Silver price hits decades high as gold rush eases

The price of silver hit a multi-decade high on Thursday as investors kept flocking to safe havens amid geopolitical and economic uncertainty, while gold eased off a record run.Stock markets, meanwhile, were mixed as traders weighed a slew of issues: massive AI investments, corporate results, US interest rates, the US government shutdown, political turmoil in France and a Gaza ceasefire deal.The price of silver topped $50 an ounce, attaining levels not seen since 1980, according to Bloomberg. The surge comes in the wake of sister safe-haven gold, which retreated after hitting a record above $4,000 an ounce on Wednesday.”I think it’s a catch-up effect,” John Plassard, head of investment strategy at Cite Gestion Private Bank, told AFP.He cited concerns about the US economy, prospects of more interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve this year and worries about France’s debt.”What’s also happening — and this is what gave silver an extra boost — is that we’ve started hearing talk of a shortage of silver,” Plassard said, noting that the metal is used as an investment asset as well as for industries such as solar panels.Gold and silver are seen as safe haven investments in times of uncertainty.The dollar firmed against main rivals as it rebounds following a deep retreat for much of 2025.The greenback’s recovery is “being propelled by a dual engine: deteriorating conditions abroad and recalibrated expectations at home,” said a note from Convera that pointed to political instability in France and “dovish pivots” in Japan.On the equities front, major US indices retreated from records the prior session amid a dearth of economic data due to a government shutdown.US stocks have been resilient despite Republicans and Democrats appearing no closer to reaching a deal to reopen the government over a week into the shutdown.”Even the most bullish markets take a break sometimes,” said Steve Sosnick of Interactive Brokers.Investors are turning their attention towards company results.Shares in soft drink and snacks giant PepsiCo jumped 4.2 percent after reporting a third-quarter sales increase that beat expectations.Shares in Delta also climbed more than four percent after the airline posted strong profits and offered a bullish outlook on travel demand.But Boeing slid 4.1 percent following a Reuters report that Turkish Airlines could switch to Airbus for a recent plane order because of concerns about economic terms with engine supplier CFM International.The Paris stock market dipped as French President Emmanuel Macron races to find a new prime minister after the resignation of Sebastien Lecornu tipped the country deeper into political crisis.The Frankfurt DAX set a new record high.Ferrari had its worst slump since entering the Milan stock market in 2016, falling almost 15 percent at one point as an update to its 2030 financial guidance disappointed investors.In Asia, the Tokyo stock market closed up 1.8 percent after business-friendly Sanae Takaichi recently became leader of Japan’s ruling party.- Key figures at around 2010 GMT -New York – Dow: DOWN 0.5 percent at 46,358.42 (close)New York – S&P 500: DOWN 0.3 percent at 6,735.11 (close)New York – Nasdaq Composite: DOWN 0.1 percent at 23,024.63 (close)London – FTSE 100: DOWN 0.4 percent at 9,509.40 (close)Paris – CAC 40: DOWN 0.2 percent at 8,041.36 (close)Frankfurt – DAX: UP 0.1 percent at 24,611.25 (close)Tokyo – Nikkei 225: UP 1.8 percent at 48,580.44 (close)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: DOWN 0.3 percent at 26,752.59 (close)Shanghai – Composite: UP 1.3 percent at 3,933.97 (close)Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1558 from $1.1628 on WednesdayPound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3294 from $1.3404Dollar/yen: UP at 153.14 yen from 152.69 yenEuro/pound: UP at 86.94 pence from 86.77 penceBrent North Sea Crude: DOWN 1.6 percent at $65.22 per barrelWest Texas Intermediate: DOWN 1.7 percent at $61.51 per barrel

Gaza aid flotillas to continue: Brazilian activist

Brazilian activist Thiago Avila, one of the main organizers of the international aid flotilla to Gaza, said Thursday that the movement to get life-saving relief to the devastated Palestinian enclave would continue, after a ceasefire was announced between Israel and Hamas.”There is nothing in the ceasefire agreements to indicate that the illegal blockade of Gaza by Israel, the United States, or any other nation will end,” he told reporters upon his return to Brazil.”As long as there is no justice for the Palestinian people, the flotilla will continue.”Avila was one of 13 Brazilians aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla of 45 vessels intercepted by Israel last week. Israel detained and deported more than 470 people aboard the boats, including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg.Israel has blocked several international aid flotillas in recent months from reaching Gaza, where the United Nations says famine has set in after two years of a devastating Israeli military offensive.Israel enforces a blockade on the territory, and has slashed the amount of humanitarian aid allowed into the enclave while the war has raged.Several activists on board the flotilla reported mistreatment in detention, which Israel denied.”Obviously, there were violations that will be the subject of complaints in international courts, but they are nothing compared to what the Palestinians are suffering,” said Avila.He reported cases of “physical violence” and “forced interrogations” of activists. “Diabetics have gone three days without access to insulin,” he said.Israel and Hamas on Thursday agreed a ceasefire deal after more than two years of war sparked by Hamas’s October 2023 attack on Israel.Israel’s retaliatory campaign has reduced much of Gaza to rubble — including schools, hospitals and basic infrastructure — and killed at least 67,194 people, according to the territory’s health ministry.

Ligue 1: Adi Hütter limogé, le Belge Pocognoli pressenti, grandes manoeuvres à Monaco

L’entraîneur autrichien de Monaco Adi Hütter a été démis de ses fonctions jeudi, victime de résultats en dents de scie et d’un style de jeu peu apprécié de ses dirigeants, et devrait être remplacé par le Belge Sébastien Pocognoli.Depuis le début de saison, le président Dmitry Rybolovev, qui possède 66% de l’AS Monaco, a suivi assidument les prestations de son club. C’est peu dire que les défaites à Bruges en ouverture de la Ligue des champions (1-4), puis à Lorient (1-3) en Ligue 1, où le milliardaire russe s’était déplacé, ne lui ont pas plu du tout. Outre les résultats, le contenu ainsi que l’incapacité de Hütter à faire évoluer son système ont surpris Rybolovlev. Certes, l’entraîneur de 55 ans, arrivé dans la Principauté à l’été 2023, a dû faire face à une multitude d’absences mais la direction a estimé que la dynamique de son équipe n’était plus bonne.En outre, même s’il a demandé à son directeur général Thiago Scuro, de réduire la masse salariale de l’effectif (de plus 25% en 3 ans) et de dégager environ 100 millions d’euros de balance positive au mercato, Rybolovlev n’a pas apprécié le départs des pépites Eliesse Ben Seghir à Leverkusen (pour 30 millions d’euros) et Saïmon Bouabré à Neom (10 millions). Il avait personnellement reçu les joueurs pour les dissuader, en vain tant ces derniers exprimaient des réticences à l’égard du management de Hütter.Le Russe a estimé que la trêve internationale était le bon moment pour ouvrir une nouvelle page. Il en avait fait de même en octobre 2018, limogeant Leonardo Jardim pour nommer Thierry Henry, avant de rappeler le Portugais quatre mois plus tard.- Pocognoli, très exigeant -Mais outre l’inexpérience d’Henry au poste, Monaco était alors en perdition sportive. Ce n’est pas le cas aujourd’hui.Hütter présente un bilan très correct à la tête d’une équipe qu’il a qualifiée deux saisons consécutives pour la Ligue des champions. Monaco pointe à la cinquième place de L1 (13 pts) et a arraché le nul contre Manchester City en C1 (2-2). Il a dirigé 93 fois l’équipe avec un bilan de 49 victoires, 18 nuls et 26 défaites. Mais il n’a remporté aucun trophée. Hütter qui, comme ses adjoints Christian Peintinger et Klaus Schmidt, avait prolongé en janvier son bail sur le Rocher jusqu’en 2027, pourrait prétendre à plus de 6 millions d’euros d’indemnités.Jeudi après l’entraînement, les trois techniciens autrichiens ont annoncé leur départ aux joueurs. Ils avaient été avertis un peu plus tôt de la fin de leur mission.Désormais, Monaco compte sur Sébastien Pocognoli. A 38 ans, cet ex-international belge a joué dans son pays à Genk, au Standard de Liège et à l’Union Saint-Gilloise où il a terminé sa carrière. Il a également évolué aux Pays-Bas (AZ Alkmaar), en Allemagne (Hanovre) et en Angleterre (West Bromwich et Brighton).En tant qu’entraîneur, il ne peut se prévaloir que d’une saison au plus haut niveau, à l’Union Saint-Gilloise, où il est toujours sous contrat et qu’il a mené au titre de champion de Belgique. Pocognoli y a dirigé 69 rencontres. Il est considéré comme un entraîneur très exigeant. Le néo-Niçois Charles Vanhoutte évoque “un très bon coach” avec lequel “étape par étape, j’ai progressé”.Après la victoire de l’Union à Eindhoven contre le PSV (3-1) lors de la première journée de C1, le jeune entraîneur insistait: “quels que soient les joueurs qui entrent dans l’équipe, il n’y a pas de vague” dans les performances.Il reste toutefois sur deux défaites, contre Newcastle (0-4) à domicile, puis à Bruges (1-0), où Monaco avait sombré. 

Macron warns Israeli settlements threaten Palestinian state

French President Emmanuel Macron warned Thursday that expanding Israeli settlements threatened a Palestinian state and US-led peace efforts, as France hosted Arab and European ministers to find ways to boost the Palestinians after a Gaza ceasefire deal was announced. Macron hailed the ceasefire deal as a “great hope” for the region, but said the “acceleration” of settlement construction in the occupied West Bank was an “existential threat” to a Palestinian state.It was “not only unacceptable and contrary to international law” but “fuels tensions, violence, and instability”, he said in opening remarks to the meeting in Paris. “It fundamentally contradicts the American plan and our collective ambition for a peaceful region.”Israel and Hamas earlier agreed a Gaza ceasefire deal to free the remaining living Israeli hostages held by the Palestinian militant group. It is being seen as a major step towards ending a war that has killed tens of thousands of people and unleashed a humanitarian catastrophe.The deal brokered through indirect talks in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh came two years after the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas on Israel, which triggered a relentless retaliatory assault on Hamas-ruled Gaza.While Europe has strongly supported the ceasefire efforts led by US President Donald Trump, Washington and several European countries are at odds over whether it is the right moment to recognise a Palestinian state.Macron, in a September 22 speech at the United Nations, recognised a Palestinian state on the heels of similar announcements by Canada, Portugal and the United Kingdom.The Paris meeting brought together the top diplomats of five key Arab states — Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates — with European counterparts from France, Italy, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom. Turkey and the European Union were also represented.- ‘Unnecessary and harmful’ -“A ceasefire is not yet a lasting peace,” said French Foreign Minister, Jean-Noel Barrot. “It is the first step on a long road to a political solution that will guarantee Israel’s security while recognising the legitimate rights of the Palestinians to a state.”France is hoping that backing up its recognition of a Palestinian state by discussing what happens the “day after” the war ends can boost the prospects of a two-state solution, which Paris still regards as the sole chance for long-term regional peace.The ministers discussed participating in the International Stabilisation Force evoked by Trump as part of his peace plan and support for the Palestinian Authority which runs the occupied West Bank.Before the ceasefire deal was announced, the Paris meeting had angered Israel, further straining French-Israeli relations in the wake of Macron’s recognition of a Palestinian state.Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar had in a message on X denounced the “unnecessary and harmful” meeting “concocted behind Israel’s back” at the sensitive moment of the negotiations in Sharm el-Sheikh.