatural. And for one reason: Russia has a huge territory, a lot of land, and China doesn’t have enough land. Russia has a much smaller population than China. And it’s natural, it’s always been a natural hostile situation,” Trump said.
“Maybe they’re friendly now, but we’re going to be friendly with both of them. I think we will be friendly with both. China desperately needs us in terms of trade, but we have to equalize the deficit,” he added.
“I think President Xi would like to reach an agreement, and I think Russia would like to reach an agreement with the United States,” Trump summarized.
India imported $2.338 billion worth of gold in February 2025, according to the country’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry. This is 62% less than in February last year and 13% less than in January this year.
In general, for 2 months of the year, gold imports to India amounted to $5.025 billion, which is 38% less than the result of the corresponding period last year.
In 2024, according to the Ministry, India imported 812 tons of gold worth $58.096 billion. India is one of the largest consumers of gold in the world, producing almost no gold itself.
The first container of Serbian goods was shipped to China on Friday as part of the Free Trade Agreement between the two countries, according to the Serbian government website. The container contains products from local companies such as Pionir, Akov, Fruskogorski Vinograd, Vinarija Aleksić, Nutrino, Nash Med, Zarić Rakija, Budimka, and Damar. The transportation was organized by the Milšped company from Krnoševac, near Stara Pazova.
The Minister of Economy Adriana Mesarović noted that this is the result of the hard work of Serbian entrepreneurs, government agencies and Chinese partners, as well as confirmation of the “steel friendship” between China and Serbia. She emphasized that Chinese retailers, importers and distributors have expressed their willingness to accept Serbian products in a market of 1.4 billion consumers.
Chinese Ambassador to Serbia Li Ming said that thanks to the Free Trade Agreement, which entered into force on July 1, 2024, Serbia became China’s first partner in Central and Eastern Europe with such an agreement. He noted that since the agreement came into force, Serbia’s exports to China have increased by 53.7%, and more and more Serbian wines and dairy products are appearing on Chinese tables.
The free trade agreement covers 10,412 Serbian and 8,930 Chinese products. From the first day of application, 60% of the goods were exempted from duties, and over the next five to ten years, another 30% of products will be exempted from customs duties.
Source: https://t.me/relocationrs/633
Dynamics of changes in discount rate of NBU – from 2013 to 2024
Source: Open4Business.com.ua
