International gold prices fell to a seven-month low, briefly dropping to $3,964 an ounce and more than 20% below the January peak, a threshold often associated with a bear market. Silver also slipped below $60 an ounce. The declines were driven by a stronger U.S. dollar and firmer expectations for higher U.S. interest rates after hawkish signals from Federal Reserve officials such as Chair Kevin Warsh. Gold-linked stocks including Hindustan Zinc, Manappuram Finance and IIFL Finance traded lower.

Metal stocks fell broadly on Thursday, with Vedanta, NALCO and Hindustan Zinc down about 3% each, while the Nifty Metal index slipped 1% to 12,496. The move followed a 7% drop in international silver prices to $57.70, more than halving from the late-January 2026 peak of $121.78. A firmer US dollar—its index near a one-year high of 101.5—and expectations of a US Federal Reserve rate hike in September also weighed on sentiment. China’s May steel exports fell 3% year on year, adding to concerns over global metals demand.

Shares of India’s metal producers including Vedanta, NALCO and Hindustan Zinc fell as much as 3% in a single session as metal prices slid on the London Metal Exchange. Silver has dropped as much as 14% this week to a seven-month low, while aluminium fell to a three-month low and copper and zinc hit multi-month lows. The moves were attributed to a stronger dollar, fading Middle East risk premium linked to U.S.-Iran talks, and rising expectations of a Federal Reserve rate hike later this year.

Brent crude has fallen to $73 a barrel, its lowest level since the U.S.-Iran war began on February 28, 2026, and is down 37% from its May 2026 peak of $115 a barrel. The drop helped lift India’s Nifty Auto index 2.2% in a single session, with several auto stocks rising 2%–3%. The report attributes the rally to easing diesel costs and lower total cost of ownership (TCO) for fleet operators as oil prices decline.

Qualcomm rose 12% in after-hours trading after lifting its full-year revenue forecast to $40 billion from $22 billion and unveiling the Dragonfly C1000 data-center CPU that Meta plans to use. Micron Technology added nearly 16% after raising its outlook and beating analysts’ estimates. The earnings-driven move pushed chip-related shares higher across Asia, lifting Tokyo Electron 7.1%, Advantest 13.4%, Samsung Electronics 5.4% and SK Hynix 11.6%, with the Nikkei 225 up 4.1% and South Korea’s Kospi setting a record. Among the U.S. tech names cited, only Micron and Qualcomm are presented as direct, fresh, above-expectations earnings catalysts.

UK aerospace parts maker Doncasters raised $919.3 million in a U.S. initial public offering after selling 27.9 million shares at $33 each, above the marketed range. The company has pursued a turnaround since a debt restructuring more than six years ago and has invested over $170 million since 2020 to modernize facilities and expand capacity. Doncasters manufactures complex components such as blades and vanes for aerospace engines and industrial gas turbines, serving customers across aviation and energy.

Brent crude fell to $72.40 a barrel on June 25, down 42% from its April 30 peak of $126 and back to levels seen before the Iran war began on February 28. The U.S. energy secretary said flows through the Strait of Hormuz reached at least 20 million barrels in the past 24 hours, with traffic largely restored. The drop in oil prices eased pressure on airline fuel costs, sending IndiGo and SpiceJet up 3.5% to 4% in a single session.

Brent Crude Oil (OIL) is locked in an aggressive downward trend, trading near $72.91 on the daily chart on June 25, 2026. For everyday traders, the message flashing across the energy desk is undeniable: institutional sellers have taken complete control of the market. After violently invalidating its long-term support floors, the global benchmark is sliding fast.