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Spot gold rallied sharply on Friday as traders looked past hotter than expected US inflation data to focus on possible rate cuts as the US economy, going by recent key macroeconomic data, is weakening. Spot gold closed with a gain of 1.55% at $2414 Friday. The yellow metal was up around 2.30% on the week.Although the ten-year US yields closed with a gain of 1.25% at 4.42% Friday, the yields were down around 1.80% on the week. The two-year yields fell roughly 2% on the week to close at 4.82%. The US Dollar Index has come under pressure on a series of disappointing data as rate cut probability has risen. The Index was down nearly 0.80% on the week to close at 104.50.Data and event round up: Deterioration in the US economy amid sticky inflationAlmost all the inflation metrics reflect that the US inflation continues to remain elevated; nonetheless, markets are presently cheering a slight miss on one particular count – US CPI m-o-m. The US CPI (April) m-o-m was noted at 0.30% Vs the forecast of 0.40%, though y-o-y inflation data at 3.4% matched the estimate. CPI ex food and energy y-o-y and m-o-m at 3.60% and 0.30% respectively were also in line with their respective forecasts. Import price Index (April) m-o-m and y-o-y readings came in at 0.90% and 1.10% respectively Vs the respective forecasts of 0.30% and 0.40%. Similarly, the US PPI Final demand (April) m-o-m was up 0.50% Vs the forecast of 0.30%, PPI ex food and energy m-o-m was also up 0.5% as against the expectation of 0.20%. PPI ex food and energy y-o-y stood at 2.40% Vs the forecast of 2.30%, whereas PPI final demand y-o-y at 2.20% was in line with the forecast. The export price index m-o-m and y-o-y were noted at 0.50% and -1% respectively as against the respective forecasts of 0.20% and -1.10%.At the same time, the US economy seems to be losing its momentum as recent macroeconomic indicators like GDP (Q1), nonfarm payroll (April) and services and manufacturing PMIs had been disappointing. This week was no exception. Retail Sales advance (April) m-o-m stagnated as against the forecast of +0.40%. Retail sales control group came in at -0.30% Vs the forecast of +0.10%. The US Philadelphia Fed business outlook, housing starts, NAHB housing Index, and industrial production data fell short of their respective forecasts.Markets have not been deterred by disconcerting inflation data because of two factors: Firstly, the notion that some of the elements in the PPI report, which will go into the PCE deflator report, have not been hot enough. Moreover, downward revisions to the prior data also mitigated the impact. Secondly, The US Fed Chair Powell is confident that inflation will move towards the Fed’s target goal of 2% this year. He called the CPI data mixed as prior data were revised lower.Dovish FedspeakFed officials have adopted a hawkish stance in the wake of lack of progress on inflation. The Federal Reserve Vice Chair Philip Jefferson said that it is appropriate to keep rates steady until there is additional evidence that inflation will return to the 2% target. The Fed’s Williams said that he does not see the need for rate cuts. Kashkari, Mester, and Goolsbee see a case of higher for longer rates. Richmond Federal Reserve Bank President Thomas Barkin said that the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) showed that inflation is not where the Fed is trying to get. However, the Fed Chair Powell is somewhat dovish as he dismissed the US CPI data as mixed and expressed confidence in the possibility of the US inflation falling towards the Fed’s 2% goal this year. Although he continues to drive home the point that progress on inflation has stalled, markets do not find him sufficiently hawkish.ETF holdingsTotal known global gold ETF holdings rose for the third consecutive day on May 16 to take the level to 80.715 MOz, which was higher than the level of 80.542 MOz seen at the end of the prior week.The US household’s debtAs per the New York Federal Reserve, American households set a new record as total household debt rose 1.10% from Q4 2023 to $17.69 trillion of debt in Q1 2024. At the same time, the number of delinquencies is rising amid elevated inflation.Credit card balances, which at $1.12 trillion outstanding, decreased by $14 billion during the first quarter but remain 13.1% above the level a year ago.Data next weekThe major US data next week include FOMC meeting minutes (May 1), existing home sales (April), S&P Global US manufacturing and services PMI (May preliminary), new home sales (April), durable goods orders (April preliminary), and University of Michigan sentiment and both short- and long-term inflation expectations. Out of Europe, focus will be on the UK's CPI (April), manufacturing and services PMI (May preliminary) and retail sales (April), and Germany's GDP (1Q Final) and manufacturing and services PMIs (May preliminary).Weekly outlookGold is expected to trade with a positive bias next week. Fedspeak will continue to be a crucial factor for the metal. The US Federal Reserve facing constraints in hiking rates amid elevated inflation and a weakening economy is positive for gold. The metal is expected to test resistance at $2500 sooner than expected. Interim resistance is at $2432/$2450. Support is at $2400/$2360. Buying the dips remains a preferred strategy.(The author is Associate Vice President, Fundamental Currencies and Commodities at Sharekhan by BNP Paribas)(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of Economic Times)

CAIRO/JERUSALEM: Israeli troops and tanks pushed on Saturday into parts of a congested northern Gaza Strip district that they had previously skirted in the more than seven-month-old war, killing and wounding dozens of Palestinians, medics and residents said. Israel's forces also took over some ground in Rafah, a southern city by the Egyptian border that is packed with displaced people and where the launch this month of a long-threatened incursion to crush hold-outs of Palestinian Islamist militant group Hamas has alarmed Cairo and Washington. Exposing further cracks in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government, Benny Gantz, a centrist member of the war cabinet, threatened to resign if the right-wing leader does not agree by June 8 to a day-after plan that would include how Gaza might be ruled after the war with Hamas. In what Israeli media said was the result of intelligence gleaned during the latest incursions, the military announced the recovery of the body of a man who was among more than 250 hostages seized by Hamas in a cross-border rampage on Oct. 7 that triggered the war. Ron Binyamin's remains were located along with those of three other slain hostages whose repatriation was announced on Friday, the military said without providing further details. There was no immediate comment from Hamas. Israel has conducted renewed military sweeps this month of parts of northern Gaza where it had declared the end of major operations in January. At the time, it also predicted its forces would return to prevent a regrouping by the Palestinian Islamist group that rules Gaza. One site has been Jabalia, the largest of Gaza's eight historic refugee camps. On Saturday, troops and tanks edged into streets so far spared the ground offensive, residents said. In one strike, medics said 15 Palestinians were killed and dozens wounded. The Gaza health ministry and the Civil Emergency Service said teams received dozens of calls about possible casualties but were unable to carry out any searches because of the ongoing ground offensive and aerial bombardment. "Today is the most difficult in terms of the occupation bombardment, air strikes and tank shelling have going on almost non-stop," said one resident in Jabalia, Ibrahim Khaled, via a chat app. "We know of dozens of people, martyrs (killed) and wounded, but no ambulance vehicle can get into the area," he told Reuters. The Israeli military said its forces have continued to operate in areas across Gaza including Jabalia and Rafah, carrying out what it called "precise operations against terrorists and infrastructure". "The IAF (air force) continues to operate in the Gaza Strip, and struck over 70 terror targets during the past day, including weapons storage facilities, military infrastructure sites, terrorists who posed a threat to IDF troops, and military compounds," the military said in a statement. STRAINS IN ISRAELI COALITION Netanyahu has faced criticism at home and abroad for failing to articulate an endgame more than seven months into the war. In a news conference, Gantz said he wanted the war cabinet to form a six-point plan in the next three weeks and that if his expectations are not met he would withdraw his centrist party from Netanyahu's emergency coalition. Gantz said his proposal would include creating a temporary U.S.-European-Arab-Palestinian system of civil administration for Gaza while Israel retains security control. Though Gantz is Netanyahu's most formidable rival in opinion polls, were he to leave the government that would not be enough to bring about its collapse, as remaining parties would still give the premier a comfortable parliamentary majority. Yet Gantz's challenge shows increased strain on Israel's coalition, which is dominated by far-right parties. Defence Minister Yoav Gallant on Wednesday demanded clarity on post-war plans and for Netanyahu to forswear any military reoccupation of Gaza. Armed wings of Hamas, the Islamic Jihad, and Fatah said fighters attacked Israeli forces in Jabalia and Rafah with anti-tank rockets, mortar bombs, and explosive devices already planted in some of the roads, killing and wounding many soldiers. Israel's military said 281 soldiers have been killed in fighting since the first ground incursions in Gaza on Oct 20. At least 35,386 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes since Oct. 7, according to the enclave's health ministry, while aid agencies have warned repeatedly of widespread hunger and dire shortages of fuel and medical supplies. In the Hamas cross-border attack on Oct. 7, 1,200 people were killed, according to Israeli tallies. About 125 people are believed to remain in captivity in Gaza. In Rafah, where Israeli tanks thrust into some of the eastern suburbs and clashed with Palestinian fighters, residents said Israeli bombing from the air and ground persisted through the night into Saturday morning. Rafah had been sheltering more than one million displaced Gazans. UNRWA, the main U.N. aid agency for Palestinians, said on Saturday that nearly 800,000 Palestinians have fled the city since Israel launched its ground operation there on May 6. Israel says it must capture Rafah to destroy Hamas and ensure the country's security.

New York: A US company has become the world's most valuable solar manufacturer for the first time since 2018, as Chinese rivals suffer from a profit-slashing price war and an onslaught of trade barriers erected by Washington.First Solar Inc. gained 1.5% Friday to end trading with a market capitalisation of $21.15 billion. The move higher allowed the Arizona-based company to overtake Sungrow Power Supply Co., which saw its shares fall 4.2% Friday in Shenzhen to put its value at about $20.85 billion.It's the first time since 2018 a Chinese company hasn't been the most valuable solar equipment maker. The country dominates global production of panels, and controls more than 80% in every step of the supply chain.But China's build-up of factories has come at a cost as capacity has surpassed global demand, leading to falling prices and shrinking profit margins. Longi Green Energy Technology Co., another leading Chinese manufacturer, posted a net loss of 2.35 billion yuan ($325 million) in the first quarter after netting a profit of 3.64 billion yuan the same period of 2023.China's solar giants also are increasingly finding themselves in geopolitical crosshairs, with leaders from the US and Germany criticizing their overcapacity for stymieing the development of supply chains in other parts of the world. President Joe Biden this week announced higher tariffs on Chinese solar panels and other moves designed to bolster US manufacturers.First Solar, the biggest US panel manufacturer, is a prime beneficiary of those actions. It sells its panels in the US, where prices are almost triple the global average because of tariffs against Chinese products. And its expansion plans will be subsidized by the Biden administration's Inflation Reduction Act. Of course, market capitalization is just one way to measure companies. By most other metrics, including the vital one of being able to produce enough clean energy to fight climate change, First Solar still has a way to go to catch up with its Chinese counterparts. It produced 12 gigawatts of panels in 2023, compared to 79 gigawatts for Shanghai-based Jinko Solar Co.

Addressing the session on "Securing the future of family businesses: Purpose-driven and responsible," Ajay S Shriram, Chairman and Senior Managing Director, DCM Shriram Limited, opened up about family businesses and emphasised that the enterprise needs to balance its approach like trustees for the next generation.He added that family businesses are world-class due to their innovation and the supportive ecosystem in which they operate.The DCM of Shriram Group underscored the importance of trusteeship and advised to adopt checks and balances in the organisation.Family businesses are seen to exude a greater sense of commitment and passion in their sphere as they have greater personal stakes involved.Agility in business decision-making, deep industry insight, mutual trust, employment generation and entrepreneurship development reinforce the dominant position of family businesses. Generally, most family enterprises do not have any direct responsibility to shareholders outside the family, so they have greater flexibility in making decisions that improve the speed of launching new initiatives, changing operations, and evaluating new business opportunities.He placed importance on corporate governance, laying down objectives, vision and setting value. He emphasised the need for transparency and accountability in family businesses, highlighting the importance of strategic planning in family businesses.Sriram suggested that family businesses are champions of the environment, sustainability, and governance.He was speaking at the Annual Business Summit 2024 of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) with the theme "Co-creating the future responsibly: Role of business" in New Delhi today.Speaking during the session, Kulin Lalbhai, Executive Director, Arvind Limited, stated the importance of having core value systems in the organisation. He further said that there is a need to create an Institution which stands for something, while also emphasising that institutions are more important than people. He placed importance on long-term thinking and how to survive on a long-term basis.Lalbhai further stated that in a country like India, companies have to be a positive force towards change in society. He further added that the government cannot do everything; hence, companies need to make changes in society at large. He emphasised the importance of Diversity, Expansion and Disruption. Geetanjali Kirloskar, Chairperson and Managing Director, Kirloskar Systems Limited, laid importance on change of path and ownership in Family Business as time moves on.She stressed the strong relationship between trust and profitability in Family Business.She said there is a need to integrate value systems in an organisation, emphasising the need for foreign collaboration.Vir Advani, Chairman and Managing Director, Blue Star Limited, said that India is on its way to a USD 10 trillion economy and hence we should not be complacent.However, family businesses do face a gamut of challenges - succession has been Achilles heel for many family enterprises, managing diverse opinions of family members, solving internal issues and disputes, differences in approach and viewpoints between the older and young generations, etc.He said that family businesses started in India during independence. He said that for a family business to thrive, it must focus on strong governance, succession planning, product innovation, digitization, etc. He stated that the family should define the purpose of the organisation. He further emphasised the need to strike a balance between traditional core values and innovation in family business. To counter such challenges, business houses have incorporated professionals as their board members.Madhavkrishna Singhania, Deputy Managing Director and CEO of JK Cement Limited, said family businesses are a mix of capitalism and socialism.He emphasised the importance of involving family members to build trust in the organisation. family businesess needs to keep in mind the needs of society and value system.

India cannot have individual EV policies for every company, Amitabh Kant told on being asked why Tesla did not come to India after the CEO announced an India visit in April but cancelled it at the last moment.Kant says that India has drafted an EV policy and all the companies have to follow only that policy. India will not change its EV policy according to some specific companies.He said, "So the policy has been announced. You can't have policies for individual companies. The policy for EVs has been announced".Kant's statement points out that Tesla may have made some specific demands from the Indian government specifically for the company.India announced an EV policy, where incentives are proposed for setting up manufacturing units in India.The policy has asked for a minimum investment threshold of Rs 4,150 crore (USD 500 million) and encouraging manufacturers to achieve significant levels of domestic value addition (DVA), the government mandates that by the third year of setting up the manufacturing unit, at least 25 per cent of the parts used to make the vehicles should be sourced domestically. This localization level is expected to increase to 50 per cent by the fifth year of operation.Under the new policy, the companies that would set up manufacturing facilities in India for EV passenger cars will be allowed to import a limited number of cars at lower customs/import duty of 15 per cent on vehicles costing USD 35,000 and above for five years from the date of issuance of the approval letter by the government.The total number of EVs allowed for import under the policy will be limited based on the investment made, or of a maximum value of Rs 6484 crore, whichever is lower.If the investment exceeds USD 800 million, a maximum of 40,000 EVs can be imported, with no more than 8,000 per year. Unused import limits can be carried over.Speaking to ANI, Kant also said, "A lot of action is underway in the coming five years." He acknowledged the massive disruption occurring in the automotive industry, driven by the global shift towards sustainable transportation.Kant said, "There is a huge disruption taking place and it's important that we accelerate the pace of electric vehicles both in two-wheelers and three-wheelers which account for about 75 per cent of our vehicles and the government has already allocated Rs 57,613 crores for procuring 10,000 electric buses."Kant outlined the expected ripple effects of these investments, forecasting a boom in the manufacturing of electric two-wheelers, three-wheelers, and buses.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal has challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to have all the party's top leaders arrested. Kejriwal also announced that he will come to the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) headquarters on Sunday at 12 pm.After Kejriwal's former aide, Bibhav Kumar was detained by the Delhi Police in the assault case of AAP MP Swati Maliwal, Kejriwal said that Prime Minister Modi is playing 'Jail ka Khel' with the Aam Aadmi Party."You can see how they (BJP) are after AAP. One after another, they are putting AAP leaders behind bars. They put me, Manish Sisodia, Satyendra Jain, and Sanjay Singh behind bars. Today they put my PA in jail. Now they are saying they will put Raghav Chadha, Atishi, and Saurabh Bharadwaj in jail. Maybe our fault is that we built schools and mohalla clinics, we provided free electricity, but they are unable to do it. I would like to tell the Prime Minister - you are playing this 'jail ka khel'. Tomorrow, I am coming to the BJP headquarters with all my top leaders, MLAs, and MPs at 12 noon. You can put in jail whoever you want," Arvind Kejriwal said.He further said that the Aam Aadmi Party cannot be crushed, as it is not just a political party but an "ideology"."You might be thinking that by putting AAP leaders in jail, you will be able to crush AAP but AAP is an ideology that has touched the hearts of people," he said.Bibhav Kumar has been detained by the Delhi Police. The former aide of the AAP supremo, meanwhile, emailed Delhi Police stating that he was ready to cooperate in the ongoing probe into Maliwal's assault claim while adding that they should also take cognisance of his complaint.Reacting to the arrest of the CM's former aide, the chairperson of the National Commission for Women (NCW) Rekha Sharma posted from her official X handle, "Delhi CM's aide Bibhav Kumar was arrested from his house. So, the CM was giving shelter to an alleged criminal.Bibhav, on Friday, lodged a counter-complaint with the police accusing Maliwal of gaining 'unauthorised entry' into the CM's Civil Lines residence and 'verbally abusing' him.In his complaint, Kejriwal's former PA charged Maliwal with unauthorised entry, verbal abuse, and threats while also claiming the BJP's involvement in the matter.Meanwhile, Delhi Minister and AAP leader Atishi on Saturday claimed that Swati Maliwal filed the assault FIR against Arvind Kejriwal's aide Bibhav Kumar at the behest of the ruling BJP.The AAP leader said that the former DCW chief was being used as a 'pawn' and was made to 'hatch this conspiracy' using an old Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) case as leverage.Maliwal in her complaint has alleged that Kejriwal's Personal Secretary Bibhav Kumar "slapped" her "atleast seven to eight times" while she "continued screaming" and "brutally dragged" her while "kicking" her in her "chest, stomach and pelvis area."Notably, the Vigilance Department had last month terminated the service of Bibhav Kumar, personal assistant (PA) to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, over a pending criminal case.(With inputs from agencies)