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)

Minneapolis shooting (AP photo)

An ICE officer in its major immigration crackdown fatally shot a woman driving an SUV through her car window in South Minneapolis on Wednesday. US President Donald Trump called the incident “horrible thing to watch” and said that the woman was “a professional agitator.”The deadly confrontation escalated the intensity of situation in what was already heated-up immigration raid on Minnesota and its immigrants by Donald Trump administration. The administration confirmed the shooting and also informed that the woman was a rioter who in her vehicle attempted to run over law enforcement officers.A video of the incident immediately surfaced widely over social media, showing a Honda SUV apparently blocking unmarked law enforcement vehicles as they attempt to drive down a street that was covered with snow.The driver, identified by local media as 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good, tried to drive away as officers approached and attempted to open her door, prompting one agent to fire three shots as the vehicle pulled off.In the video, an officer is heard ordering the driver to get out of the car and attempting to open the door, after which the driver slowly reverses and then moves forward as if trying to flee. An officer positioned at the front fires three shots, and the SUV travels a short distance at point-blank before crashing into a parked car. The woman was taken to Hennepin County Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead, according to the Minneapolis police chief.Trump, who has ordered nationwide anti-immigration raids, accused the woman of trying to “viciously” run over the agent. Trump reacted to the event, taking in to his Truth Social, he wrote: “I have just viewed the clip of the event which took place in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is a horrible thing to watch. The woman screaming was, obviously, a professional agitator, and the woman driving the car was very disorderly, obstructing and resisting, who then violently, willfully, and viciously ran over the ICE Officer, who seems to have shot her in self defense. Based on the attached clip, it is hard to believe he is alive, but is now recovering in the hospital. He further added in the post, “The situation is being studied, in its entirety, but the reason these incidents are happening is because the Radical Left is threatening, assaulting, and targeting our Law Enforcement Officers and ICE Agents on a daily basis. They are just trying to do the job of MAKING AMERICA SAFE. We need to stand by and protect our Law Enforcement Officers from this Radical Left Movement of Violence and Hate!”ICE’s federal agents have played a central role in the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement and deportation push, despite objections from some local officials.Last summer, the department of homeland security (DHS) launched an aggressive recruitment drive to add 10,000 ICE agents to its existing force of about 6,000, drawing criticism that newly deployed officers lacked adequate training.DHS secretary Kristi Noem said “any loss of life is a tragedy” but described the incident as “domestic terrorism,” alleging that Good had been stalking and obstructing ICE operations throughout the day. She said Good later “weaponized her vehicle.”The incident took place during protests against immigration enforcement in southern Minneapolis, in the midwestern state of Minnesota.DHS, which oversees ICE, said in a post on X that the woman had attempted to run over an officer, who then fired what it described as “defensive shots.”

What is happening in Minneapolis?

The administration deployed hundreds of agents to the city on Wednesday in what officials described as the largest crackdown since a Minnesota welfare fraud case drew national attention. Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey said he was aware of the shooting involving an ICE agent and called for federal immigration officers to leave the city “immediately.”“The presence of federal immigration enforcement agents is causing chaos in our city,” Frey said in a statement on social media. “We’re demanding ICE leave the city immediately. We stand rock solid with our immigrant and refugee communities.”Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who withdrew from the governor’s race following the welfare controversy, said his office was working to “gather information on an ICE-related shooting this morning.”

Breaking onto the silver screen, Agastya Nanda’s ‘Ikkis’ hasn’t quite lived up to the buzz, raking in a disappointing Rs 24.25 crore in its first week. Directed by Sriram Raghavan, this war drama was expected to resonate with viewers, but alas, its Day 7 tally of Rs 1.15 crore suggests it’s falling short compared to its competitors.

Agastya Nanda’s ‘Ikkis’ has showcased no potential to pull the audience to the theaters since its release in theaters, and the box office reports are the proof of the same. The war drama has not yet reached the 25 crore mark, even after seven days since the release. Let’s take a look at how much the film earned on its day 7.

‘Ikkis’ box office collection Day 7

The audience had high expectations from the film, as it was the big-screen debut of Agastya Nanda and a Sriram Raghavan directorial. However, the movie failed to live up to the hopes of the people. According to the Sacnilk report, the war film has earned Rs 1.15 crore at the box office. This brings the movie’s total revenue to Rs 24.25 crore.

Day-wise collection

Day 1 [1st Thursday]: Rs 7 croreDay 2 [1st Friday]: Rs 3.5 croreDay 3 [1st Saturday]: Rs 4.65 croreDay 4 [1st Sunday]: Rs 5 croreDay 5 [1st Monday]: Rs 1.35 croreDay 6 [1st Tuesday]: Rs 1.6 croreDay 7 [1st Wednesday]: Rs 1.15 croreTotal: Rs 24.25 crore

‘Ikkis’ vs ‘Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri’

Comparing the collections of the first seven days of ‘Ikkis’ and ‘Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri’, the Kartik Aaryan and Ananya Panday starrer was ahead of the war drama. The rom-com earned Rs 28.85 crore in its first seven days.Meanwhile, the movie earned Rs 0.25 crore on its Day 14 (second Wednesday), January 7, 2026. The total collection of the film is now Rs 32.8 crore at the box office.

‘Ikkis’ vs ‘Dhurandhar’

Well, ‘Dhurandhar’ is the beast of the box office right now and has collected over Rs 1200 crore globally. On its day 34 (fifth Wednesday), the movie raked in Rs 4.25 crore. The total collection of the film in India is Rs 786 crore.

More about ‘Ikkis’

Directed by Sriram Raghavan, the film stars Agastya Nanda, Dharmendra (his last screen appearance), Jaideep Ahlawat, Sikander Kher, Simar Bhatia, and Vivaan Shah.The movie is based on the Paramvir Chakra honoree (posthumously), Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal, who was martyred during the India-Pakistan War of 1971.The film was released in theaters on January 1, 2026.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi at toss (Screengrab)

NEW DELHI: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi once again stole the spotlight during the third Under-19 ODI between India and South Africa on Wednesday. However, the day began with an unexpected moment from the young star. After losing the toss, Sooryavanshi looked upset on camera as he covered his face with his hands. The reaction caught everyone’s attention, including the match referee, who could not help but smile at the teenager’s honest response.

What followed later in the match, nevertheless, was pure domination from the 14-year-old.Leading the Indian team in the absence of regular captain Ayush Mhatre, Sooryavanshi produced a breathtaking batting performance. He reached his century in just 63 balls, becoming the youngest captain to score a hundred in Youth ODIs at the age of 14 years and nine months. He eventually scored a stunning 127 off just 74 balls, filled with clean hitting and fearless stroke play.India finished with a massive total of 393 for 7 in their 50 overs, making South Africa’s decision to bowl first a costly one. Sooryavanshi was well supported by Aaron George, who played a fine knock of 118 from 106 balls.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi at toss (Screengrab)

The pair put together a huge opening partnership of 227 runs, completely taking the game away from the visitors.South Africa struggled from the very start of their chase. Kishan Singh caused early damage, having reduced them to 15 for 3 within four overs. He removed Jorich Van Schalkwyk, Adnaan Lagadien and Lethabo Phahlamohlaka in quick succession.Although Daniel Bosman and Jason Rowles tried to steady the innings, South Africa kept losing wickets at regular intervals. They were eventually bowled out for 160 in 35 overs, handing India a crushing 233-run victory and a clean sweep of the three-match series.

NEW DELHI: In a move that could significantly enhance the coverage of Employees Provident Fund Organisation, a proposal to increase monthly wage ceiling beyond the current Rs 15,000 is back on the table amid suggestions that it should be raised to Rs 25,000-30,000 a month.The wage ceiling refers to the salary threshold up to which it is mandatory for a worker in an establishment covered under EPFO to make monthly contributions.Govt had earlier discussed a proposal to increase the threshold to Rs 25,000 – but it was put on the backburner due to reluctance of employers, who wanted the limit to be retained, with some suggesting that a higher cap should come with lower contribution. Some of the employee unions, however, had demanded a Rs 30,000 cut-off.The current ceiling was fixed over a decade ago, in Sept 2014, making it optional for anyone earning over Rs 15,000 to be part of EPFO. Since then, salaries have gone up significantly, and minimum monthly wages in many states even for unskilled workers are now above this threshold. This leaves many low wage or minimum wage earners outside the ambit of the social security organisation. Earlier this week, Supreme Court asked the labour ministry to review the cap within four months.The move will widen EPFO’s subscriber base and bring more workers, especially in the unorganised sector, under the ambit of the retirement fund body. It comes at a time when the new labour codes have been notified, being likely to be implemented in the next few months with a clear focus to ensure that an employee’s wages add up to at least 50% of the total remuneration, with the remaining being allowances.Officials said by clearly defining wages, the labour codes would reduce disputes over eligibility. They also said at the current cap, the bulk of contributions amount to around Rs 15,000 and increase will push up the level, helping workers have a larger pool of money at their disposal when they retire, especially with the role of compounding playing out. Recently, EPFO had mandated a minimum 25% balance in a subscriber’s corpus while easing rules for withdrawal. Data available till FY24 has pegged the number of active contributing members under EPFO at nearly 7.4 crore, while nearly 32 crore member acco-unts exist under the retirement fund body, which include a mix of active and past contributors.

NEW DELHI: Indian military retaliation against the terror attack in Pahalgam led Pakistan to frantically seek US mediation to make New Delhi pause the strikes deep inside its territory.Disclosures from US FARA (Foreign Agents Registration Act) filings reveal that between May 7, when IAF struck headquarters of JeM, LeT and Hizbul Mujahideen, and May 10, when Pakistan director general of military operations Major General Kashif Abdullah rang up his Indian counterpart Lt General Rajiv Ghai, Islamabad had launched an urgent lobbying campaign in Washington. Pakistani diplomats, including its ambassador and defence attache, initiated over 60 points of contact – comprising meetings, calls and emails – with high-ranking US officials and media outlets to solicit international intervention. The details are part of the filings by Squire Patton Boggs, hired by Pakistan for lobbying and which, like other US lobbying firms, are mandated to share with the US Department of Justice, the details and nature of their dealings. A majority of meetings were sought between the onset of Operation Sindoor and the eventual suspension of India’s military operations with requests to secure American mediation to “somehow halt” India’s retaliatory military operations. While Pakistan tried to dismiss the impact of India’s strikes, the records confirm a high-level of behind-the-scenes panic.Pakistan had hired lobbying firm Squire Patton Boggs originally to help it steer away from FATF grey list. An email from its representative and former US ambassador Paul W Jones to US diplomat Elizabeth K Horst on May 14, 2025, sought a meeting with Eric (Garcetti, US ambassador to India) to “discuss and hear his perspectives to move the relationship forward”.The email read: “Squire Patton Boggs is a registered agent of the govt of Pakistan. We’d very much appreciate your feedback on the attached one-page outline of ways forward in US-Pakistan relationship – Did we miss anything or would anything sound off-key in Washington? Separately, do you think we could try again to schedule a meeting with Eric to discuss and hear his perspectives on how best to move the relationship forward? Finally, I’d appreciate the opportunity to speak with you or a member of your team on FATF, in order to better understand the lay of the land.“The firm is said to have circulated documents in diplomatic circles on behalf of Pak “appreciating constructive role played by US and President Trump’s expressed willingness to support efforts aimed at the resolution of J&K”. The documents sought “critical minerals agreement” and bilateral relations with US independent of ties with its neighbours, shortly after Operation Sindoor.

US President Donald Trump vowed to block defence contractors from paying dividends or buying back shares until they accelerate the production of military equipment. The announcement was made on Truth Social on Wednesday and sent defence stocks tumbling. It signals a rare direct intervention in the US military-industrial sector. He claimed that US produces the best equipment in the world and no country is even close to that benchmark. “Defense Companies are not producing our Great Military Equipment rapidly enough and, once produced, not maintaining it properly or quickly,” Trump posted. The GOP leader also criticised executive pay, calling it “exorbitant and unjustifiable,” and said it should be capped at $5 million.Trump did not provide details on how limits on dividends, buybacks, or salaries would be enforced. This uncertainty contributed to a drop in defence shares after his post, reversing recent gains following the dramatic use of US military equipment in Venezuela, reports news agency Reuters. The Latin American nation and its leader Nicolas Maduro were targeted last week under Operation Absolute Resolve on suspicion of narco-terrorism and drug peddling. Several large defence firms, including Lockheed Martin, routinely issue dividends and buy back stock. Lockheed recently raised its dividend for the 23rd consecutive year to $3.45 per share and authorised up to $2 billion in share repurchases, bringing total planned buybacks to $9.1 billion.The F-35 fighter jet programme has faced rising costs and delays, while the $140 billion Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile project managed by Northrop Grumman is reported to be 81 per cent over budget, according to the US military.Trump’s full Truth Social post said that there is a dire need for new and modern production plants, improved maintenance, and faster delivery of equipment. “From this moment forward, these Executives must build NEW and MODERN Production Plants, both for delivering and maintaining this important Equipment, and for building the latest Models of future Military Equipment,” he said.The MAGA chief said dividends, stock buybacks, and excessive executive compensation should be suspended until these issues are resolved. “MILITARY EQUIPMENT IS NOT BEING MADE FAST ENOUGH! It must be built now with the Dividends, Stock Buybacks, and Over Compensation of Executives, rather than borrowing from Financial Institutions, or getting the money from your Government,” he added.Trump also warned that he needs the changes “spot on, on time.”