Spot gold has just surpassed the $4,360.00/ounce mark, now quoted at $4,358.79/ounce, down 1.13% for the day; COMEX gold futures main contract is now quoted at $4,410.00/ounce, down 1.29% for the day.

Analysts at ANZ Bank stated in a research report that rising energy prices and an overnight sell-off in the Nasdaq, which is dominated by tech stocks, have dampened investors’ risk appetite. However, copper prices remain near historic highs, supported by constrained supply. The analysts noted that workers at the Centinela copper mine in Chile are on strike, exacerbating supply limitations. They also indicated that market sentiment has turned relatively optimistic as Chinese traders return after a week-long holiday, providing some support for copper prices. According to ICE data, London Metal Exchange (LME) three-month copper futures rose by 1.1% to $14,461.50 per ton.

Shell (SHEL.US): We continue to monitor Hurricane Isaias to assess its potential impact on our assets and operations in the Gulf of Mexico.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated that enhancing competitiveness would help boost confidence in the yen.

According to information from Zhitong Finance APP, star technology analyst Dan Ives stated that Apple (AAPL.US)'s AI strategy could increase the company’s valuation by approximately $75 per share, as the company seeks to leverage AI to drive device upgrades and boost service revenue. Ives gives Apple stock an "Outperform" rating with a target price of $400.