Gold and silver fell again in early Asian trade on Friday, extending heavy declines seen in the previous session as a combination of profit-taking, softer geopolitical risk and a stronger dollar put pressure on metal markets.
Spot gold was down 0.6% at $4,751.13 per ounce by 19:56 ET (00:56 GMT), while April gold futures slipped 2.5% to $4,766.11 per ounce. Silver underperformed, with spot silver dropping 2.2% to $69.3830 per ounce, although it remained above Thursday's intraday low near $63 per ounce. Silver futures sank 8.1% to $70.378 per ounce.
Market participants continued to digest a sharp round of selling that had intensified on Thursday. Silver, in particular, had erased roughly 15% of its value the previous session. Gold was trading at a level nearly $1,000 per ounce below the record high it reached last week.
Analysts at OCBC highlighted a technical zone for silver, saying the 70-90 area represents "a critical stabilisation zone." They warned that "sustained failure to hold above this area may risk deeper correction towards USD 58/60 levels," but added that if prices manage to remain in that band "bullish momentum may rebuild at some point later."
Other precious metals were also hit. Spot platinum slid 7.2% to $1,853.81 per ounce as part of the broader downdraft across the sector.
Traders said the losses in metal markets began to accelerate last week after U.S. President Donald Trump nominated Kevin Warsh to be the Federal Reserve chairman following Jerome Powell. Warsh was widely viewed as a less dovish choice, a development that helped trigger a rebound in the U.S. dollar and put downward pressure on gold, silver and related assets.
The dollar was set for its best week since early October, and softer U.S. labor market data did little to blunt the currency's advance. That firmer greenback reduced the appeal of dollar-priced metals for international buyers and contributed to the pullback in prices.
At the same time, some easing of tensions between Iran and the United States reduced safe-haven demand for precious metals. The two countries were scheduled to hold talks in Oman later in the day, a development that market participants cited as weighing on risk-sensitive flows into gold and silver.
Market context and near-term outlook
The recent move lower in metals reflects a mix of technical selling, a stronger dollar and a temporary reduction in geopolitical risk. While analysts pointed to a potential stabilisation zone for silver, they also warned that failure to hold key levels could lead to deeper corrections.
For now, market participants will be watching whether the dollar's rally continues, how traders respond to any further geopolitical developments, and whether metals can find technical support within the ranges cited by analysts.