Gold and silver bullion. Finance 3d illustrtration
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The precious metal complex gained on Friday with gold topping the key $5,000 an ounce market and silver crossing $80 an ounce.
In India, gold prices jumped by Rs 496 to Rs 155,066 per 10 grams against Rs 154,570 on Thursday on the back of prices firming up trend in the global markets, according to the Indian Bullion and Jewellers Association of India.
Silver prices increased by Rs 5,552 to Rs 250,314 per kg against Rs 244,772 as the tension between the US and Iran ntensified.
Haven demand
Kaynat Chainwala, AVP Commodity Research, Kotak Securities said spot gold extended gains on Friday as escalating geopolitical tensions in the West Asia revived -haven demand.
Gold prices surged briefly, testing $5,020 an ounce, then pared gains to drop below $5,000-mark (and later rebounding to $5,030), as dollar index climbed to a three-and-a-half-week high of 98.1 after weekly jobless claims fell to 206K and the Philadelphia Fed Business Outlook jumped to 16.3, both reinforcing signs of economic resilience, said Chainwala.Markets continue to weigh geopolitical risks against evolving Federal Reserve policy expectations.
Investors remain cautious ahead of key economic releases, including PCE inflation, Q4 GDP, and flash PMI data. A softer-than-expected inflation reading could boost expectations for additional rate cuts later this year, supporting bullion prices. Conversely, a hotter inflation print may reinforce higher-for-longer rate expectations, potentially capping further upside in precious metals.
10-day window
Jateen Trivedi, VP Research Analyst – Commodity and Currency, LKP Securities said gold futures are edging higher as the US-Iran standoff keeps risk sentiment elevated.
However, with the US President Trump reportedly giving Iran a 10-day window for a deal, price action could swing sharply either way over the weekend. Any diplomatic breakthrough may trigger profit booking, while escalation could push bullion into another spike, he said.
Published on February 20, 2026
