Since assuming the presidency for a second term, Donald Trump has taken global geopolitical instability to another dimension. From Russia to China, India to Iran, whenever there are differences of opinion, Trump's tariff missiles have struck all corners of the world. However, he has not stopped there. By issuing new decrees from time to time, 'Don' has kept the governments of concerned countries on edge, threatening that if any 'mistakes' are noticed, tariffs could be imposed again at increased rates.
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Naturally, this has significantly increased uncertainty among stock market investors. Before making any major investment, they can calculate all other fundamentals, numbers, and ratios. But how can they read Trump's mind? It is through this thread that gold and silver have gradually become 'saviors' for investors trapped in this tremendous geopolitical uncertainty 'trap'. Their upward trajectory continued throughout 2025. While gold gave investors nearly 72% returns, silver broke all records with 160% gains.
The year has changed. The calendar has changed. However, POTUS has maintained his 'form'. Just on Tuesday night, he imposed an additional 25% import tariff on all countries having trade relations with Iran, while also indicating that given the way the Iranian government is 'oppressing' its people, the possibility of a US military attack on Tehran cannot be ruled out. In response to Trump's threats, China, Iran's largest trading partner, has retaliated with counter-threats. As a result, new instability has already begun to increase in the global trade situation.
Tariff threats and war rhetoric revive safe-haven rush
Statistics show that after rising continuously for 10 months last year, the yellow metal took some rest in October. Despite minor fluctuations, there was no significant upward movement in prices during the last two months of the year. Some experts claim that gold's momentum had slowed due to profit booking pressure. However, at the beginning of 2026, events like the Trump administration's 'raid' on Venezuela and the arrest of that country's President Nicolas Maduro have brought gold back into the limelight. As a result, within the first two weeks of the year, the yellow metal reached an all-time record price. News agency reports claim that on Monday, gold prices crossed the $4,639 per ounce mark for the first time. On this day, spot gold prices in the international market rose by more than 1% to reach $4,636 (₹1,47,922/10 grams). Meanwhile, gold futures prices on the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) increased by 1% to ₹1,48,714 per 10 grams. This has further widened the smiles of gold investors.
On the other hand, riding on uncertainty, silver, another ally of gold, has also begun a long run. On this day, silver prices in the international market crossed the $91 per ounce (₹2,93,060/kg) mark for the first time. This is an all-time record for the metal's price. Data shows that white metal has given investors a return of 191% in one year. On this day, silver futures on MCX were priced at ₹2,96,158 per kg. The numbers show that silver prices have already increased by 25% in the new year.
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Along with gold and silver, the other 6 major metals in the investment sector—copper, zinc, nickel, tin, lead, and aluminum have also reached their highest levels in six years on Wednesday.
According to some experts, the Trump administration's recent 500% tariff 'threat', uncertainty in the global market regarding Venezuela's oil trade have reduced some investors' confidence in multiple investment instruments including shares and mutual funds. Trump's Iran offensive has added further shock to this. As a result, to escape uncertainty, they are withdrawing money from various investment instruments and buying gold and silver extensively. Consequently, gold and its 'younger brother' silver have given spectacular returns on this day. Some experts believe that these two metals may continue to give investors substantial profits in the coming days. However, there are opposing views as well. This group advises being more cautious about investing in gold and silver under current circumstances. According to them, if any 'selling pressure' develops in gold, silver, and other metals that are at great heights, some investors may lose money in the short term. However, they remain optimistic about the long-term growth prospects of these metals.
