Gold smashes past $4,300/oz as flight to safety gathers pace

Gold futures surged beyond $4,300 per ounce, marking a fresh record as investors sought refuge amidst banking jitters and macro uncertainty. Demand from central banks and funds added to momentum, while weaker equities and credit stress pushed flows toward the yellow metal. Silver also strengthened, though not as aggressively. Bloomberg analytics suggest positioning is still light relative to historical extremes. Traders are watching whether sustained inflows could drive gold toward $4,500 in the coming sessions if risk aversion deepens.