Gold and Silver End of Week Review (Feb 15, 2013)

USD/JPY slides to test 154.00 in the Asian trading hours on Monday. The Japanese Yen attracts haven demand amid tariff uncertainty, which weighs negatively on market sentiment and the US Dollar. 

Gold is adding over 1% early Monday, after having gained 2% on Friday. The bright metal scales key technical hurdles, as buyers stay strong amid renewed tariffs and economic uncertainty alongside looming US-Iran geopolitical tensions.

AUD/USD eases back below the 0.7100 mark during the Asian session on Monday as trade-related uncertainties continue to sag investors' confidence. However, the downside in the pair ciould be cushioned by a broadly weaker US Dollar and expectations of dfivergent monetary policy outlook between the Fed and the RBA. 

The cryptocurrency market starts the week in panic mode, with altcoins Zcash, Pump.fun, and LayerZero. Bitcoin falls below $65,000 as the US President Donald Trump regroups amid renewed trade policy risks.

Let me caveat this from the outset. What we are watching is first-order mechanics, not the grand macro endgame. This is the market’s immediate reflex to a 15% Trump tariff levy dressed up as judicial drama. The Supreme Court blocked Trump tarrif hammer. The White House came back with a scalpel.

Dollar strength dominates markets as risk appetite remains subdued. A Supreme Court ruling, geopolitics and Fed developments are in focus. Pivotal Nvidia earnings on Wednesday as investors question tech sector weakness.