Gold rises more than 1% as demand for safe havens grows after Maduro’s arrest

Gold rose more than one percent today, while other precious metals rose after the United States arrested Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro over the weekend, leading to escalating geopolitical tensions and raising demand for safe haven assets.

As of 01:19 GMT, gold rose in spot transactions by about 1.5 percent to $4,395.35 per ounce, rising to its highest level in more than a week. ⁠The precious metal reached a record level of $4,549.71 per ounce on December 26, 2025.

US gold futures for February delivery rose 1.8 percent to reach $4,405.40.

Gold achieved a significant rise in 2025, ending the year up by 64 percent, its largest annual gain since 1979, driven by interest rate cuts, safe haven demand, and inflows into exchange-traded funds.

Investors currently expect the Federal Reserve (the US central bank) to cut interest rates at least twice this year.

The United States arrested Maduro last Saturday, in an operation that was said to have caused the death of civilians, while US President Donald Trump said that Washington would take control of the country.

However, Vice President Delcy Rodriguez took over as interim president with the support of Venezuela’s Supreme Court, and said Maduro remained the country’s president.

Non-yielding assets such as gold tend to perform well in a low interest rate environment and in times of geopolitical or economic uncertainty.

As for other precious metals, silver rose in instant transactions by 4.5 percent to reach $75.86 per ounce, after recording its highest level ever at $83.62 on December 29.

Silver ended the year up 147 percent, far outpacing gold, in what was its best year ever.

Silver rose to new record levels thanks to its classification as a vital American metal, and the restrictions imposed on supply amid rising industrial and investment demand.

Platinum rose in spot transactions 1.5 percent at $2,175.15 an ounce, after rising to its highest level ever at $2,478.50 last Monday.

It increased by more than five percent earlier in the session to the highest level in one week.

Palladium rose 0.4 percent to $1,645.0 per ounce.