Gold broke through $4,600/ounce for the first time on Monday, while silver also hit a record high, as investors snapped up safe havens due to heightened geopolitical uncertainties and a criminal probe into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.

Spot gold jumped 1.3% to $4,566.80 per ounce by 0410 GMT. Bullion hit a record high of $4,600.33 earlier in the day, Reuters reported.

U.S. gold futures for February delivery firmed 1.8% to $4,579.10.

“So, between events in Iran, and potential U.S. involvement, and the (Fed) chair being the focus of a criminal probe… U.S. futures turned lower on the Powell news, which was a green light for gold to take a run higher,” said Tim Waterer, KCM Trade’s chief market analyst.

Unrest in Iran has killed more than 500 people, a rights group said on Sunday, as Tehran threatened to target U.S. military bases if President Donald Trump carries out his renewed threats to strike the country on behalf of protesters.

Iran’s unrest comes as Trump flexes U.S. muscles internationally, having ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, and discussing acquiring Greenland by purchase or force.

Powell said on Sunday the Trump administration had threatened him with a criminal indictment over Congressional testimony, an action Powell called a “pretext” aimed at putting further pressure on the central bank to lower rates. This sent the dollar and U.S. equity futures lower.

Investors currently expect at least two Fed rate cuts this year.

Non-yielding assets tend to do well in a low-interest-rate environment and during geopolitical or economic uncertainties.

“I expect that central bank appetite for gold and silver will continue to grow this year, with precious metals perceived as being a lower risk alternative to the dollar,” Waterer said.

Spot silver was up 4.1% at $83.20 per ounce, after hitting an all-time high of $83.96 earlier in the day.

Spot platinum climbed 3.4% to $2,349.59 per ounce after scaling a record high of $2,478.50 on December 29.

Palladium gained 3.4% to $1,877.96 per ounce.

The United Nations has warned that returning to Afghanistan does not guarantee successful reintegration, with new figures showing that only 11 percent of Afghan returnees have been able to find jobs.

In a report released on Sunday, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said many returnees continue to face serious obstacles to resettlement and livelihoods.

According to the assessment, one in four returnees has been unable to settle in their intended place of residence, while more than half lack essential documentation, severely restricting access to basic services and employment opportunities.

The report found that 25 percent of returnees have been unable to return to their original districts or areas of origin. Economic pressures remain acute, with 56 percent of heads of returnee households reporting they are unable to meet their families’ basic needs.

Employment remains a major challenge. The IOM said 35 percent of heads of returnee households and 36 percent of single returnees have not been able to secure work, raising concerns over long-term stability and sustainable livelihoods for those returning.

The findings come as the Islamic Emirate reports that around 1.8 million Afghan migrants returned to the country in 2025. International organizations, however, warn that without improved access to jobs, documentation and essential services, large-scale returns risk worsening Afghanistan’s already fragile humanitarian and economic situation.

Bilateral trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan declined sharply by 53 percent during the first half of the current fiscal year (July–December 2025–26), falling from $1.26 billion to $594 million, according to a report by Pakistani newspaper The Nation.

The steep drop is largely attributed to the closure of key crossings following clashes on October 11, which disrupted trade flows between the two neighboring countries.

During the period under review, Pakistan’s exports to Afghanistan fell by 55 percent, dropping from $754 million to $336 million. Imports from Afghanistan also registered a significant decline, falling by 49 percent to $258 million.

Earlier, Afghanistan’s Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, said the country had expanded economic engagement with other regional partners amid the crossing closures. He stressed that trade with Pakistan would resume only if permanent assurances were provided to keep trade routes open.

The sharp contraction underscores growing strains in Pakistan–Afghanistan trade relations and highlights the economic impact of prolonged crossing disruptions.