Middle East Tensions Ease as Rate Cut Expectations Rise, Gold Nears $4900
April 17
International gold prices surged sharply Wednesday, driven by easing Middle East tensions and rebounding expectations for Federal Reserve rate cuts. Spot gold climbed nearly 2% intraday, approaching the $4,900-per-ounce mark.
On the news front: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said the Strait of Hormuz will remain open during the ceasefire, easing market fears of energy supply disruptions. That pushed oil prices lower alongside a weaker U.S. dollar (greenback). Donald Trump also voiced optimism about reaching a conflict resolution deal.
Analysts note the oil price pullback is helping ease inflationary pressures, reigniting bets on Fed rate cuts. Traders now peg a 60% chance of a rate cut by year-end.
Institutional views: A weaker greenback plus rate-cut expectations directly support gold. Short-term prices could break above $5,000, they say.
Separately, policy uncertainty has led some Indian banks to suspend gold import orders, leaving several tons of the m
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Trump: U.S. Will Obtain All Nuclear Materials, Ban Israel from Bombing Lebanon
On April 17th, former U.S. President Donald Trump announced in a social media post that the U.S. will take possession of all nuclear material—dubbed "nuclear dust" by Trump—from strikes conducted by its B-2 bombers, with no financial transaction of any kind involved. The move is unrelated to Lebanon, he added, noting the U.S. will separately work with Lebanon to address the Hezbollah situation. Additionally, Israel has been prohibited by the U.S. from bombing Lebanon moving forward.
Trump used "nuclear dust" to refer to highly enriched uranium. His statement lauded the U.S. for destroying Iran's nuclear program through its powerful military, specifically the B-2 bombers. It is believed the highly enriched uranium was deeply buried underground after U.S. forces struck Iran's Fordow and Natanz nuclear facilities last June.
This batch of nuclear material, which was under Iran's control, long served as a key source of tension between the Trump administration and Tehran. (Source: FX S
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Trump Criticizes NATO: Strait of Hormuz Situation De-Escalated, Key Moment "Completely Useless"
April 17 — Former President Donald Trump issued a statement on the Strait of Hormuz situation Wednesday, noting current tensions have largely eased.
He revealed he received a call from NATO asking if U.S. assistance was needed. Trump said he flatly rejected NATO’s offer to intervene, bluntly stating: “Don’t meddle unless you’re just here to fill your own ships with oil.”
He also sharply criticized NATO’s crisis response, calling it “useless in a pinch and nothing more than a paper tiger.”
The remarks underscore rifts between the U.S. and its NATO allies on Middle East security, further reflecting uncertainty over internal coordination within the Western bloc amid current geopolitical tensions.
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Ethereum Foundation Identifies About 100 'Nation-State Level Hackers' Infiltrators with North Korean Background
April 17 — The Ethereum Foundation recently published a summary report on its ETH Rangers Security Project, revealing that over a six-month security funding initiative, researchers identified roughly 100 suspected state-sponsored threat actors—including those linked to North Korea (DPRK)—who have targeted multiple Web3 projects.
The report notes the investigation was advanced through efforts like the “Ketman Project,” with researchers issuing warnings to around 53 blockchain projects. These alerts exposed individuals who infiltrated development teams under false identities, holding roles tied to fund flows and technical operations. Additionally, hundreds of thousands of dollars in associated funds have been frozen.
The security team also integrated this intelligence into threat analysis systems focused on the Lazarus Group and presented findings at conferences like DEF CON, underscoring that nation-state cyberattacks are increasingly targeting the crypto industry’s infrastructure
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