Japan is increasing its budget support for chips and AI by almost four times. China is launching three major venture capital funds to invest in hard tech — from microchips and quantum technologies to neural interfaces. Nvidia has signed a licensing agreement with startup Groq. Read about these and other topics in our review of key events as of the morning of December 26.

Morning headlines: metals rally, Nvidia deal, and Japan's race for chips 


Sapporo Holdings Limited

KKR & Co. Inc.

Gold, silver and platinum are hitting all-time highs amid demand for safe-haven assets and expectations of rate cuts in the US. Washington postpones the introduction of duties on Chinese semiconductors until 2027. These and other topics - in our review of key events in the morning of December 24.

Highlights for the morning: precious metals records, U.S. duty pause against China, Motive IPOs

And by 2030, the precious metal could more than double in price

Yardeni Research has improved its outlook for gold. It expects prices to rise by 30% in 2026

Analysts admit increased volatility and a temporary pause in the growth of gold prices during the New Year holidays

Gold set 50th record for the year amid demand for defensive assets

Gold broke through $4400 per ounce for the first time in history. What is driving the market?

Suntory Beverage & Food Limited

The People's Bank of China keeps rates unchanged despite weak data and the lingering real estate crisis, while industrial and precious metals are hitting all-time highs. These and other topics are in our review of key events for the morning of December 22.

Highlights for the morning: China's central bank kept rates on hold, copper and gold hit records

The rush for gold and U.S. stocks among retail investors is driving these assets into "bubble territory," warned the Bank for International Settlements, which has been described as a "bank for central banks." In its assessment, this raises the risk of a sharp and chaotic reversal. Stocks and gold were in that zone at the same time for the first time in 50 years, the report said.

Investors unleashed gold and stocks into a bubble, says "central bankers for central bankers"

The head of ARK Invest explains why an accelerating U.S. economy will crash protective asset prices and where the market bubble is actually inflating

'Reaganomics on steroids': what Cathie Wood expects from gold, bitcoin and stocks

Barrick Mining Corporation

Anthropic, a startup that created the Claude chatbot and competes with OpenAI in the enterprise segment, seems to have started preparing for one of the largest IPOs in history. Elon Musk's SpaceX is also targeting an IPO in 2026. Moore Threads Technology's "Chinese Nvidia" Moore Threads shares soared more than 5 times in debut trading after listing in Shanghai. Travel service Klook, which competes with Booking.com in Asia, postponed its U.S. offering until next year amid weak results from rivals. The main IPO market events of the week are in our selection.

Anthropic, SpaceX and "China's Nvidia": what's important about the IPO by Dec. 7

NVIDIA Corporation

Analysts at Denmark's Saxo Bank annually publish a list of "unlikely but highly influential events that may well happen". The bank calls its forecast "crazy". But as practice and Saxo's analysis shows - even "unlikely", according to experts, events can be realized. Saxo <a href="https://www.home.saxo/en-mena/content/articles/thought-starters/outrageous-predictions-that-went-right-25112025">selected</a> 8 "outrageous" forecasts that eventually came true. And these are:

8 "crazy" Saxo forecasts that came true. What do analysts expect in 2026?

The price of gold has risen by about 60% this year, and such a high result has attracted many players to the market - from ordinary investors to inventors of clever schemes trying to capitalize on the gold boom. The cryptocurrency market, which has been going through difficult times in recent weeks, has also decided to capitalize on the most real and valuable asset in the world's history.

Crypto companies want to capitalize on the gold market. What are the risks of these "digital mines"?

Gold.com, Inc.

Steady demand from regulators and lower rates could take the market to all-time highs