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India's central bank gold stockpile tops $100 billion due to surging bullion price
India's gold reserve has crossed $100 billion for the first-time, according to Reserve Bank of India data. The price surge in the global market helped the reserves reach this milestone, even though the central bank purchases have slowed down sharply. The Reserve Bank of India reported that India's gold reserves rose by $3.595 Billion to $102,365 Billion in the week ending October 10 while total foreign exchange reserves fell $2.18 Billion to $697.784 Billion. According to traders, gold's share in India's total reserve has risen to 14.7% - the highest level since 1996-1997. The gold share of India's foreign currency reserves has nearly doubled in the last decade, from below 7% up to almost 15%. This is due both to central bank accumulations and a rise in bullion prices globally. This has led to the RBI reaching the milestone of $100 billion despite the marked decline in its gold purchases during this year. According to World Gold Council figures, the central bank only bought gold four times in the first nine month of 2025 compared with nearly monthly additions in 2024. The cumulative buying between January and September was just 4 tons. This is a sharp drop from 50 tons during the same period last year. Kavita Chacko is the research director for India at World Gold Council. She said that the share of gold has grown significantly in India's reserves due to the increased value of gold. The gold price has risen by about 65% since 2025. This is due to a powerful mix of macroeconomics, institutions and psychological factors. Global central banks are continuing to accumulate gold in order to diversify their reserves away from the U.S. Dollar. This trend is a result of increased geopolitical risk, pressures due sanctions and dedollarization. India is the second largest consumer of gold in the world and imports are necessary to meet this demand. Indian culture is deeply rooted with the tradition of buying gold, as it's a status symbol and an investment.
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HSBC predicts that gold will reach $5,000 per ounce in 2026.
HSBC forecasted on Friday that the bull run in gold prices would reach $5,000 per ounce by 2026. This was supported by increased risks and the impact of the new entrants to the market. Spot gold broke through the $4,300 mark on Thursday. It was heading for its best week since December 2008. Geopolitical tensions have fueled the advance, as well as central bank purchases, increased exchange-traded fund inflows and expectations of U.S. interest rate cuts. HSBC stated in a note that the bull market would likely continue to push prices higher in 1H'26. We could reach a peak of $5,000/oz in 1H 2026. HSBC has also increased its forecast for the average 2025 gold price to $3,455 from $3,355. It raised its forecast for 2026 average gold prices to $4,600 from $3,950. The bank cited geopolitical risk, economic policy insecurity and the rising public debt to support the price. HSBC stated that given the sharp increase in prices during 2025's second half and the increased risks of new market entrants it expects the gold price to stay high and possibly spike even further until early 2026. The bank expects a significant amount of volatility in prices and some moderation to occur during the second half 2026. The bank stated that unlike previous rallies, many of these buyers will likely remain in the gold market - even when the rally is over - for the diversification and safe haven qualities of gold. HSBC analysts join those at Bank of America, Societe Generale and others who forecast earlier this week that gold would reach $5,000 per ounce by 2026. (Reporting from Anushree mukherjee and Sherin elizabeth Varghese, Bengaluru. Editing by Barbara Lewis and Jane Merriman.
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The brother of the Manchester suicide bomber has denied attempting to kill 3 prison guards
The brother of the man who detonated an Ariana Grande suicide bomb in Britain after a concert in 2017 has denied on Friday that he attempted to kill three prison guards while incarcerated. Hashem Abedi's brother Salman Abedi is accused of killing 22 people in the Manchester Arena, in northern England, in 2017. Prosecutors claim that Hashem Abedi attacked four prison guards with hot oil and knives made from makeshift materials while shouting 'Allahu Akbar. The incident occurred in April in Frankland Prison in northern England. Abedi was jailed for 55 years in 2020 after he helped his brother plan an attack that injured over 200 people. Abedi, 28, appeared in London's Old Bailey Court via videolink, surrounded by five security guards. He pleaded not guilt to three counts for attempted murder, assault, and unauthorised possession of an weapon inside a prison. Abedi was "permitted to cook equipment" by the prosecutor, Jocelyn Ledward. He then attacked prison officers with "hot oil and... makeshift knifes". She said: "While he was carrying the attack out, he shouted 'Allahu akbar' twice." Abedi who represents himself said that he does not want to attend the trial scheduled for January 2027.
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Credit risk is still alive at MORNING BID AMERICAS
What Mike Dolan, the ROI team and I are looking forward to reading, watching and listening to this weekend. Hello Morning Bid readers! The weakness of U.S. banks stocks is weighing down global equities this morning. Credit risks are on the rise following recent bankruptcies and negative announcements by two regional banks. Gold is on course for its best 17-year week, with an early Friday rise above $4,300. Mike Dolan, editor-at-large at ROI, asks if gold's incredible rise is the bubble that investors should worry about. The dollar index has moved in the opposite direction. Expectations of further Federal Reserve easing will cause the greenback to suffer its worst weekly decline in nearly three months. Jamie McGeever, a columnist for ROI markets, argues that despite what you may think, the dollar bull case is more compelling than it appears. Washington DC and Beijing are once again at odds in global news after a dispute over export controls for rare earth minerals. Clyde Russell, a columnist for ROI Asia Commodities, argues that China is at risk of overplaying their hand by imposing restrictions on minerals and metals vital to global energy transition. Oil prices are expected to drop this week on energy markets as forecasts continue to indicate a glut of supply in the next year. Ron Bousso, ROI Energy's Columnist, points out however that the uncertainty surrounding the location of nearly 1.5 million barrels of crude oil per day is putting this projection in doubt. Oil prices are also rising in response to the unexpected announcement that Russian President Valdimir Pugh and President Donald Trump have agreed to meet again to discuss the conflict in Ukraine. This time, the summit will be held in Budapest. The recent attacks by Russia and Ukraine on each other’s energy infrastructure could mark a new phase in this conflict. Ron Bousso says that the recent strikes by Ukraine and Russia on each other's energy infrastructure should serve as a warning to Europe regarding its own vulnerabilities. Gavin Maguire, ROI Energy Transition's Columnist, highlighted seven "magnificent", clean energy stocks which have seen a surge in value this year despite Trump's rollback on clean energy policies. Check out what the ROI team recommends you read, watch, listen to to prepare for the week. Please contact me at This weekend we are reading... Gold and digital assets are often seen as binary choices: gold is for those looking for something tangible and not fiat money, and Bitcoin is for those who believe digital assets will be the future. The World Gold Council recently published a piece that raises some interesting questions. While the authors clearly act in the best interests of their members the article does raise some important issues. Sign up for the newsletter to receive Morning Bid every morning in your email. Subscribe to the Morning Bid newsletter Website You can find us on LinkedIn. The opinions expressed are solely those of their authors. These opinions do not represent the views of News. News is bound by the Trust Principles to maintain integrity, independence and freedom from bias. (By Anna Szymanski)
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Copper falls on U.S. Credit Fears, Heads for Weekly Decline
Copper dropped to a new one-week low and was headed for a second consecutive weekly decline. This followed a drop in global financial stocks, as signs of credit pressure at U.S. Regional Banks rattled the markets. As of 0915 GMT on the London Metal Exchange, benchmark three-month copper was down 1.7% to $10,466 a metric ton, after earlier falling as much as 2.2% to $10430, its lowest level since October 10. On Oct. 9, the metal reached a 16-month peak of $11,000. Thu Lan Nguyen is the head of Foreign Exchange and Commodities Research at Commerzbank. The dollar's weakness has limited copper's losses, making dollar-denominated goods more affordable to holders of other currencies. The metal, which is considered to be a bellwether of the global economy, will end the week with a 0.5% decline. The negative sentiment towards base metals grew as financial stocks plunged on Friday, following a crash in regional U.S. banking shares due to concerns about credit quality and mounting risks. Nguyen added, "It is an additional concern in regards to the state of the U.S. Economy." Investors also monitor tensions between China and the United States, as Washington accused Beijing of creating panic about its rare earth export controls. Shanghai Futures Exchange stocks of copper The weekly total of 110,240 tonnes is the highest level since April 25, a rise of 550 tons. The majority of the LME complex traded lower on Friday. Aluminium dropped 1.4% to $2.748.50 per ton. Zinc fell 1.6% to 2.926.50. Nickel lost 1.16% at $15,100.00. Tin tumbled 3% at $34,650. Lead was the only metal to show a slight increase, rising 0.3% to $1970. (Reporting and editing by Tasimzahid; Additional reporting by Dylan Duan, Lewis Jackson, and Tasimzahid; Editing by Tasimzahid)
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India's JSW Steel reports a four-fold increase in quarterly profits on the back of strong sales
JSW Steel, India's largest steelmaker, reported a four-fold increase in its second-quarter profits on Friday. A surge in sales volumes outweighed the impact of lower price. Mumbai-based company’s net profit for the third quarter ended 30 September was 16.23 billion rupees, or about $185 million. This is higher than the profit of 4.39 billion rupees from a year earlier. The company announces its first quarterly results, which show that steel prices have dropped despite the Indian Government's tariffs on certain steel products. Sajjan Jindal's company posted a 20% increase in sales for the quarter. Capacity utilization in India, their key market, reached 92%. This, along with the high manufacturing activity of the country, has helped to boost demand. The adjusted EBITDA margin increased to 17.4% in the quarter from 14.2% a year earlier, but it was still lower than the 18.2% of the previous period. The company had to pay a one-time fee of 3.42 billion rupees for the surrender of the Jajang Iron Ore Mining Lease in the third quarter last year. The latest three-month period saw a 107.3% increase in profit before special items and taxes.
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Hindustan Zinc's quarterly profit increases on strong silver and zinc prices
Hindustan Zinc, an Indian company, reported a 14% increase in its second-quarter profits on Friday as silver prices reached record levels and zinc prices rose steadily amid strong demand. India's largest refined zinc producer reported that its net profit grew to 26.49 trillion rupees ($301 million) for the quarter ending September 30, compared with 23.27 trillion rupees in the same period last year. Hindustan Zinc, the third largest silver producer in the world and India's largest silver consumer, is India's most integrated silver company. Silver prices reached record highs and consumers were looking for an alternative to gold. Industrial needs also increased demand for the precious metal. Analysts estimated that the increase in price could range between 32% to 39% year-over-year. Analysts estimate that zinc prices could have increased by close to 2% during this period. The local demand for zinc - which is used to protect steel from corrosion - remained high as the manufacturing industry in the country progressed. Hindustan Zinc has a monopoly on nearly three-fourths the zinc market in India. It said that revenue from its zinc operations increased by about 2%, while revenues from its silver operations grew by 10%. The total revenue from operations increased by 3.6%, to 85.49 billion Indian rupees. $1 = 87.9300 Indian Rupees (Reporting and editing by Janane Vekatraman).
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Shanghai Exchange lifts price limit for gold and silver futures in light of recent rally
Shanghai Futures Exchange announced on Friday it will increase the daily price limit for gold and silver futures from 12% to 14%, in response to the recent rise in the prices of precious metals. The exchange also announced that the margin requirements for hedging gold and silver futures positions on the exchange would be raised to 15%, from 13%. According to the bourse, all adjustments will be effective from the settlement date of October 21. The record run of gold and silver is due to a growing demand for safe havens amid global trade tensions and heightened bets that the U.S. Federal Reserve will cut rates, as well as strong central bank purchases. Gold futures traded on the Shanghai Exchange closed daytime trading 3.82% higher, at 999.8 Yuan ($140.31). The contract reached an all-time peak of 1,001 Yuan during the session. The most popular silver futures traded on the exchange reached a record-high of 12,366 Yuan per kilogram. Gold and silver both have seen a 61% increase in price so far this year.
Sticks, drones and AI - Ukraine war drives military development: Peter Apps
For an unique operation, it looked exceptionally limited-- rarely the progressing future of a brand-new face of warfare.
A brief video posted Wednesday on the Telegram social networks channel of Ukraine's Special Operations Headquarters revealed what seems a Russian Zala 41-16E unmanned aerial vehicle flying high above Ukraine's objected to Kherson region as a. smaller sized Ukrainian UAV repeatedly assaulted it with a connected. wooden stick.
What type of UAV the Ukrainians were utilizing remains. uncertain-- the video footage was recorded directly from a cam on the. drone, which was itself for that reason out of shot. All that was. straight noticeable was the forward-pointing wood pole which the. Ukrainian drone pilot attempted to ram through the Russian UAV. prop, eventually appearing to send both crashing to the. earth.
Against the colossal scale of the dispute in Ukraine,. particularly given that Vladimir Putin's 2022 full-scale intrusion,. that engagement by itself is not of any fantastic significance.
Tens if not numerous thousands of Ukrainian and Russian. drones have actually entered into battle because the war started, with ever more. every month-- a battle which seems as vital as any other. to the result of the war.
Much of the specific drones might look low-tech-- the. Russian Zala 41-16E is based upon a type initially displayed at a. Russian arms fair in 2012, and is reported to have actually gotten in. service three years later.
The larger fight around their use, however, has. become one of the most essential arenas of the Ukraine dispute. -- one in which a war-winning system one week can be rendered. promptly obsolete.
The scale of the modification this has actually dealt with Ukraine's. battlefield is hard to overemphasize.
While drones have been used throughout the war, the volume. and strength of their usage - and the tit-for-tat technological. race to keep them in the air and striking targets while. rendering the enemy drones unusable-- continues to speed up.
U.S. officials have publicly acknowledged holding back some. ultra-secret drones and associated technology from Ukraine to. prevent losing its secrets ahead of a prospective even bigger war--. such as one sparked by a Chinese invasion of Taiwan.
Increasingly, however, the large tempo of fighting within. Ukraine means technology being used there is establishing at a. speed far much faster than in other places on the planet.
Those who enjoyed the dispute say both sides are now taking. technologies from idea to battlefield often within weeks,. extremely various to traditional defense multi-year procurement. timelines.
While Ukrainian troops continue to be pushed back gradually by. numerically superior Russian forces on the ground, long-range. rockets supplied by the U.S., Britain and France continue to. reach deep into Russian territory, destroying much of the. Russian Black Sea fleet and forcing it out of Crimea.
Meanwhile, drones have made it practically impossible to eliminate. either side to amass significant forces for an offensive.
A lot of the drones themselves are developed by small or. medium-sized Ukrainian firms. As it has actually run short of both. soldiers and ammunition, and recognizing that the U.S. and its. European allies would fall well short of promises to offer more. than two million weapons shells by now, Ukraine has actually set itself. the target of making a million drones a year to fill the space.
The innovation behind them, however, is backed up by some. giant and growing tech firms that see the conflict as a testbed. for brand-new technology in general and expert system in. particular.
U.S. AI firm Palantir-- which likewise supplies the. Pentagon-- has actually been active in Ukraine because 2022, while German. counterpart Helsing signed a memorandum of comprehending with. the Kyiv federal government in February.
Another AI company on a promotion blitz this week is Anduril,. called for a sword in Lord of the Rings and established by U.S. tech. entrepreneur Palmer Luckey, 31, a billionaire from his twenties. after establishing the virtual reality headset company Oculus.
Luckey's firm states it has actually also been in Ukraine considering that the. very first period of the war, and is likewise refining AI drones and. submarines for the Pentagon.
CELLPHONE TOWER MICROPHONES DETECT DRONES
Ukraine continues to have a difficult time not just on the. ground-- Russian drones and missiles continue to pound Ukrainian. critical facilities, particularly its electricity grid.
Again, however, this has not avoided in some cases striking. innovation.
Over the previous week, U.S. Flying force General James Hecker, who. commands U.S. and NATO air forces in Europe and Africa, and. Lieutenant General Stephen Gainey, who leads U.S. Army air and. space operations, have both applauded a Ukrainian system that uses. microphones on cellphone towers to identify drones by their sound.
Based on far more primitive Allied systems throughout World War. Two, information from the direction-sensitive microphones can be utilized. to triangulate the place of Russian drones, enabling them to. be engaged by gunfire, jamming or, in theory at least, rammed by. another drone with a stick.
Hecker told an audience at the Royal International Air. Tattoo this week that the system had actually been developed and developed by. two Ukrainian engineers in their garage, and rolled out quickly. and cheaply.
The trick, authorities say, is getting other major Western. nations-- particularly the U.S.-- to establish new systems with the. exact same urgency and effectiveness, instead of taking years or. decades.
A report this week by the U.S. Defense Development Board-- an. main body staffed by ex-top officials - warns that the speed. of technological modification especially in unmanned lorries and. expert system dangers leaving behind the world's. pre-eminent superpower.
It explained the Pentagon procurement system as a plodding. leviathan with a systemic aversion to risk and a lack of urgency. that has led to a culture of sustaining the status quo ... Success in related development is neither determined nor granted,. and failures are always advised.
Some steps forward are bearing fruit-- however they often. include bypassing more sclerotic official systems rather than. reforming them. In 2015, the Pentagon revealed a job known. as Replicator designed to provide very large varieties of drones. rapidly for any future China war.
' HELLSCAPE', DRONE SHIELDS
Authorities state some of those drones - switchblade loitering. munitions - have already been delivered.
According to leaders at the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command,. U.S. military leaders wish to use a huge selection of unmanned. weaponry to deny the Taiwan Strait to China in case Beijing. tries to attack Taiwan itself, a task known as HELLSCAPE.
Drones possibly operating autonomously and feeding back. sensing unit info into a large network are likewise at the heart of. emerging multi-million-dollar border security plans from. Poland, the Baltic and Nordic states.
These strategies are explained in some cases as a drone shield and. their intent is to field tens of countless unmanned cars. along the borders of exposed eastern European nations to. counter any Russian attack.
This week at the British army's annual conference in London,. Britain's new army chief General Sir Roland Walker put unmanned. systems at the heart of a reform bundle he stated would make his. force a minimum of twice as lethal by 2027 - the date by which U.S. authorities state China may be prepared to attack Taiwan.
Growing varieties of U.S. and European authorities fear any such. attack would be accompanied at the same time by a war in Europe,. overstretching the U.S. and its European allies.
The danger is now so close, Walker informed the conference, that. much of the military equipment Britain had actually purchased for the. coming years might not have gotten here by the time any conflict. appeared. That would deepen the need to invest quickly in drone. and expert system technology to be ready.
In both Europe and the Pacific, there are plainly hopes this. brand-new type of fighting may help defeat any Russian or Chinese. attack with fairly small numbers of friendly casualties.
The Ukrainian experience, nevertheless, has been anything however. bloodless. Countless videos reveal both Russian and Ukrainian. soldiers pursued in dugouts, structures or open ground by. first-person-view drones being piloted by other soldiers. in some cases just a few miles away.
Offering the drones more ability to pick their own targets--. essentially by doing the computing and target recognition. within the drone with or without instructions from a human operator. -- will not make that dispute any friendlier.
The lesson of Ukraine is that technology can develop at. fantastic speed, however the visceral nature of war stays as vicious. and undesirable as ever.
(source: Reuters)