Gold is well positioned to move toward the 144,000 level in the coming sessions. (AI image)

Gold and silver price prediction: Gold and silver prices are touching new record highs and this is a phase of consolidation, says Abhilash Koikkara, Head – Forex & Commodities, Nuvama Professional Clients Group. He shares his views on gold and silver:

MCX Gold Price Outlook

MCX Gold is currently consolidating near its all-time high of 140,465. With prices rebounding from the lower end of the range, the current level within the consolidation is seen as a buying opportunity. A breakout above the recent highs is likely to reignite the bullish momentum. As long as prices stay above the breakout zone, the overall outlook for Gold continues to be bullish.From a technical stance, the 134,000 zone stands out as a strong support, representing the breakout above the prior swing high. Any pullback toward this level is likely to encourage fresh buying interest, helping to limit near-term downside. Sustaining above this support reinforces the bullish structure and keeps the positive momentum firmly in place.Gold is well positioned to move toward the 144,000 level in the coming sessions. This potential advance aligns with the broader bullish trend and highlights the strength of the prevailing market momentum. Moreover, a clear and sustained breakout above the intermediate resistance of the consolidation range could draw in additional buying interest, further strengthening positive sentiment and paving the way for an extended upward move.Overall, Gold is firmly positioned to sustain its positive bias, with the broader technical structure strongly supporting trend continuation. As long as prices hold above the critical 134,000 support, the bullish setup remains intact. With momentum indicators and overall market sentiment continuing to stay supportive, the precious metal appears well poised for further upside in the coming sessions.

MCX Gold Trading Strategy

MCX Silver Price Outlook

MCX Silver has marked a fresh all-time high this week, with prices consistently forming higher highs over the past several months. Despite the recent pullback, the overall bias remains positive, and any declines toward the lower end of the weekly range are likely to present buying opportunities. We recommend trading in line with the existing trend, which remains firmly bullish.Silver’s rebound from the support level highlights renewed strength in the trend and increases the likelihood of further upside. As long as prices remain above the weekly support levels, the bullish bias is expected to stay intact. The immediate key support is placed near the 231,000 level, which now serves as a strong base. Any pullback toward this area is likely to attract fresh buying interest, helping to stabilize prices and sustain the upward momentum.On the upside, Silver is strongly positioned to challenge the 275,000 resistance over the near to medium term. This anticipated move marks a continuation of the prior bullish phase and is firmly supported by robust market momentum and favourable technical indicators. Overall, as long as prices remain comfortably above the 231,000 support, Silver is expected to sustain its positive trajectory, with ample scope for further upside as bullish sentiment continues to build.

MCX Silver Trading Strategy

(Disclaimer: Recommendations and views on the stock market, other asset classes or personal finance management tips given by experts are their own. These opinions do not represent the views of The Times of India)

NEW DELHI: The National Medical Commission has introduced a non-refundable one-time registration fee of Rs 2 lakh plus 18% GST for institutions seeking to start new MBBS colleges or increase undergraduate seats from the 2026–27 academic year. It has also cleared around 450 additional postgraduate (PG) medical seats for 2025–26 through the appeal process and removed the cap that limited MBBS seat expansion applications to 100 seats at a time.Explaining the new fee, Dr M K Ramesh, president of the Medical Assessment and Rating Board, said the move is aimed at ensuring serious intent and accountability, stressing that establishing a medical college cannot be treated as a routine business decision. He said the registration fee is separate from the existing application fee of Rs 5 lakh for 50 MBBS seats, which rises with higher intake, and only partly offsets the cost of inspections, including travel and stay for three to five assessors conducting multi-day assessments. “The fee applies equally to government and private colleges, generates a unique registration number for tracking applications, and is payable again only if an institution applies in a subsequent academic year, as reapplication is not permitted within the same year,” he said. On MBBS expansion, Dr Ramesh said the earlier 100-seat cap was withdrawn because it had no explicit backing in existing regulations and could not be legally sustained. While the cap was intended to prevent sharp jumps from 50 directly to 250 seats, it was removed after being found unsupported in law. The official said new medical colleges can apply for up to 150 MBBS seats, while existing colleges with 150 seats can expand up to 250, with applications considered on an all-or-nothing basis. Inspections will be intensified for institutions seeking large, single-cycle expansions.On postgraduate admissions, he said PG seat approvals by the first appeal committee are cumulative and ongoing. While earlier notices cited 171 and later 262 additional seats, the total PG seats cleared through appeals so far is around 450, with further additions possible. The additional PG seats—mostly incremental increases of one to four seats per programme—span high-demand specialties including general medicine, radiodiagnosis, dermatology, paediatrics, orthopaedics, obstetrics and gynaecology, psychiatry and general surgery, across medical colleges nationwide. According to the available list, most of these seats have gone to private medical colleges, though some government institutions are also included.The MARB has directed counselling authorities to include the newly sanctioned PG seats without waiting for individual Letters of Permission (LoPs), treating the consolidated list uploaded on the NMC website as a valid document for counselling. Officials said publishing consolidated appeal approvals online was introduced to speed up admissions and improve transparency.

Joburg Super Kings host Paarl Royals in the 17th match of SA20 2025-26 at The Wanderers Stadium on January 8, 2026. Both teams sit near the top of the points table, with JSK in second place after three wins in five games and Paarl Royals showing strong recent form including three straight victories.​

Joburg Super Kings hold second position with 15 points from five matches, featuring wins like a Super Over triumph against Durban’s Super Giants and a 28-run victory earlier. Paarl Royals rank third with four matches played and recent successes, including a five-wicket win and Lhuan-dre Pretorius‘ explosive 98. JSK seeks a rebound after a recent loss, while PR aims to extend their winning streak.​

JSK vs PR, SA20 2025-26: Match Details

• Date and Time: January 8 (Thursday); 4:30 pm IST / 11:00 am GMT / 1:00 pm LOCAL
• Venue: Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg

JSK vs PR, Head-to-Head Record (SA20):

Matches played: 6 | Joburg Super Kings won: 2 | Paarl Royals won: 4 | No result: 0

Wanderers Stadium Pitch Report

The Wanderers Stadium has earned its reputation as a batter-friendly venue, thanks to its high altitude and lightning-quick outfield that help the ball fly off the bat. The pitch generally provides even bounce, encouraging free-flowing stroke play, although the iconic bullring can offer sharp bounce and a hint of lateral movement for pacers in the early overs. Recent SA20 matches here have regularly produced totals above 180, making big scores commonplace. While the surface tends to stay reliable across both innings, history suggests teams prefer to bowl first, as chasing becomes slightly more comfortable under lights once the early seam movement fades. Captains winning the toss are therefore expected to opt for bowling first to take advantage of any early moisture on offer.

Squads 

Joburg Super Kings: Faf du Plessis (c), James Vince, Rilee Rossouw, Donovan Ferreira, Shubham Ranjane, Rivaldo Moonsamy (wk), Akeal Hosein, Richard Gleeson, Reece Topley, Imran Tahir, Nandre Burger, Matthew De Villiers, Prenelan Subrayen, Daniel Worrall, Wiaan Mulder, Duan Jansen, Dian Forrester, Steve Stolk, Janco Smit, Neil Timmers, Jarren Bacher

Paarl Royals: Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Asa Tribe, David Miller (c), Sikandar Raza, Delano Potgieter, Rubin Hermann, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Bjorn Fortuin, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Nqobani Mokoena, Ottneil Baartman, Vishen Halambage, Dan Lawrence, Hardus Viljoen, Gudakesh Motie, Okuhle Cele, Nqabayomzi Peter, Eshan Malinga, Thomas Rew, Keagan Lion Cachet

Also WATCH: Matthew Breetzke plucks a screamer to dismiss Dewald Brevis in SA20 2026

JSK vs PR, SA20 2025-26: Today’s Match Prediction

Case 1:

• Joburg Super Kings wins the toss and bowls first
• Paarl Royals’ powerplay score: 45-55 (6 overs)
• Paarl Royals’ total score: 170-185

Case 2:

• Paarl Royals wins the toss and bowls first
• Joburg Super Kings’ powerplay score: 50-60 (6 overs)
• Joburg Super Kings’ total score: 175-195

Match result: Team bowling first to win the contest

Also WATCH: Dewald Brevis and Sherfane Rutherford unleash a flurry of sixes on MI Cape Town bowlers in SA20 2025-26

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (Pic credit: ACC)

NEW DELHI: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s extraordinary surge through age-group and domestic cricket has reached a point where even seasoned internationals are struggling to put it into words. At just 14, the teenage opener has forced the cricketing world to sit up and take notice — and few reactions have captured the scale of the moment better than Ravichandran Ashwin‘s widely shared social media posts.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Ashwin, a veteran of Indian cricket, laid out Sooryavanshi’s recent numbers in stark fashion, allowing the statistics to tell their own story. “171(95), 50(26), 190(84), 68(24), 108(61), 46(25) & 127(74) today. These are just some of Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s scores in the last 30 days across domestic & U19 cricket,” Ashwin wrote, before adding in Tamil-inflected admiration: Enna thambi, indha adi podhuma, illa innum konjam venuma? Translation ( what’s all this brother? Is this sample enough or are you going to raise the bar further ). You can’t explain in words what this kid is doing at 14.”

The post came on the back of another breathtaking performance from Sooryavanshi, who marked his first assignment as India Under-19 captain with a scintillating 63-ball century against South Africa in the final Youth ODI at Benoni. His 127, studded with 10 sixes and nine fours, powered India to a mammoth 393/7 and set up a crushing 233-run win that sealed the series 3-0.Ashwin also turned his gaze to what lies ahead, framing the next few months as a defining stretch in the teenager’s journey. “With the U19 WC round the corner where he’s expected to be the showstopper, followed immediately by the leap to the IPL for his first full season as an opener stepping into the big shoes of Sanju, the next four months of #VaibhavWatch is going to be exciting, telling us everything about his temperament, hunger & character.,” he wrote.On the field, Sooryavanshi backed up the hype with all-round contributions. After India’s batters laid the platform, the bowlers dismantled South Africa for 160, with Kishan Singh leading the charge and Sooryavanshi himself chipping in with a wicket to claim the final dismissal.Across the three-match series, the young captain topped the run charts with 206 runs at a strike rate north of 187. Overall, he now has 973 runs in 18 Youth ODIs at an average above 54, with three hundreds already to his name.