Gold declined despite a softer dollar as investors await US inflation data for clues on Fed policy. Naeem Aslam of Zaye Capital Markets said gold holding above the $4,400 area suggests defensive demand remains sufficient to offset pressure from a strong US labor market. Markets are balancing US data that support further hikes against geopolitical uncertainty that sustains safe-haven flows; attention now turns to US PPI and CPI later this week.

Ukraine President ZELENSKIY said Ukraine will hold meetings with partners soon to advance the joint anti-ballistic missile project FREYJA and further strengthen air-defence capabilities.

Zimbabwe has immediately banned exports of antimony and tungsten and suspended shipments of related ores and concentrates, the mines ministry confirmed, citing a July 21 letter from Mines Minister Thomas Ush to the state-owned Zimbabwe Mineral Marketing Corporation, which handles sales of all minerals except gold and silver. The measure is intended to push miners toward more local processing of raw materials. Separately, Zimbabwe suspended lithium concentrate exports in February to promote domestic value-added processing and curb illegal flows; that restriction was eased in April and a lithium export ban is currently scheduled to take effect in early 2027.