Gold and silver advanced in early Asian trading as intensifying Middle East tensions triggered a fresh wave of safe-haven buying. Joint U.S. and Israeli military strikes on Iran over the weekend—reportedly resulting in the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei—have sharply increased geopolitical risk and unsettled global markets. “Gold remains the clearest barometer of investor fear,” said market analyst Josh Gilbert in emailed comments. The April futures contract of surged to $5,369 per ounce in morning trade and is now up roughly 24% year to date, reinforcing its role as the primary hedge during ... (full story)