U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order creating the legal framework for imposing tariffs on goods from countries that trade with Iran. However, these tariffs have not yet been applied immediately or automatically. Under this order, officials from the U.S. Departments of State and Commerce must identify the countries concerned and determine the level of additional tariffs, cited for example at 25 percent. This threat could disrupt U.S. trade relations with countries such as India, Turkey, and China.

In Japan’s snap parliamentary elections, indicators and opinion polls point to a major victory for Sanae Takaichi, the country’s prime minister, and the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. The ruling coalition is expected to secure a decisive majority or even two thirds of the parliamentary seats. If power is consolidated, Takaichi is expected to pursue expansive fiscal policies with a focus on investment in technologies such as artificial intelligence and to adopt firmer positions in the defense sector.

Gold prices rose above 5,000 dollars per ounce again as buyers returned on dips, recouping part of the sharp selloff seen in late January. Continued gold purchases by the People’s Bank of China for a fifteenth consecutive month and strong demand from central banks have been cited as key supportive factors for the market. Despite recent intense volatility, major banks such as Goldman Sachs and Deutsche Bank remain optimistic about gold’s long term bullish outlook due to policy uncertainty and diversification away from US assets, while silver also experienced a sharp rally.

Iran described the recent nuclear talks with the United States as “a step forward” and emphasized that dialogue has always been Tehran’s strategy for resolving disputes peacefully. At the same time, Tehran stated that it will not retreat from its right to enrich uranium domestically and once again stressed that it is not seeking nuclear weapons, even as talks continue under the shadow of US military threats and new sanctions. Market reactions to the negotiations have been mixed, with markets showing limited optimism. Iran’s stock market fell by 90,000 points in the first half of today’s session.