Ian YoungsCulture reporter
BBCActress Dame Patricia Routledge, known for playing Hyacinth Bucket in classic TV sitcom Keeping Up Appearances, has died at the age of 96, her agent has said.
She also starred in Alan Bennett’s TV monologues and played…
A method for growing graphene-like films with precisely engineered defects offers a new route to tailor the material’s properties for specific applications.
Defects are often undesirable in materials like graphene. But in certain cases, they…
Silver hits fresh daily highs above $47.50 after bouncing from lows right below $46.00.
Precious metals are rallying on Friday, as the US Dollar weakens across the board.
XAG/USD’s bulls targeting the 4-year highs at $48.03
Silver (XAG/USD) has resumed its bullish trend on Friday to retrace most of Thursday’s losses, supported by a softer US Dollar. XAG/USD has reached session highs above $47.50 after bouncing at $46.00 on Thursday, and is drawing closer to the long-term highs, in the area of $48.00.
Precious metals are rallying, as investors shrug off the hawkish comments from Fed’s Logan, putting further rate cuts into question. The downbeat employment figures seen earlier this week and the US Government shutdown have boosted investors’ expectations that the US central bank will cut rates in October, and, highly likely, also in December
The pair’s corrective pullback found support right below $46.00 on Thursday and is trading higher, at least for now. The 4-hour RSI has returned below the overbought area and, although the daily chart keeps showing signs that the rally is overextended, right now there is room for further appreciation.
Immediate resistance is at the mentioned $48.00 area, which capped bulls on Wednesday and Thursday. Beyond here, the top pf the near-term bullish channel is around $48.65. The 161.8% extension of the September 17-23 bullish run, at $49.15, further down, the next targets are at $45.30 (September 25 high) and $44.50 (September 23 high).
To the downside, immediate support area is at the area between the bottom of the mentioned channel, now at $46.15 and the September 30 and October 2 lows, around $45.95 from current levels might find support at the $45.96 intraday lows ahead of the previous long-term highs, at $45.30 (September 25 high) and $44.45 (September 23 high).
Silver is a precious metal highly traded among investors. It has been historically used as a store of value and a medium of exchange. Although less popular than Gold, traders may turn to Silver to diversify their investment portfolio, for its intrinsic value or as a potential hedge during high-inflation periods. Investors can buy physical Silver, in coins or in bars, or trade it through vehicles such as Exchange Traded Funds, which track its price on international markets.
Silver prices can move due to a wide range of factors. Geopolitical instability or fears of a deep recession can make Silver price escalate due to its safe-haven status, although to a lesser extent than Gold’s. As a yieldless asset, Silver tends to rise with lower interest rates. Its moves also depend on how the US Dollar (USD) behaves as the asset is priced in dollars (XAG/USD). A strong Dollar tends to keep the price of Silver at bay, whereas a weaker Dollar is likely to propel prices up. Other factors such as investment demand, mining supply – Silver is much more abundant than Gold – and recycling rates can also affect prices.
Silver is widely used in industry, particularly in sectors such as electronics or solar energy, as it has one of the highest electric conductivity of all metals – more than Copper and Gold. A surge in demand can increase prices, while a decline tends to lower them. Dynamics in the US, Chinese and Indian economies can also contribute to price swings: for the US and particularly China, their big industrial sectors use Silver in various processes; in India, consumers’ demand for the precious metal for jewellery also plays a key role in setting prices.
Silver prices tend to follow Gold’s moves. When Gold prices rise, Silver typically follows suit, as their status as safe-haven assets is similar. The Gold/Silver ratio, which shows the number of ounces of Silver needed to equal the value of one ounce of Gold, may help to determine the relative valuation between both metals. Some investors may consider a high ratio as an indicator that Silver is undervalued, or Gold is overvalued. On the contrary, a low ratio might suggest that Gold is undervalued relative to Silver.
Apple has taken down an app that uses crowdsourcing to flag sightings of U.S. immigration agents, apparently after being pressured by U.S. authorities.
ICEBlock, a free iPhone-only app lets users anonymously report and monitor activity by…
OnlyFans boss Keily Blair was once invited to dinner with a high-ranking British politician only to discover closer to the event that her name had been scrubbed from the list.
Even after two years running a video streaming service best known for…
Lujiazui Business Districk in Pudong, Shanghai, China.
Liqun Liu | Construction Photography | Hulton Archive | Getty Images
SINGAPORE — As China seeks to entice back foreign capital amid dwindling inbound investment, global investors eyeing opportunities in the country remain wary of more fundamental constraints: Beijing’s iron grip on capital flows and lack of policy clarity.
For foreign investors, the message from the Milken Institute Asia Summit in Singapore this week was clear: China remains too big to ignore, but too controlled and opaque to fully trust.
“It’s a capital-controlled market. Everything is protected by denying depositors the freedom to move their money away,” said Charles Li, founder and chairman of Micro Connect, a financial services firm in Hong Kong. Li is also the former chief executive of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.
Beijing’s priority is to guarantee safety of its financial system, Li said at a panel at the Milken event on Thursday, urging investors eyeing China to “really take full account of that environment.”
China has seen record capital flight over the past two years, with foreign investors pulling out of China at a speed not seen in decades. The world’s second-largest economy has struggled to shake off deflationary pressures amid a prolonged housing downturn, sluggish domestic demand and simmering tensions with the U.S.
Beijing sought to reverse the trend this year by pledging further opening of the economy to foreign investment, with top officials, including Premier Li Qiang, holding roundtable meetings to address foreign business’ concerns and foster a favourable capital environment.
It could be an uphill battle, however, with an atmosphere of apprehension prevalent among speakers at Milken this week.
The biggest risk weighing on investor sentiment is the lack of clarity over policy, Song Ma, professor of finance and entrepreneurship at Yale University, said on the event sidelines.
Foreign investors still have to navigate a system under extensive regulatory oversight and state involvement, with unclear rules on market access of certain critical sectors and exit routes. “State-backed funds still control a vast amount of quality assets that are linked to technology and defense security,” Ma noted.
That uncertainty does not sit well with foreign institutional investors who pursue strategies built on long-term investments.
“When you’re underwriting new private investments, you need to have a good sense of what that environment will look like in 10 years,” said Adam Watson, partner at Partners Capital, a $60-billion asset manager that works with family offices, endowments, institutions and ultra-high-net-worth individuals.
“The exit options are 1759499072 a bit more limited on the basis that listing in the U.S. has become more complicated,” Watson said, adding that there are also concerns over the stability of certain legal frameworks used by offshore investors to gain access to onshore assets.
Partners Capital has reduced its exposure to Chinese markets from around 8% of its portfolio allocations in 2018 to around 3% since 2021, Watson noted, citing “more aggressive government intervention into the private sector” and “a lack of compelling opportunities” in Chinese equities before the recent rally.
According to China’s balance of payment data, net foreign direct investment plummeted from peak inflows of $334 billion in 2021 to outflows of nearly $154 billion in 2024, according to Chinese data provider Wind. It marked the lowest level in more than two decades, suggesting foreign money was invested elsewhere.
U.S. dollar funding from global investors in China’s venture capital and private equity industry is also drying up. A measure of newly-utilized FDI inflows released by the Ministry of Commerce showed a 12.7% year-on-year decline through August this year.
That said, some global capital is trickling back into China following a period of “deep sleep” off the back of the pandemic and geopolitical tensions, according to Guo Kai, executive president and senior fellow at Chinese economic think-tank CF40 Institute.
Chinese stocks, once seen as uninvestable by many, have lured back some foreign investors, spurred by the rise of tech startup DeepSeek and a series of surprising breakthroughs in high-tech industries.
Data from Morgan Stanley indicated that August saw the biggest buying of Chinese stocks by global hedge funds in six months.
The Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index, meanwhile, is up over 35% so far this year, on pace for its biggest annual growth since 2017, when it soared nearly 36%. The Hang Seng Tech Index has climbed 48% over the year to date.
The mainland CSI 300 index has also climbed — up over 21% this year — and is hovering near its highest level in more than three years.
It comes as investors shake off a gloomy economic picture and put their faith in Beijing’s intention to further support stock market and valuations of Chinese equities.
China has ramped up calls this year to encourage overseas investors to reinvest their profits within the country, and introduced tax incentives to encourage them to do so.
As more foreign investors weigh returning capital to China, the government has an opportunity to back up its policy pledges and rebuild confidence, according to Ma.
“What China does next to further open up market access and improve its investment environment will be critical to keeping foreign investors in the country for the long term,” he added.
Biggest category marketing investment in a decade backs a trend already capturing global attention
De Beers Group today announced the consumer launch of Desert diamonds, the first new ‘beacon’ it has developed in over a decade, supported by its largest category marketing investment in more than ten years. A De Beers beacon is a celebration of natural diamonds that is manifested through a jewelry concept designed to galvanize the industry around a central idea and inspire category-wide marketing initiatives.
First unveiled at the JCK Las Vegas Show earlier this year, Desert diamonds speaks to the wild nature of diamonds and draws inspiration from the desert landscapes from which many natural diamonds originate, celebrating a spectrum of colors from warm whites to champagne tones and amber hues. Desert diamonds uses this natural spectrum as a marker of authenticity, offering a fresh way to connect consumers to the story of their unique diamond.
The launch reflects a clear shift in consumer desire, with more people seeking jewelry that expresses individuality, authenticity and personal meaning. Consumers have shown a clear interest in diamonds with earthy tones, a way to create a distinct look and reflect a more direct connection to nature. De Beers’ research and creative testing confirmed this trend and showed exceptionally high purchase consideration, with more than 90% of consumers saying they would like to own and would consider purchasing a desert diamond.
Over the past two years, desert diamonds have captured global attention, generating more than 250,000 mentions and 450 million views across digital platforms. Interest reached a peak in August 2025 when Taylor Swift’s engagement ring, which features a rare old mine‑cut diamond in a soft candlelit hue, sparked a surge of conversation. In addition, Kim Kardashian and Doja Cat’s layered desert diamond looks, and Bad Bunny sporting desert diamonds to announce his Super Bowl appearance, have all spotlighted the growing resonance of these pieces as contemporary symbols of individuality and style – pieces that can be treasured over time.
As with previous De Beers beacons – from tennis bracelets to the eternity ring – Desert diamonds is designed as an industry-wide programme with the goal of celebrating natural diamonds and reigniting consumer desire. Retailers and designers across the industry have been working to develop pieces that showcase the full desert-inspired palette. These collections, featuring both subtle gradients and bold solitaire designs, will be available through independent and large-scale jewelers, including Jared Jewelers through its Storied Diamond – Desert Sands of Eternity™ collection and KAY Jewelers through Neil Lane’s Desert Diamonds, all featuring fashion and bridal styles reminiscent of warm desert hues.
The launch will be supported by a fully integrated campaign spanning television, outdoor, digital, audio and social channels. Using evocative storytelling, the creative spotlights how every diamond is as individual as the person who wears it; each gemstone shaped by time and the elements, and each carrying its own unique character and story. By drawing parallels with the wearer’s own journey, the campaign invites consumers to see these diamonds as personal connections to the earth and lasting symbols of true individuality and meaning.
Sandrine Conseiller, CEO of De Beers Brands & Diamond Desirability, said:
“We are seeing desire for unique, characterful diamonds growing everywhere, from celebrity engagements to everyday style. More and more people want a diamond that reflects their own story, something truly individual to mark the most precious moments in their life.
With Desert diamonds, the ancient sands of time meet today’s zeitgeist for authentic beauty. Natural diamonds are unique and rare – no two are the same. Their colors have been forged by nature and perfected over billions of years. Desert diamonds represent the pinnacle of our Earth’s creations.
Over a century, from the eternity ring to the tennis bracelet, our beacons have not only shaped jewelry trends but become cultural icons. Desert diamonds represents a new chapter in this proud history, combining powerful storytelling with natural beauty. I am delighted that the diamond industry is coming together and joining us in inspiring a renewed surge of love for natural diamond jewelry and all it represents.”
Marketing materials are available to retailers who are interested in promoting Desert diamonds in their own product suite at
– ends –
Contact
De Beers Group Press Office
[email protected]
Established in 1888, De Beers Group is the world’s leading diamond company with expertise in the exploration, mining, marketing and retailing of diamonds. Together with its joint venture partners, De Beers Group employs more than 20,000 people across the diamond pipeline and is the world’s largest diamond producer by value, with diamond mining operations in Botswana, Canada, Namibia and South Africa. Innovation sits at the heart of De Beers Group’s strategy as it develops a portfolio of offers that span the diamond value chain, including its jewellery houses, De Beers London and Forevermark, and other pioneering solutions such as diamond sourcing and traceability initiatives Tracr and GemFair. De Beers Group also provides leading services and technology to the diamond industry in the form of education and laboratory services and a wide range of diamond sorting, detection and classification technology services. De Beers Group is committed to ‘Building Forever,’ a holistic and integrated approach to sustainability that underpins our efforts to create meaningful impact for the people and places where our diamonds are discovered. Building Forever focuses on three key areas where, through collaborations and partnerships around the globe, we have an enhanced ability to drive positive impact; Livelihoods, Climate and Nature. De Beers Group is a member of the Anglo American plc group. For further information, visit www.debeersgroup.com.
Researchers at McMaster University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have made two scientific breakthroughs at once: they not only discovered a brand-new antibiotic that targets inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD),…
College unveils “visual identity updates”, including new logos and iconography, at its £22 million new headquarters and on its website.
The new logo in place at Hardwick Street.
The RCVS has revealed a new logo and the strap-line…