· Gold prices rose on Friday and were set to post a weekly rise as the United States raised tariffs on Chinese goods, exacerbating fears of a global economic slowdown, while palladium surged more than 5% on technical buying and short covering.
· The United States intensified a tariff war with China on Friday by hiking levies on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday he was in no hurry to sign a trade deal with China.
The escalation in the U.S.-China trade dispute has weighed on stock markets worldwide and boosted demand for assets viewed as safer.