Silver delivered a glittering rally on Monday, scaling a life time high, lifted by strong demand for the precious metal and global rally. Silver futures touched record high of Rs 2,14,534 per kilogram on the Multi-Commodity Exchange (MCX) in what is being seen as one of its strongest annual performances in recent years. Spot silver also gained 2.2% hitting a record high of $68.65 per ounce.With just two weeks remaining in 2025, market participants are closely tracking the momentum, as analysts increasingly see the Rs 2,25,000 level as a realistic target before the year ends.According to Jigar Trivedi, senior research analyst at Reliance Securities, the rally is being supported by “strong central bank buying and sustained ETF inflows”. He added that gold prices also rose to a record $4,380 per ounce on Monday, fuelled by expectations of further US interest rate cuts and rising geopolitical tensions, which have provided additional support to silver prices. Trivedi further told ET that the white metal could continue to gain on global cues and pegged the year-end target at Rs 2,25,000.Tata Mutual Fund, reffering to silver’s momentum, said, “prices have surged to record highs in international markets, driven by a physical metal shortage, booming solar industry demand, strong Indian imports, and sustained inflows into silver ETFs”. The expert further told ET that supply disruptions are playing a major role behind the rally. The white metal recently received the designation of “critical mineral”, from the US. At the same time, China—one of the largest silver exporters—imposed export restrictions, further pressurising the global supply chain.Ponmudi R, CEO of Enrich Money, said that silver continues to outperform within the precious metals segment, noting that COMEX silver has also surged to register fresh all-time highs. “Silver’s strength is being driven by rising industrial demand from solar power, electric vehicles, and electronics, combined with persistent global supply deficits,” Ponmudi said.He added that investor participation has picked up, with silver offering leveraged exposure to the broader precious metals cycle.

Top stocks to buy (AI image)

Stock market recommendations: According to Sudeep Shah, Head – Technical Research and Derivatives, SBI Securities, the top stock picks for this week are KEI Industries, and JK Tyre & Industries. Here’s his view on Nifty, Bank Nifty for the week starting December 22, 2025:Nifty ViewLast week, the benchmark index Nifty traded within a narrow range of just 321 points — the tightest weekly range recorded since the first week of October. However, despite this compressed price action, volatility remained elevated, as the index opened with either a gap-up or gap-down on every trading session. This combination of high volatility and narrow range clearly reflected a phase of indecision, with both bulls and bears refraining from taking aggressive positions. Eventually, the index settled at 25966 level and formed a small-bodied candle with shadows on either side, reinforcing the prevailing uncertainty.A key technical development during the week was Nifty’s ability to find support near its 50-day EMA, followed by a swift rebound from lower levels. This price behaviour has resulted in the formation of an Adam & Adam Double Bottom pattern on the daily chart. Going ahead, a sustainable breakout above the neckline resistance could act as a trigger for a sharp upside move in the index.Interestingly, the broader market indices, Nifty Midcap 100 and Nifty Small Cap 100 also staged a strong recovery from their recent lows. Both indices formed small-bodied candles with long lower shadows, indicating renewed buying interest at lower levels. In this context, Monday’s trading session becomes crucial for the broader market. A follow-through move on the upside could pave the way for a broader-based rally.From a level’s perspective, for Nifty, the neckline resistance zone of 26050–26100 will act as a critical hurdle. A decisive move above 26100 could lead to a sharp upside rally towards 26300, followed by 26500 in the short term. On the downside, the 25770–25700 zone is expected to provide strong support, as it coincides with the prior swing low and the 50-day EMA.Bank Nifty ViewThe Bank Nifty traded in a narrow 820point range, its tightest weekly consolidation since the last week of October. This compressed movement resulted in the formation of a Doji candle on the weekly chart, highlighting clear indecision among market participants.In recent sessions, the index has been hovering around its 20day EMA, and this prolonged consolidation has caused the moving average to flatten out, reflecting a lack of directional momentum. Key oscillators and momentum indicators also depict a sideways bias, underscoring the absence of strong buying or selling pressure.Looking ahead, the 58700–58600 zone remains a crucial support area, aligning with the prior swing low. On the upside, the 59400–59500 range will act as an important resistance zone. A strong and sustained breakout above 59500 could unlock a sharp upward move toward 60200 in the near term.Stock recommendations:KEI Industries:The stock of KEI has broken out above a horizontal trendline on the daily chart, supported by notably higher volumes, confirming the validity of the move. The stock is now trading comfortably above its key moving averages, all of which are trending higher. A key positive development is the daily RSI crossing above 60 for the first time since 15th October, indicating strengthening momentum. Hence, we recommend to accumulate the stock in the zone of 4290-4250 level with a stoploss of 4120 level. On the upside, it is likely to test the 4600 in the short term.JK Tyre & Industries: JK Tyre has given a breakout from a 30day consolidation phase on the daily timeframe, backed by above 50days average volumes. The stock is trading at a 52-week high, with all key moving averages and momentum indicators reflecting strong bullish strength. The daily RSI has moved above 60, and the MACD histogram has crossed into positive territory, further confirming the trend strength. Hence, we recommend to accumulate the stock in the zone of 486-482 level with a stop loss of 469 level. On the upside, it is likely to test the 520 in the short term. (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)

A temporary power outage in San Francisco left hundreds of Google’s self-driving vehicles – Waymo stranded on roads. Many users shared videos and photos of the cars stalled in traffic in different parts of the city. Amid the disruption, Elon Musk posted on X (formerly Twitter), writing “Tesla Robotaxis were unaffected by the SF power outage”. The Tesla CEO quoted a post by X user Mario Nawfal which said that Teslas kept rolling as the vehicles’ AI is trained on “billions of real-world miles”. “Waymo bet on maps and order. Tesla bet on mess – and won,” Nawfal added.For those unaware, a massive blackout affected over 130,000 homes and businesses in San Francisco including the Richmond, Sunset, Presidio and Golden Gate Park. Officials traced that a portion of Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) substation caught fire, knocking out critical grid components, leading to “significant transit disruptions.”

Mario Nawfal shared two different videos in his post – one showing Waymo stranded on the road and the other a dashcam footage from a Tesla vehicle using Full Self-Driving (FSD) mode. “Waymo’s robotaxis got a little too real last night – by completely shutting down when San Francisco’s power outage knocked out traffic lights,” he writes in the post. “Meanwhile, Teslas on FSD? Kept rolling. No drama, no headlines – just handling chaos like it’s a walk in the park. This is what happens when you train your AI on billions of real-world miles instead of coddling it in a simulation padded with perfect data and wishful thinking. Waymo bet on maps and order. Tesla bet on mess – and won. When the lights go out, the difference isn’t theoretical. It’s traffic.” Nawfal tagged TeslaAI and Elon Musk as the source in his post. The Tesla dashcam video was shared by Tesla AI with the caption – “FSD is trained on billions of real-world miles, including power outages”.

Waymo resumes services in San Francisco Bay Area

Waymo said it has resumed its driverless ride-hail service in the San Francisco Bay Area. Waymo spokesperson, Suzanne Philion, told CNBC in an e-mailed statement “Yesterday’s power outage was a widespread event that caused gridlock across San Francisco, with non-functioning traffic signals and transit disruptions”. “While the failure of the utility infrastructure was significant, we are committed to ensuring our technology adjusts to traffic flow during such events,” she added.

Domestic stock market fund raising remains strong in FY26; 83 companies raise Rs 1.3 lakh crore till Nov: NSE report

Fund mobilisation in the domestic stock market remained strong in the current financial year, with 83 companies raising Rs 1.3 lakh crore as of November in FY26, according to a report released by the National Stock Exchange (NSE).The report highlighted that fund raising momentum stayed robust, supported by several marquee initial public offerings (IPOs) that made their debut during the period.NSE stated, “On the mainboard, 83 companies raised Rs 1.3 lakh crore, with 41 per cent from fresh equity and 59 per cent via OFS”.In fresh equity, a company creates and sells new shares to the public. All of the money raised from these new shares goes directly to the company itself, which then uses the funds to expand the business, finance new projects, or pay off debts. In contrast, an Offer for Sale (OFS) involves existing owners, such as the company’s founders or early investors, selling their already-held shares to new investors.The report further noted that these newly listed companies now command a combined market capitalisation of over Rs 10 lakh crore, indicating the scale and depth of recent listings in the domestic market. This growth also reflects the increasing ability of Indian capital markets to attract large issuances and support companies across sectors.Investor participation patterns also showed notable trends. Retail participation strengthened to 25 per cent, highlighting growing interest from individual investors in primary market offerings. At the same time, the share of qualified institutional buyers (QIBs) moderated, according to the report.The NSE report also pointed to continued momentum in the SME segment through the Emerge platform. During the period under review, 80 companies were listed on the Emerge platform, raising a total of Rs 3,911 crore. Notably, 95 per cent of this amount was raised through fresh equity, underscoring the platform’s role in providing growth capital to small and medium enterprises.In addition, the report said that recent regulatory measures have further strengthened India’s listing ecosystem. These include the reduction in the minimum public offering requirement, extension of timelines for achieving minimum public shareholding for large entities, streamlining of migration criteria for SME companies moving from the Emerge platform to the mainboard, and enhanced disclosure norms.Overall, the report concluded that robust fundraising activity, strong participation from retail investors, and supportive regulatory measures continue to reinforce the role of India’s capital markets in driving long-term growth and expansion.

Pakistan cricket team (ANI Photo)

Senior Pakistan selector and National Cricket Academy head Aaqib Javed has made a candid revelation, admitting that he has closely followed India’s recent success in white-ball cricket in an effort to rebuild and strengthen Pakistan’s own cricketing structure.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Speaking on a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) podcast, the former fast bowler said India’s sustained dominance across tournaments offered clear lessons for any cricketing nation serious about long-term success. “I have looked at India’s success and have tried to execute plans for the betterment of Pakistan cricket,” Aaqib said. “Any cricket nation’s success is based on the quality of its talent.”

India have enjoyed a golden run in recent years, winning the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean last year, the Champions Trophy in Dubai earlier this year, and the Asia Cup in September — a tournament where they defeated Pakistan in the final. Aaqib believes such consistency stems from systems rather than individuals.“I think we fell away in doing the basic things correctly in our cricket system,” Aaqib admitted. “No matter who you appoint as captain, coach or selector, unless you have quality talent, nothing changes.”He stressed that talent development depends on strong infrastructure and competition. “Quality of talent can be assured by increasing bench strength and competition, and this is only possible with proper infrastructure and system,” he said.

Despite past shortcomings, Aaqib expressed optimism about the current direction of Pakistan cricket. Looking ahead to the T20 World Cup early next year in India and Sri Lanka, he said the timing could not be better. “Indications are all there. We have good players, they have combined well and importantly there is a choice of players now.”He added that playing all their matches in Sri Lanka would work in Pakistan’s favour. “If the World Cup had been in Australia or South Africa, I would have thought differently. But this is the best time for the team to do well.”Aaqib also highlighted the growing depth in domestic cricket and the Pakistan Shaheens setup, claiming “three to four players are ready” for international cricket. However, he emphasised that modern talent goes beyond skill alone. “Nowadays, talent is also about mental strength because players are constantly under scrutiny.”Addressing criticism, Aaqib was blunt. “The criticism is an aftershock; it only comes after a poor performance. Why should I mind it?” he said. “The only way you can avoid being criticised is to do well.”

Asian stocks began the week on a positive note, following Wall Street’s gains on Monday, as tech stocks drove investor’s sentiments and currency markets grappled with volitality, with Japan’s yen sliding to record lows.In Japan, Nikkei added 973 points or 1.97% to reach 50,480 at 8:40 AM IST. South Korea’s Kospi also inched 1.88% to trade at 4,096. Hang Seng Index edged higher, adding 0.11% to 25,966. Shanghai and Shenzhen also traded in green, adding 0.63% and 1.27%, respectively. Trading volumes remained low in a holiday-shortened week across much of the world, however, markets edged higher ahead of delayed US economic data, in anticipation of strong numbers for the third quarter. Median forecasts pointed to annualised growth of 3.2%, helped by a sharp fall in imports after a surge earlier in the year ahead of tariff introductions.Japan’s Nikkei traded in green as sharply weaker yen was seen boosting export earnings for Japanese companies. The currency continued to slide even after the Bank of Japan raised interest rates to a 30-year high of 0.75%, a move that intensified selling pressure in government bonds. Minutes from the Bank of Japan’s policy meeting are due on Wednesday, while the central bank’s governor is scheduled to address a Japanese business lobby on Christmas, Reuters reported. The yen touched a new record low against the euro at 184.90 and weakened to 198.08 against the Swiss franc. The dollar rose to 157.67 yen, though traders remained cautious about pushing beyond the November peak of 157.90 amid fears that such a move could trigger intervention from Tokyo.South Korea’s market surged 1.8% on optimism surrounding AI-related earnings. In commodities, silver continued its strong run, hitting a fresh record high of $67.48 per ounce and lifting year-to-date gains to nearly 134%. Gold rose 0.6% to $4,362 an ounce, Reuters reported. Oil prices also moved higher after the United States intercepted a Venezuelan oil tanker over the weekend and pursued another, marking the third such operation in less than two weeks. Brent crude rose 0.7% to $60.88 a barrel, while U.S. crude gained 0.7% to $56.89 per barrel.