Category: 3. Business

The Pakistani Rupee (PKR) on Thursday appreciated by 03 paisa against the US Dollar (USD) in the interbank trading and closed at Rs. 281.92 against the previous day’s closing of Rs. 281.95.

However, according to the Forex Association of Pakistan (FAP), the buying and selling rates of the dollar in the open market stood at Rs. 284 and Rs. 284.5, respectively.

The price of the Euro increased by 25 paisa to close at Rs. 328.58 against the last day’s closing of Rs. 328.33, according to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).

The Japanese yen went up by 01 paisa and closed at Rs. 1.91, while the exchange rate of the British Pound witnessed a decrease of Rs. 1.07 to close at Rs. 379.74 against the last day’s closing of Rs. 380.81.

The exchange rates of the Emirates Dirham and the Saudi Riyal came down by 01 paisa each to close at Rs. 76.75 and Rs. 75.12, respectively.

Artificial intelligence offers capabilities to streamline research workflows, improve information retrieval accuracy, and distill complex data into meaningful decision-making support across organizations.

Executive summary

Applications of artificial intelligence (AI) are making inroads and headlines in healthcare.
Accordingly, the need for researchers and clinicians to find the latest, most accurate,
clinically relevant information about AI in healthcare (AIH) has grown exponentially.
However, the vast sea of databases from which one can draw often presents
overwhelming noise, requiring users to possess significant expertise in searching and
appraising information.

In contrast, the NEJM Collection published by the NEJM Group, particularly NEJM AI, offers
a guiding light by purposefully curating signals from noise to provide the latest, most
clinically relevant, and immediately transformative information on all AIH topics.

NEJM AI: Transforming healthcare research

AIH is a topic of intense discovery and discussion. Articles alternately spotlight AIH’s
promise or its perils. Many proofs of concept exist for AI-enabled technologies; however,
studies to date on those technologies have been small and sparse. Moreover, patient
outcomes have not been consistently measured, so the effectiveness of the technology
is unclear. The crucial question of performance gain — what measurable improvement is
due to the AI model alone — needs to be rigorously addressed.

The average clinician often struggles to interpret the results of an AI study while trying to
determine whether the tool is safe and effective enough to use in practice, partly due to
the time-intensive nature of appraisal and the sheer volume of new publications.

Medical librarians can bridge the gap

Medical librarians are uniquely positioned to fill those information and skill gaps as
they increasingly field user questions regarding how to find good research on AIH and
interpret the results. AIH information can be drawn from a vast sea of databases, but
the onus is on the user to apply the right filters and be an expert in evaluating the
information. In contrast, the NEJM Complete Collection, including NEJM AI, provides a
guiding light to the latest, most clinically relevant information about AIH. Librarians can
support clinicians not only in searching but also in developing algorithmic literacy and
critically appraising AI outputs, a crucial skill in a rapidly evolving landscape.

The NEJM Complete Collection is a product suite of high-impact, peer-reviewed content
curated for researchers, physician learners, and educators at medical schools. The
collection stands alone as an entire ecosystem that deliberately separates signal
from noise, offering only the most relevant, immediately transformative information
for proactively advancing care. Beyond simply presenting information, the portfolio
curates content for accuracy and clinical relevance, while also offering physician-editor
commentary to provide essential context and clinical decision-making support.

How to optimize the use of the NEJM Collection

For all users, NEJM Journal Watch can serve as the primary entry point for research.
Its authors cull information from more than 150 medical journals, generating succinct
summaries of clinical studies, highlighting key findings and clinical implications, and
providing expert commentary. This effectively offloads the overwhelming task of staying
current and appraising diverse literature for clinicians and researchers. Topics can then
be explored in more depth within the primary articles.

Complementary publications

The journals in the NEJM Complete Collection are designed to complement each other,
each with a distinct and necessary mission aligned towards specific improvements in
research and medicine, rather than merely increasing publication volume. Consider this
AIH example:

• In the second replicate study (Study 1) of the pivotal Phase 3 UP-AA clinical program, upadacitinib (RINVOQ^®) achieved the primary endpoint, demonstrating that 45.2% and 55.0% of patients with severe alopecia areata treated with upadacitinib 15 mg and 30 mg, respectively, reached 80% or more scalp hair coverage at week 24 as defined by the severity of alopecia tool (SALT) score ≤ 20¹
• Key secondary endpoints, including improvements in eyebrows and eyelashes, as well as the percentage of subjects with 90% or more scalp coverage (SALT ≤ 10) and complete scalp hair coverage (SALT=0) at week 24, were also met ¹
• The safety profile in alopecia areata was generally consistent with that in approved indications, and no new safety signals were identified in this study¹
• These results are consistent with the topline results from the first parallel replicate study (Study 2) of the Phase 3 UP-AA clinical program

NORTH CHICAGO, Ill., Aug. 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) today announced positive topline results from the second of two pivotal studies of the Phase 3 UP-AA clinical program evaluating the safety and efficacy of upadacitinib (RINVOQ^®; 15 mg and 30 mg, once daily) in adult and adolescent patients with severe alopecia areata (AA) with a mean baseline SALT score of 84.0 (approximately 16% scalp hair coverage).¹

In Study 1, both doses of upadacitinib achieved the primary endpoint, with 45.2% and 55.0% of patients treated with upadacitinib 15 mg and 30 mg, respectively, reaching 80% or more scalp hair coverage (SALT score ≤ 20) at week 24, compared to 1.5% of patients receiving placebo (p<0.001).¹ These results are consistent with the topline results previously announced from the first parallel replicate study (Study 2) of the Phase 3 UP-AA clinical program.

“These positive results strengthen the growing body of evidence supporting the potential of upadacitinib to improve the lives of people with AA,” said Kori Wallace, M.D., Ph.D., vice president, global head of immunology clinical development, AbbVie. “We are very encouraged by the improvements in both scalp and non-scalp hair regrowth observed with both doses of upadacitinib and look forward to submitting these data to regulatory bodies, bringing us one step closer to delivering upadacitinib to those living with this complex immune-mediated disease.”

35.2% and 45.8% of patients treated with upadacitinib 15 mg and 30 mg, respectively, reached 90% or more scalp hair coverage (SALT ≤ 10), compared to 0.7% of patients receiving placebo at week 24 (p<0.001).¹ Additional key secondary endpoints that were met included percentage of subjects with improvements in eyebrows and eyelashes, as well as the percentage of subjects with complete scalp hair coverage (SALT=0) with both doses of upadacitinib at week 24.¹

“People living with AA often face considerable uncertainty related to both the severity and duration of hair loss, despite current treatment options,” said Arash Mostaghimi, M.D., M.P.A., M.P.H., associate professor of dermatology and vice chair of clinical trials and innovation, Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School. “These encouraging results are consistent with and reinforce the outcomes observed in the first pivotal trial. Together, these findings underscore the potential of upadacitinib to provide meaningful hair regrowth, offering hope for those enduring the psychosocial burden associated with this disease.”

The safety profile of both doses of upadacitinib in the 24-week, placebo-controlled period (Period A) was generally consistent with that observed in approved indications.¹ Treatment-emergent serious adverse events occurred in 1.9% and 1.8% of patients in the upadacitinib 15 mg and 30 mg groups, respectively, and 0.7% in the placebo group.¹ Discontinuations due to treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) occurred in 1.1% and 1.5% of patients in the upadacitinib 15 mg and 30 mg groups, respectively, and none in the placebo group.¹ The most common TEAEs observed were upper respiratory tract infection, acne, blood creatine phosphokinase increased and nasopharyngitis.¹ Serious infections were reported infrequently with one in the placebo group and one in the upadacitinib 30 mg group, and none in the upadacitinib 15 mg group group.¹ There were no adjudicated MACE, adjudicated venous thromboembolic events or deaths reported.¹ One malignancy (breast cancer) was reported in the upadacitinib 15 mg group.¹

Use of upadacitinib in AA is not approved and its safety and efficacy have not been evaluated by regulatory authorities.

About UP-AA Clinical Trial 

UP-AA M23-716 was conducted as a single protocol that includes two replicate pivotal studies (Study 1 and Study 2) with randomization, investigative sites, data collection, analysis and reporting independent for each study. The Phase 3 randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind studies evaluate efficacy and safety of upadacitinib in adult and adolescent subjects with severe alopecia areata. In Study 1 and Study 2 Period A, participants are randomized to one of three groups to receive upadacitinib 15 mg, upadacitinib 30 mg or placebo for 24 weeks. In Study 1 and Study 2 Period B, participants originally randomized to upadacitinib dose groups in Period A will continue their same treatment in Period B for 28 weeks. Participants originally randomized to placebo in Period A will either remain on placebo in Period B, or be randomized in one of two groups, based off of their SALT score at week 24. In total, Study 1 and Study 2 Periods A and B span 52 weeks. Participants who complete Study 1 or Study 2, can join Study 3 and may be re-randomized to receive 1 of 2 doses of upadacitinib for up to 108 weeks. The two trials randomized 1,399 participants with severe AA ages 12 to 64 across 248 sites worldwide. More information on this trial can be found at www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT06012240).

About RINVOQ

Discovered and developed by AbbVie scientists, RINVOQ is a JAK inhibitor that is being studied in several immune-mediated inflammatory diseases. In human leukocyte cellular assays, RINVOQ inhibited cytokine-induced STAT phosphorylation mediated by JAK1 and JAK1/JAK3 more potently than JAK2/JAK2 mediated STAT phosphorylation.² The relevance of inhibition of specific JAK enzymes to therapeutic effectiveness and safety is not currently known.

Upadacitinib (RINVOQ) is being studied in Phase 3 clinical trials for alopecia areata, hidradenitis suppurativa, Takayasu arteritis, systemic lupus erythematosus and vitiligo.^3,4,5,6,7

RINVOQ (upadacitinib) U.S. Uses and Important Safety Information¹

RINVOQ is a prescription medicine used to treat:

• Adults with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA) when 1 or more medicines called tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blockers have been used, and did not work well or could not be tolerated.
• Adults with active psoriatic arthritis (PsA) when 1 or more medicines called TNF blockers have been used, and did not work well or could not be tolerated.
• Adults with active ankylosing spondylitis (AS) when 1 or more medicines called TNF blockers have been used, and did not work well or could not be tolerated.
• Adults with active non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA) with objective signs of inflammation when a TNF blocker medicine has been used, and did not work well or could not be tolerated.
• Adults with giant cell arteritis (GCA).
• Adults with moderate to severe ulcerative colitis (UC) when 1 or more medicines called TNF blockers have been used, and did not work well or could not be tolerated.
• Adults with moderate to severe Crohn’s disease (CD) when 1 or more medicines called TNF blockers have been used, and did not work well or could not be tolerated.

It is not known if RINVOQ is safe and effective in children with ankylosing spondylitis, non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis, ulcerative colitis, or Crohn’s disease.

• Adults and children 12 years of age and older with moderate to severe eczema (atopic dermatitis [AD]) that did not respond to previous treatment and their eczema is not well controlled with other pills or injections, including biologic medicines, or the use of other pills or injections is not recommended.

It is not known if RINVOQ is safe and effective in children under 12 years of age with atopic dermatitis.

It is not known if RINVOQ LQ is safe and effective in children with atopic dermatitis.

RINVOQ/RINVOQ LQ is a prescription medicine used to treat:

• Children 2 years of age and older with active polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (pJIA) when 1 or more medicines called TNF blockers have been used, and did not work well or could not be tolerated.
• Children 2 to less than 18 years of age with active psoriatic arthritis (PsA) when 1 or more medicines called TNF blockers have been used, and did not work well or could not be tolerated.

It is not known if RINVOQ/RINVOQ LQ is safe and effective in children under 2 years of age with polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis or psoriatic arthritis.  

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION FOR RINVOQ/RINVOQ LQ (upadacitinib)

What is the most important information I should know about RINVOQ<*>?

RINVOQ may cause serious side effects, including:

• Serious infections. RINVOQ can lower your ability to fight infections. Serious infections have happened while taking RINVOQ, including tuberculosis (TB) and infections caused by bacteria, fungi, or viruses that can spread throughout the body. Some people have died from these infections. Your healthcare provider (HCP) should test you for TB before starting RINVOQ and check you closely for signs and symptoms of TB during treatment with RINVOQ. You should not start taking RINVOQ if you have any kind of infection unless your HCP tells you it is okay. If you get a serious infection, your HCP may stop your treatment until your infection is controlled. You may be at higher risk of developing shingles (herpes zoster).
• Increased risk of death in people 50 years and older who have at least 1 heart disease (cardiovascular) risk factor.
• Cancer and immune system problems. RINVOQ may increase your risk of certain cancers. Lymphoma and other cancers, including skin cancers, can happen. Current or past smokers are at higher risk of certain cancers, including lymphoma and lung cancer. Follow your HCP’s advice about having your skin checked for skin cancer during treatment with RINVOQ. Limit the amount of time you spend in sunlight. Wear protective clothing when you are in the sun and use sunscreen.
• Increased risk of major cardiovascular (CV) events, such as heart attack, stroke, or death, in people 50 years and older who have at least 1 heart disease (CV) risk factor, especially if you are a current or past smoker.
• Blood clots. Blood clots in the veins of the legs or lungs and arteries can happen with RINVOQ. This may be life-threatening and cause death. Blood clots in the veins of the legs and lungs have happened more often in people who are 50 years and older and with at least 1 heart disease (CV) risk factor.
• Allergic reactions. Symptoms such as rash (hives), trouble breathing, feeling faint or dizzy, or swelling of your lips, tongue, or throat, that may mean you are having an allergic reaction have been seen in people taking RINVOQ. Some of these reactions were serious. If any of these symptoms occur during treatment with RINVOQ, stop taking RINVOQ and get emergency medical help right away.
• Tears in the stomach or intestines. This happens most often in people who take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or corticosteroids. Get medical help right away if you get stomach-area pain, fever, chills, nausea, or vomiting.
• Changes in certain laboratory tests. Your HCP should do blood tests before you start taking RINVOQ and while you take it. Your HCP may stop your RINVOQ treatment for a period of time if needed because of changes in these blood test results.

Do not take RINVOQ if you are allergic to upadacitinib or any of the ingredients in RINVOQ. See the Medication Guide or Consumer Brief Summary for a complete list of ingredients.

What should I tell my HCP BEFORE starting RINVOQ?
Tell your HCP if you:

• Are being treated for an infection, have an infection that won’t go away or keeps coming back, or have symptoms of an infection, such as:

• Have TB or have been in close contact with someone with TB.
• Are a current or past smoker.
• Have had a heart attack, other heart problems, or stroke.
• Have or have had any type of cancer, hepatitis B or C, shingles (herpes zoster), blood clots in the veins of your legs or lungs, diverticulitis (inflammation in parts of the large intestine), or ulcers in your stomach or intestines.
• Have other medical conditions, including liver problems, low blood cell counts, diabetes, chronic lung disease, HIV, or a weak immune system.
• Live, have lived, or have traveled to parts of the country, such as the Ohio and Mississippi River valleys and the Southwest, that increase your risk of getting certain kinds of fungal infections. If you are unsure if you’ve been to these types of areas, ask your HCP.
• Have recently received or are scheduled to receive a vaccine. People who take RINVOQ should not receive live vaccines.
• Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Based on animal studies, RINVOQ may harm your unborn baby. Your HCP will check whether or not you are pregnant before you start RINVOQ. You should use effective birth control (contraception) to avoid becoming pregnant during treatment with RINVOQ and for 4 weeks after your last dose.
• There is a pregnancy surveillance program for RINVOQ. The purpose of the program is to collect information about the health of you and your baby. If you become pregnant while taking RINVOQ, you are encouraged to report the pregnancy by calling 1-800-633-9110.
• Are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. RINVOQ may pass into your breast milk. Do not breastfeed during treatment with RINVOQ and for 6 days after your last dose.

Tell your HCP about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. RINVOQ and other medicines may affect each other, causing side effects.

Especially tell your HCP if you take:

• Medicines for fungal or bacterial infections
• Rifampicin or phenytoin
• Medicines that affect your immune system

If you are not sure if you are taking any of these medicines, ask your HCP or pharmacist.

What should I avoid while taking RINVOQ?
Avoid food or drink containing grapefruit during treatment with RINVOQ as it may increase the risk of side effects.

What should I do or tell my HCP AFTER starting RINVOQ?

• Tell your HCP right away if you have any symptoms of an infection. RINVOQ can make you more likely to get infections or make any infections you have worse.
• Get emergency help right away if you have any symptoms of a heart attack or stroke while taking RINVOQ, including:

–  Discomfort in the center of your chest that lasts for more than a few minutes or that goes away and comes back
–  Severe tightness, pain, pressure, or heaviness in your chest, throat, neck, or jaw
–  Pain or discomfort in your arms, back, neck, jaw, or stomach
–  Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort
–  Breaking out in a cold sweat
–  Nausea or vomiting
–  Feeling lightheaded
–  Weakness in one part or on one side of your body
–  Slurred speech

• Tell your HCP right away if you have any signs or symptoms of blood clots during treatment with RINVOQ, including:

• Tell your HCP right away if you have a fever or stomach-area pain that does not go away, and a change in your bowel habits.

What are other possible side effects of RINVOQ?
Common side effects include upper respiratory tract infections (common cold, sinus infections), shingles (herpes zoster), herpes simplex virus infections (including cold sores), bronchitis, nausea, cough, fever, acne, headache, swelling of the feet and hands (peripheral edema), increased blood levels of creatine phosphokinase, allergic reactions, inflammation of hair follicles, stomach-area (abdominal) pain, increased weight, flu, tiredness, lower number of certain types of white blood cells (neutropenia, lymphopenia, leukopenia), muscle pain, flu-like illness, rash, increased blood cholesterol levels, increased liver enzyme levels, pneumonia, low number of red blood cells (anemia), and infection of the stomach and intestine (gastroenteritis).

A separation or tear to the lining of the back part of the eye (retinal detachment) has happened in people with atopic dermatitis treated with RINVOQ. Call your HCP right away if you have any sudden changes in your vision during treatment with RINVOQ.

Some people taking RINVOQ may see medicine residue (a whole tablet or tablet pieces) in their stool. If this happens, call your HCP.

These are not all the possible side effects of RINVOQ.

How should I take RINVOQ/RINVOQ LQ?
RINVOQ is taken once a day with or without food. Do not split, crush, or chew the tablet. Take RINVOQ exactly as your HCP tells you to use it. RINVOQ is available in 15 mg, 30 mg, and 45 mg extended-release tablets. RINVOQ LQ is taken twice a day with or without food. RINVOQ LQ is available in a 1 mg/mL oral solution. RINVOQ LQ is not the same as RINVOQ tablets. Do not switch between RINVOQ LQ and RINVOQ tablets unless the change has been made by your HCP.

<*>Unless otherwise stated, “RINVOQ” in the IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION refers to RINVOQ and RINVOQ LQ. 

This is the most important information to know about RINVOQ. For more information, talk to your HCP.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

If you are having difficulty paying for your medicine, AbbVie may be able to help. Visit AbbVie.com/PatientAccessSupport to learn more. 

Please click here for the Full Prescribing Information and Medication Guide.

Globally, prescribing information varies; refer to the individual country product label for complete information.

About AbbVie

AbbVie’s mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people’s lives across several key therapeutic areas including immunology, oncology, neuroscience and eye care – and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter) and YouTube.

Forward-Looking Statements
Some statements in this news release are, or may be considered, forward-looking statements for purposes of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “project” and similar expressions and uses of future or conditional verbs, generally identify forward-looking statements. AbbVie cautions that these forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, challenges to intellectual property, competition from other products, difficulties inherent in the research and development process, adverse litigation or government action, changes to laws and regulations applicable to our industry, the impact of global macroeconomic factors, such as economic downturns or uncertainty, international conflict, trade disputes and tariffs, and other uncertainties and risks associated with global business operations. Additional information about the economic, competitive, governmental, technological and other factors that may affect AbbVie’s operations is set forth in Item 1A, “Risk Factors,” of AbbVie’s 2024 Annual Report on Form 10-K, which has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as updated by its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and in other documents that AbbVie subsequently files with the Securities and Exchange Commission that update, supplement or supersede such information. AbbVie undertakes no obligation, and specifically declines, to release publicly any revisions to forward-looking statements as a result of subsequent events or developments, except as required by law.

¹ AbbVie. Data on file ABVRRTI81580.
² RINVOQ [Package Insert]. North Chicago, IL: AbbVie Inc.; 2025.
³ A Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Upadacitinib in Participants with Takaysu Arteritis (TAK) (SELECT-TAK). ClinicalTrials.gov. Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04161898. Accessed January 15, 2025.
⁴ Program to Assess Adverse Events and Change in Disease Activity of Oral Upadacitinib in Adult Participants With Moderate to Severe Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SELECT-SLE). ClinicalTrials.gov. Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05843643. Accessed January 15, 2025.
⁵ A Study to Assess Change in Disease Activity and Adverse Events of Oral Upadacitinib in Adult and Adolescent Participants With Moderate to Severe Hidradenitis Suppurativa Who Have Failed Anti-TNF Therapy (Step-Up HS). ClinicalTrials.gov. Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05889182. Accessed January 15, 2025.
⁶ A Study To Assess Adverse Events and Effectiveness of Upadacitinib Oral Tablets in Adult and Adolescent Participants With Vitiligo (Viti-Up). ClinicalTrials.gov. Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06118411. Accessed January 15, 2025.
⁷ A Study to Evaluate the Safety and Effectiveness of Upadacitinib Tablets in Adult and Adolescent Participants With Severe Alopecia Areata (Up-AA). ClinicalTrials.gov. Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06012240. Accessed January 15, 2025.

SOURCE AbbVie

Gold () futures opened at $3,392.20 per ounce on Thursday, up 1.5% from Wednesday’s close of $3,343.40. Thursday’s opening price is gold’s highest start since August 8.

On Wednesday, President Donald Trump called for the resignation of Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, citing an accusation of mortgage fraud against her. Cook was appointed by former President Joe Biden. Should Cook resign or get fired, Trump could nominate an ally as her replacement. Trump has openly lobbied for lower interest rates, implying that he could fire Fed chair Jerome Powell. His attempts to influence the Fed raise concerns about the central bank’s independence. Those concerns could introduce uncertainty into the stock market and raise the demand for gold as a safe-haven asset.

The opening price of gold futures on Thursday is up 1.5% from Wednesday’s close of $3,343.40 per ounce. Thursday’s opening price is up 1.4% from the opening price of $3,346.80 one week ago on August 14. In the past month, the gold futures price has gained 1.3% compared to the opening price of $3,350.30 on July 21, 2025. In the past year, gold is up 35.1% from the opening price of $2,511 on August 21, 2024.

24/7 gold price tracking: Don’t forget you can monitor the current price of gold on Yahoo Finance 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Want to learn more about the current top-performing companies in the gold industry? Explore a list of the top-performing companies in the gold industry using the Yahoo Finance Screener. You can create your own screeners with over 150 different screening criteria.

Investing in gold is a four-step process:

1. Set your goal.

2. Set an allocation.

3. Choose a form.

4. Consider your investment timeline.

After deciding why you want to invest in gold and selecting the size and form of your gold investment, consider your investment timeline as a final suitability check.

Gold can be volatile. It has demonstrated extended periods of decline in the past. Extended periods of decline are not acceptable if your timeline is short. The risk is too great that gold’s price will be down when you need to liquidate.

An extended holding period provides greater potential for reaching your investment goals. As an example, hedging against stock market declines or inflation is a long-term effort. These outcomes will continue to be risks as long as you own stocks or cash deposits. Holding gold as insurance against an economic calamity requires you to keep the asset until you need it.

Learn more:

A small gold position can act as a stabilizer for your stock portfolio and your purchasing power. If you choose physical gold stored at home, it can also stand in as currency in the worst of economic crises. Just know that gold has underperformed stocks in the past, so choose your target allocation accordingly.

Learn more:

Whether you’re tracking the price of gold since last month or last year, the price-of-gold chart below shows the precious metal’s steady upward climb in value.

Historically, gold has shown extended up cycles and down cycles. The precious metal was in a growth phase from 2009 to 2011. It then trended down, failing to set a new high for nine years.

In those lackluster years for gold, your position will negatively impact your overall investment returns. If that feels problematic, a lower allocation percentage is more appropriate. On the other hand, you may be willing to accept gold’s underperforming years so you can benefit more in the good years. In this case, you can target a higher percentage.

The precious metal has been in the news lately, and many analysts are bullish on gold. In May, Goldman Sachs Research predicted gold would reach $3,700 a troy ounce by year-end 2025. That would equate to a 40% increase for the year, based on gold’s January 2 opening price of $2,633. Rising demand from central banks, along with uncertainty related to changing U.S. tariff policy, are the factors driving the increase.

If you are interested in learning more about gold’s historical value, Yahoo Finance has been tracking the historical price of gold since 2000.

Some of the US’s lowest-paying large firms increased their CEOs’ compensation by an average of almost 35% over five years, according to new research. Their workers’ salaries did not keep up.

As executive remuneration ballooned, the average CEO-to-worker pay gap across the 100 companies in the S&P 500 with lowest median worker pay – dubbed the Low-Wage 100 by the Institute for Policy Studies – widened by 12.9% between 2019 and 2024, from 560 to 1 to 632 to 1.

“Median pay increased only modestly, whereas CEO pay really skyrocketed,” said Sarah Anderson, director of the Global Economy Project at the Institute for Policy Studies, and author of the report.

Between 2019 to 2024, CEO pay at these companies increased by 34.7%, unadjusted for inflation, compared with a 16.3% increase in these firms’ average median worker pay during the same period – short of inflation, which came to 22.6% over the same period.

By last year, average CEO compensation in the Low-Wage 100 stood at $17.2m. Average median worker pay was $35,570.

Of the 100 firms, median worker pay fell at 22 between 2019 and 2024. Ulta Beauty reported a 46% drop in median worker pay to $11,078 as the company significantly expanded its part-time workforce.

A bar chart showing the biggest CEO-to-worker pay ratios in the S&P 500

Starbucks’ CEO pay was the largest gap in 2024, with its CEO, Brian Niccol, receiving total compensation worth $95.8m, 6,666 times as much as the company’s $14,674 median pay.

“It’s a stunning message for Starbucks management to send to their workers who’ve organized unions at 570 stores in recent years, and they’re still waiting for the company to negotiate a contract. It says a lot about who they really value at that company and who they don’t,” said Anderson.

Starbucks did not respond to multiple requests for comment on the report.

The IPS report cites a June roundtable hosted by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the US markets regulator, on executive compensation disclosure requirements, where Drew Hambly, investment director at CalPers, the largest public pension fund in the US, described the negative impacts overcompensation of executives has on low-wage workforces.

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“I do want our boards to think more about the bottom 50% of people who work for them,” Hambly said. “Because when I go into a business, I’m probably interacting with a lower-wage worker. And if you’re going to drive value over time, that’s the face of your company.”

In recent years US families have struggled with high costs for groceries and housing, and layoffs have been on the rise. “In the midst of all of this, CEOs are focused on making themselves even richer, instead of thinking about the welfare of their employees or even the long-term growth of their company,” said Anderson. “I think if they continue on this path, it’s going to be a trend that is bad, not just for workers, but for these companies and our economy as a whole.”

Between 2019 to 2024, Low-Wage 100 firms spent $644bn on stock buybacks. More than half spent more on buybacks than on capital improvements at their firms.

Lowe’s spent $46.6bn on stock buybacks: $28,456 per each of the retailer’s 273,000 employees, according to the report. Home Depot ranked second in stock buybacks during this period, spending $37.9bn.

The report also noted 32 billionaires owe their wealth to Low-Wage 100 corporations, including eight billionaires from Walmart, four from Estee Lauder and three from DoorDash.

As policy solutions, the report highlighted support for a tax hike on corporations that pay their CEO at least 50 times more what they pay employees. It also urged policymakers to increase taxes on stock buybacks.

Ulta Beauty, Lowe’s and Home Depot did not respond to requests for comment.

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You can find an overview of the program at: https://www.volkswagen.de/de/marke-und-erlebnis/iaa2025.html.

Two years ago, Volkswagen entered into a dialog with visitors to the IAA MOBILITY with its urban world of experience. In a few weeks, it will be that time again: The company will present new vehicles and innovative technologies, and will invite visitors to a variety of events in the city center of Munich.

Martin Sander, Volkswagen Board Member for Sales, Marketing and After Sales: “With our appearance at the Open Space, we are showing what Volkswagen stands for – today and tomorrow. It stands for innovative mobility, emotional products and a clear commitment to our customers. For us, the IAA MOBILITY is more than just a trade fair – it is a stage on which we make it possible to experience Volkswagen’s vision of mobility for everyone. The Open Space illustrates how we are shaping the future – accessible, diverse and at the center of life.”

The Volkswagen stand at the Open Space will focus on the vehicles: A fully electric compact SUV will have its world premiere at Odeonsplatz. The concept vehicle will offer a glimpse of a new member of the electric ID. family from Volkswagen. Its production version will complete the Electric Urban Car Family of the Brand Group Core, i.e. the merger of the Volkswagen Group’s volume brands. “The IAA show car completes Volkswagen’s entry-level mobility for Europe – fully electric and highly efficient. The show car sets standards within its class in terms of design, quality, operation and space. It is a concrete preview of an affordable electric vehicle in the T-Cross class. The car will be on the market as early as next year,” says Kai Grünitz, Board Member for Technical Development at the Volkswagen brand.

Shortly after its world premiere, the all-new T-Roc will also be on show for the first time at the Open Space. Another highlight will be the ID.3 GTX FIRE+ICE^{, designed in collaboration with the performance sportswear brand BOGNER FIRE+ICE. The limited special edition can be experienced in Munich together with its predecessor, the legendary Golf II Fire and Ice from the 1990s, which now enjoys cult status among fans. Following its world premiere at the 24-hour race on the Nürburgring, the exclusive anniversary model Golf GTI EDITION 50 – the most powerful production GTI to date with 239 kW (325 PS) – will also be making a guest appearance at the IAA MOBILITY 2025.}

With interactive stations and digital presentations, each vehicle world invites you to discover new things and resonate emotionally with the brand. This concept includes the GTI History Wall, a racing simulator and the option to create personal AI moments. Visitors young and old can get to know the adventure areas in a playful way during a discovery rally. The Future Materials Lab offers a glimpse into the future: Here, experts from the Volkswagen Materials Laboratory and Design will provide information on recyclable and innovative materials.

There will also be a varied, free stage program and a wide range of culinary delights – including the legendary Volkswagen Currywurst and free Melitta coffee in the open air. Concerts with artists such as Armi Warning and Pa Sheehy will take place on stage. There will also be keynote speeches on topics such as “Professional sport and mobility” and expert talks, including one with music legend Peter Maffay. You can view the detailed program schedule here: https://www.volkswagen.de/de/marke-und-erlebnis/iaa2025.html.

All contact and communication points in the Open Space are designed to be as barrier-free as possible. Easy access is ensured by a floor guidance system, tactile floor plans, stair lifts, ramps and furniture that can be driven under. All information is easily accessible thanks to Braille and easy-to-read contrast writing, self-explanatory pictograms and the support of a sign language interpreter for the stage program.