Acting Minister of Industry and Commerce, Nooruddin Azizi, stated at the end of the first day of the Kazakh-Afghan trade exhibition that trade volume between the two countries has increased by 32 percent.

He added that both sides aim to raise bilateral trade to $3 billion.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Azizi welcomed the visit of the Kazakh delegation to Afghanistan and expressed appreciation for Kazakhstan’s humanitarian assistance, support, and collaboration, including in the area of digitalizing Afghan government institutions.

Azizi emphasized the importance of connecting Central Asia to South Asia through Afghanistan and discussed expanding trade agreements, holding exhibitions of products and goods in both countries, establishing trade centers in Kabul and Almaty, and facilitating exports and imports between the two nations.

Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister Serik Zhumangarin also stressed that Afghanistan and Kazakhstan are key strategic partners in the region. He described the holding of the business forum as significant for enhancing economic cooperation, establishing new trade relations, exchanging experiences, and promoting joint initiatives.

Zhumangarin stated: “We believe a stable and prosperous Afghanistan is a key factor for peace and stability in the region and has the potential to become a major logistical hub connecting Central and South Asia.”

The exhibition of Kazakhstani products and goods was held at the invitation of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, with the participation of 25 Kazakh companies.

Qari Din Mohammad Haneef, Acting Minister Economy, has met with a number of Afghan businessmen and experts living in Germany, France, Italy, Britain, Canada and the United States.

In a recent meeting, the economic and social situation of the country was discussed.

The Afghan businessmen and experts expressed their satisfaction with the security situation and considered the economic programs of the IEA important in improving the economic situation.

The Acting Minister of Economy, explaining the opportunities and facilities available to attract investment in various sectors, called on all Afghan businessmen living abroad to use these opportunities and invest within the country in order to improve the economic situation and create job opportunities.

Gold prices breached the key $3,200/oz level for the first time on Friday, fuelled by a weaker dollar and an escalating trade war that sent investors rushing toward safe-haven assets.

Spot gold was up 1.4% at $3,217.78 an ounce as of 0350 GMT. Bullion scaled an all-time peak of $3,219.84 earlier in the session, and has gained almost 6% this week, Reuters reported.

U.S. gold futures climbed 1.9% to $3,237.50.

“The rapid weakening of the U.S. dollar seems to be the main driver of gold’s rebound at the moment. That seems to reflect an ongoing exodus from USD-based assets, with stocks and bonds’ selloff amid tariff policy uncertainty,” said Ilya Spivak, head of global macro at Tastylive.

The dollar was down nearly 1% against its major peers, making greenback-priced bullion cheaper for overseas buyers.

Major stock indexes also fell after U.S. President Donald Trump ratcheted up tariffs on Chinese imports to 145%, but hit a 90-day pause on previously announced tariffs for dozens of countries.

China has been matching Trump’s tariff hikes, sparking fears that Beijing could push duties on the U.S. beyond the current 84%.

“$3,500 is the next round number people will be looking at. I suspect we won’t get there immediately or without bumps along the way,” Capital.com’s financial market analyst Kyle Rodda said.

Apart from tariffs, central bank demand, expectations of interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve, geopolitical instability in the Middle East and Europe, and increased flows into gold-backed exchange-traded funds also fuelled the metal’s rally this year.

U.S. consumer prices fell unexpectedly in March but inflation risks are tilted to the upside, data showed.

Traders now bet that the Fed will resume cutting rates in June and probably reduce by a full percentage point by the end of 2025.

Spot silver added 0.3% to $31.29 an ounce, while platinum dipped 0.1% to $936.85. Palladium gained 0.8% to $916.18.