On March 13, the most actively traded April 2025 gold futures contract on the New York Mercantile Exchange surged by $57.9, closing at $3001.3 per ounce, an increase of 1.97%, successfully breaking the $3000 barrier and setting a record high. On the same day, the price of spot gold in London also reached a new record, nearing $2990 per ounce.
The main factors driving the rise in gold prices include weaker U.S. inflation data and increased market demand for safe havens. Data released by the U.S. Department of Labor on the 12th showed that the U.S. Producer Price Index (PPI) in February remained flat month-on-month, below the market expectation of 0.3%, with a year-on-year increase of 3.2%, also below the expected 3.3%. Additionally, the core PPI, excluding food and energy, fell 0.1% month-on-month, while the market had expected a rise of 0.3%. Previously released February Consumer Price Index (CPI) growth also came in below expectations, further solidifying the market's assessment of slowing U.S. inflation and fueling expectations of a Federal Reserve rate cut within the year, providing support for precious metal prices.
Meanwhile, growing market risk aversion has been a significant driver of rising gold prices. Recently, tensions between the U.S. and major trading partners have heightened, sparking concerns among investors about a global economic downturn. Moreover, the continued increase in U.S. federal government debt has raised doubts about its sustainability, leading more safe-haven funds to flow into the gold market. As a result, all three major indices of the New York stock exchange fell on the 13th, with the S&P 500 index entering technical correction territory.
In addition to gold, silver prices also recorded a significant increase. On that day, the May delivery silver futures price rose by 76.5 cents, closing at $34.49 per ounce, an increase of 2.27%. Market analysts pointed out that with easing inflationary pressures, changes in Federal Reserve policy expectations, and heightened demand for safe havens, the precious metals market is likely to remain strong.
