Overview
- U.S. and Iranian delegations held talks in Switzerland that mediators Qatar and Pakistan said produced a joint 60‑day roadmap toward a final deal.
- Global oil prices fell after the announcement as analysts reported that Iran has resumed some exports and Gulf states and Iraq offered extra cargoes to buyers.
- Gold staged a limited rebound but stayed under pressure from stronger bets on higher U.S. interest rates, and Deutsche Bank cut its gold price forecasts by about 22 percent.
- In the UAE, local gold prices have fallen for three straight weeks — a total drop of about 46.25 dirhams per gram — which traders say has driven higher retail demand for gold bars as a store of value.
- Separately, the Sudanese pound plunged to roughly 5,500 per dollar in the parallel market after Port Sudan raised the customs dollar rate, a move that traders and economists warn will worsen living costs and deepen humanitarian strain.