Since the beginning of 2020, 35.8 million pieces of jewelry made of precious metals, with a total weight of 83.2 metric tons, have received the state hallmark in Ukraine, according to OpenDataBot, citing the Ministry of Finance.
The average weight of a single item that passed state inspection was about 2.3 grams. Silver jewelry accounted for the majority—20.8 million pieces. Another 15 million items were made of gold.
The number of platinum jewelry items during this period totaled just 7,200 pieces. Only one palladium item was recorded—it passed assay inspection in 2025.
Prior to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, more than 6.2 million pieces of jewelry were hallmarked annually. After a decline in 2022, the figure rebounded to 6.4 million in 2023 and to a record 7.3 million in 2024. In 2025, the number of hallmarked jewelry pieces fell to 5.4 million.
About 99% of gold jewelry that undergoes state hallmarking in Ukraine is manufactured by Ukrainian companies. Imported products account for only about 1% of this segment.
At the same time, the silver jewelry market is significantly more dependent on foreign suppliers. Nearly one in three silver items that undergo assay testing in Ukraine is manufactured abroad.
Overall, in the first quarter of 2026, 14% of all jewelry that received a state hallmark was imported. The average for 2020–2026 is 16%.
Virtually all imported jewelry must undergo state hallmarking before being sold in Ukraine. The hallmark confirms that the actual precious metal content matches the fineness declared by the manufacturer.
Prices for gold and other precious metals are rising steadily on Monday amid reports that the U.S. and Iran have reached agreements that will bring an end to hostilities in the Middle East and resume shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Representatives of the two countries will sign a memorandum of understanding on June 19 in Switzerland, Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif announced on social media platform X.
U.S. President Donald Trump stated on Sunday that the Strait of Hormuz will be open to shipping and that the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports will be lifted.
Against this backdrop, oil prices are falling, and traders are revising their forecasts regarding the Federal Reserve’s (Fed) future policy. Expectations of a rate hike by the U.S. central bank amid rising inflationary pressures have contributed to the recent decline in the price of gold. The prospect of higher rates traditionally puts pressure on the precious metals market, as investments in these assets do not generate interest income.
The spot price of gold, as of 1:15 p.m. local time, rose 2.8% to $4,338.06 per ounce. August gold futures on the Comex rose 2.9% to $4,360.20 per ounce.
“Market participants are pricing out the likelihood of a Fed rate hike following the decline in oil prices, which is providing support for the precious metal,” notes UBS analyst Giovanni Staunovo.
“In the near term, I expect some consolidation in the market until there is greater clarity on the Fed’s stance later this week,” the expert says.
The next meeting of the U.S. central bank will take place on June 16–17. It will be Kevin Warsh’s first as Fed chair. The consensus forecast by experts, as cited by Trading Economics, predicts that the U.S. central bank will keep its benchmark interest rate in the range of 3.5–3.75%.
The spot price of silver rose 4% during Monday’s trading to $70.66 per ounce, platinum rose 3.3% to $1,774.89 per ounce, and palladium rose 4.8% to $1,344.06 per ounce. Prices for gold and other precious metals are rising steadily on Monday
According to Serbian Economist, a treasure trove dating back approximately 3,000 years has been discovered in the Romanian county of Prahova; archaeologists describe it as one of the most significant finds of recent decades for studying the transition from the Bronze Age to the Early Iron Age in modern-day Romania.
According to News.ro, the hoard was found by a man using a metal detector on a hill near the town of Urlați in Prahova County. The find includes three gold necklaces weighing a total of over 300 grams, as well as iron and bronze objects.
After the discovery, the artifacts were handed over to specialists at the Prahova Museum of Archaeology for study, dating, and determination of the materials’ origin. Archaeologist Alin Frânculeascu stated that the find is exceptional for Romania, as the objects, according to preliminary assessments, may date to different periods—from the Middle and Late Bronze Ages to the early Iron Age.
This is precisely what makes the find particularly significant. If further research confirms that the objects do indeed belong to different time periods, archaeologists will have to explain how they came to be together in a single site. This could lead to a refinement of existing understandings of the chronology, technologies, and connections among societies that inhabited the territory of present-day Romania some three thousand years ago.
Some of the objects are considered extremely rare. Among them are items associated with chariots or carts, as well as gold jewelry that may have had not only decorative but also status-symbol or ritual significance.
Once the research is complete, the hoard is scheduled to be presented to the general public.
Gold prices are falling sharply on Monday amid the strengthening of the U.S. dollar against major global currencies and a shift in expectations regarding the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy. As of 9:25 a.m., April gold futures on the Comex exchange fell 9.7% to $4,131 per ounce. This is the lowest level since November 2026.
Pressure on the market is coming from the dollar’s rise, as well as growing fears that the Fed may abandon plans to cut rates or even raise them by year-end if inflation accelerates. According to CME FedWatch, traders estimate the probability of a 25-basis-point rate hike at nearly 36%.
A strong dollar traditionally reduces gold’s appeal to investors using other currencies, as it makes the metal more expensive when purchased outside the U.S.
Gold is important to the global financial system as a safe-haven asset, a savings instrument, and a component of central banks’ international reserves. It is also significant for industry due to its use in electronics, medicine, and high-precision technologies.
Earlier, the Experts Club analytical center presented an analysis of the world’s leading gold-producing countries in a video on its YouTube channel — https://youtube.com/shorts/DWbzJ1e2tJc?si=BywddHO-JFWFqUFA
The price of gold and other precious metals rose sharply on Monday due to the escalating conflict in the Middle East.
By 9:57 a.m. ET, April gold futures on the Comex exchange rose about 3.3% to $5,418 per ounce.
Silver futures rose 3.3% to $96.38 per ounce, and platinum futures rose 2% to $2,422 per ounce.
As reported, on Saturday, the US and Israel launched military action against Iran. They carried out more than a thousand missile strikes on Iranian cities, killing Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Iran launched retaliatory strikes against Israel and a number of Persian Gulf countries. In particular, residential areas of the capital of Bahrain were affected, and damage to a number of hotels and the airport in Dubai was reported.
Meanwhile, the price of aluminum on the London Metal Exchange jumped nearly 3% on Monday to $3,231 per ton. It is noted that Iran’s neighbors, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Bahrain, are major aluminum producers. According to AZ China, the Middle East accounts for about 9% of global production of this metal.
Earlier, the Experts Club analytical center presented an analysis of the world’s leading gold-producing countries in its video on YouTube channel — https://youtube.com/shorts/DWbzJ1e2tJc?si=BywddHO-JFWFqUFA
EXPERTS CLUB, GOLD, IRAN, ISRAEL, USA
