Gold futures slipped below the $5,000 per ounce mark but held near the levels amid volatile trades. The precious metal faced headwinds from profit-taking after recent record highs, alongside renewed strength in the US dollar. The dollar found support after President Donald Trump nominated Kevin Warsh as the next Federal Reserve Chair, with markets viewing Warsh as favoring a smaller balance sheet and a more measured approach to policy easing. Geopolitical sentiment also remained cautious, as the White House signalled a preference for diplomacy with Iran. Gold closed the week on positive note, adding around 5% and reversing a similar loss in previous week though the metal is well below its all time high above $5600 per ounce. Meanwhile, World Gold Council or WGC has stated in a latest update that Gold exchange traded funds saw a surge in flows. Global gold ETFs attracted a record US$18.7 billion (bn) in January, with every region reporting inflows; Asia (+US$9.6bn) and North America (+US$6.8bn) led the way. Total AUM reached a new all-time high of US$669bn, supported by a 14% rise in the gold price; holdings also climbed to a record 4,145 tonnes. Trading volumes surged too, averaging US$623bn/day in January'the strongest month on record.

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