Gold, Silver Extend Losses After Brief Rebound Amid Strong Dollar, Geopolitical Tensions

• Gold and silver prices dipped on Friday due to a firmer US dollar, but are set for their strongest monthly performance in decades.
• Spot gold fell 0.9% to $5,346.42 an ounce, after hitting a record high of $5,594.82, but has surged over 24% in January.
• Silver was down 0.2% at $115.83 an ounce, after an all-time high of $121.64, and has climbed about 62% this month.
• The US Federal Reserve kept interest rates unchanged, and Fed Chair Jerome Powell noted inflation remains above target, suggesting cautious policy easing.
• In India, gold reached ₹1.83 lakh per 10 grams and silver ₹4.04 lakh per kg, though physical demand softened due to high prices.

Why It Matters: Precious metals saw a slight dip but are on track for record monthly gains driven by uncertainty and investment demand.