Business
Gold and silver bring cheers for investors, 2026 outlook remains strong
Mumbai, Dec 25: In a year marked by heightened global uncertainty, precious metals delivered exceptional returns for investors, with silver emerging as a surprise winner.
Silver prices surged by more than 137 per cent — outperforming gold — which also posted a strong gain of around 68 per cent this year.
With equity markets facing volatility, both metals strengthened their position as preferred safe investment options, but silver clearly outshone all traditional choices.
Gold’s strong performance was supported by geopolitical tensions, inflation concerns, and expectations of interest rate cuts by the US Federal Reserve.
A major driving force behind gold’s rally was steady buying by global central banks. For three consecutive years — 2022, 2023 and 2024 — central banks have purchased more than 1,000 tonnes of gold each year.
Alongside this, global investors continued to invest through gold ETFs, using them as a safe place to park funds.
Big global banks have turned increasingly bullish on gold’s outlook. Goldman Sachs has raised its 2026 year-end gold price target to $4,900 per ounce, citing strong central bank demand and ETF inflows.
Deutsche Bank has also upgraded its outlook, projecting gold prices at $4,450 per ounce in 2026.
Silver’s rally, however, has been driven by more than just safe-haven demand. Strong industrial usage has played a crucial role.
Growing demand from sectors such as solar power, electric vehicles, and electronics has significantly increased silver consumption.
At the same time, supply constraints have tightened the market, pushing prices sharply higher.
This dual role — as a precious metal and an industrial input — has helped silver deliver more than double the returns of gold in 2025.
Looking ahead, experts believe the positive momentum in silver could continue into 2026.
Market specialists say that strong industrial demand, limited supply, and supportive global trends could help silver rise by another 15 to 20 per cent next year.
Some analysts expect that in the first half of 2026 alone, silver may generate an additional 20 to 25 per cent return from current levels, though they advise investors to invest gradually, especially if prices see short-term corrections.
Gold’s outlook also remains positive for 2026. Continued central bank buying, possible US rate cuts, and ongoing geopolitical risks are expected to support prices.
Analysts suggest that keeping an eye on central bank activity — whether they continue buying, hold their reserves, or start selling — will be critical, as their actions often signal future price trends well in advance.
“With uncertainty still dominating the global economic landscape, precious metals are likely to continue playing an important role in investor portfolios, offering a mix of safety and growth potential,” experts stated.
Meanwhile, both metal’s prices climbed to new record highs on the MCX on Wednesday morning, helped by a weak US dollar and expectations that the US Federal Reserve may cut interest rates further.
Gold futures for February rose 0.42 per cent to touch an all-time high of Rs 1,38,469 per 10 grams. Silver futures for March jumped nearly 2 per cent to hit a fresh record of Rs 2,23,742 per kg.
In the global market, gold prices crossed the $4,500 per ounce level for the first time. The rise was driven by strong demand for safe-haven assets as investors expect more interest rate cuts by the US Federal Reserve next year.
Business
Govt asks Meta to review Facebook and Instagram recommendation systems

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has asked technology giant firm Meta to review the content recommendation and ranking systems that power Facebook and Instagram, stepping up regulatory scrutiny of how social media algorithms amplify information in India, according to multiple reports.
In an advisory issued to the company, the ministry had asked Meta to ensure that its recommendation systems do not lead to the disproportionate exposure of users to a single or limited set of narratives and instead provide greater access to diverse, relevant and credible information, according to them.
The ministry also directed Meta to strengthen mechanisms for rapidly identifying, reviewing and escalating content that gains significant reach through recommendation systems when such material has the potential to contribute to public confusion, violence or disruption of public order.
Apart from that, the US-based company has been asked to implement the measures immediately and inform the government of the action taken.
The advisory specifically highlights photographs, videos and graphics related to ongoing public events where the authenticity, timing, location or surrounding circumstances may be unclear.
It calls for additional context where old or unrelated visuals are presented as current, where footage has been selectively edited or where unverified claims are made regarding emergencies, police action or other official measures.
Additionally, this marks the latest escalation in the government’s scrutiny of Meta’s moderation and recommendation systems.
Earlier in August, government officials questioned Meta executives over content recommendation algorithms, deepfakes, synthetic media and safeguards against unlawful content.
Meta has separately tightened content and advertising safeguards following concerns related to child sexual exploitation material.
The company said earlier this month it deployed new AI-driven advertising review systems and removed 5.3 million pieces of child sexual exploitation content in India during January-June 2026, with more than 98% detected proactively.
Business
Sensex, Nifty open flat amid mixed global cues

Domestic equity benchmarks opened on a flat note on Monday tracking mixed global cues and momentum from last week’s gains.
Sensex opened at 74,849.30, up 120.03 points or 0.16 per cent, while Nifty began trading at 23,150.85, up 4.70 points or 0.02 per cent.
Sectorally, Nifty PSU Bank led gains and rose over 1 per cent, followed by Nifty Oil & Gas which surged 0.6 per cent.
In contrast, Nifty Private Bank, Nifty IT and Nifty Chemicals dropped up to 1 per cent.
Market experts said momentum from Nifty’s 2.8 per cent surge last week and good results from banking majors after better-than-expected IT earnings could keep the market resilient.
“However, escalation of tensions in Hormuz and consequent surge in Brent crude to $109 will act as a strong headwind,” according to them.
They further said that attractive large-cap valuations and rupee appreciation turned FII stance slightly positive, though unlikely to sustain at high crude prices. Large-caps outperforming mid and small-caps is likely to continue, with stock-specific action on Q2 results.
For Nifty, immediate support is placed at 22,950–23,000, while resistance is seen at 23,250–23,300, the experts said and added that RSI strengthened to 52.81 above its average of 34.70, while PCR stood at 1.08.
In the previous session on October 16, FIIs turned net buyers after 15 straight sessions of selling, buying equities worth about Rs 1,166 crore, while DIIs ended their 45-session buying streak with net sales of around Rs 3,661 crore.
On commodities, Brent crude traded nearly 2 per cent lower at around $107.76 per barrel, while US WTI declined about 1 per cent to $100.43.
In Asia, markets were mixed. Japan’s Nikkei traded 0.84 per cent lower, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng and South Korea’s KOSPI rose up to 0.83 per cent. Indonesia’s Jakarta Composite fell over 5 per cent.
Business
India-EFTA trade pact opens new opportunities for Norwegian investment across key sectors

India’s strong economic growth trajectory and the implementation of the India-EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) are creating significant opportunities for Norwegian investors, particularly in manufacturing, renewable energy, infrastructure, financial services and the digital economy, according to industry insights.
With GDP growth projected to remain around 6.5 per cent annually through 2030, India is widely expected to become the world’s third-largest economy by the end of the decade, according to EY India report.
Analysts attribute this outlook to strong domestic consumption, rising investments, ongoing infrastructure development and reforms aimed at improving the ease of doing business.
The India-EFTA TEPA, which came into effect in October 2025, is being viewed as a major milestone in India-Norway economic relations.
The agreement seeks to promote trade liberalisation, facilitate investment flows and deepen cooperation in areas such as innovation, sustainability and advanced technologies.
The pact includes investment commitments of $100 billion over 15 years and is expected to support the creation of one million direct jobs in India, aligning with the country’s broader goals of expanding manufacturing capacity and strengthening its position in global value chains.
Industry experts believe the agreement creates a strong framework for Norwegian companies to expand their presence in India by combining Norway’s expertise in technology, sustainability and capital-intensive industries with India’s large market and growth ambitions.
Several sectors have been identified as priority areas for collaboration, including manufacturing, renewable energy, oil and gas, maritime services, seafood processing, information and communication technology (ICT), fintech and financial services. These industries are expected to benefit from increasing bilateral cooperation under the TEPA framework.
The rapid expansion of India’s digital economy and digital payments ecosystem is also creating opportunities for Norwegian companies seeking exposure to one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing consumer markets.
At the same time, India’s policy measures aimed at attracting foreign investment are expected to provide a supportive environment for long-term investors, as per the report.
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