Trump tariffs and controls increase demand for precious metals as investors seek protection from geopolitical risks
The dazzling shine of gold, which this Monday (13) reached the historic mark of US$4,044 per ounce, is not just a reflection of the metal itself. It is a mirror of a global system in upheaval, a massive vote of no confidence in the US-led economic order and a clear sign that the era of unchallenged dollar hegemony faces its most significant tremors. The surge in prices accompanied by silver is not an isolated market event; it is the direct and predictable consequence of an erratic American foreign policy and a Chinese economic sovereignty that refuses to be subjugated.
The immediate catalyst for this rush to safe havens has a first and last name: Donald Trump. His decision to impose 100% punitive tariffs on Chinese goods and new controls on the export of critical software is not a negotiating tactic, it is an act of economic warfare.
It is the instrumentalization of commercial power to attempt to unilaterally and aggressively contain the technological development and autonomy of another nation. This is not the language of diplomacy or fair trade, but of coercion. The market, with its cold logic, gets the message: instability has become official White House policy.
On this geopolitical chessboard, Beijing’s response is a lesson in strategy and defense of sovereignty. By restricting rare earth elements and equipment, China is not just retaliating, it is reminding the world of its crucial position in global supply chains and its inalienable right to protect its strategic resources.
It is crucial to note the nuance that the Western press often ignores: Beijing has defended its actions as justified and, crucially, has refrained from imposing new tariffs on American goods. This stance demonstrates calculated restraint. While Washington bets on chaos and escalation, Beijing moves its pieces with the precision of someone defending their long-term national interests, without giving in to immediate provocation.
Capital.com’s Kyle Rodda’s analysis, which points to “the resurgence of risks due to inflamed trade tensions,” only captures the surface of the phenomenon. The deeper issue is the erosion of trust. For decades, the world operated under the premise that US Treasury bonds and the dollar were the safest assets. Today, that premise is being dismantled. The frantic search for gold and silver, with annual gains of 54% for the former, is not just a bet against inflation, but a bet against the very predictability of US economic and foreign policy.
This movement is amplified by the internal fragility of the American economy, evidenced by the almost unanimous expectation of new interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve. Markets are not just reacting to the trade war; are anticipating that the Fed will be forced to make the dollar even cheaper to try to mitigate the damage caused by the White House itself.
The imminent speech by Fed President Jerome Powell is eagerly awaited, not out of hope for solutions, but to measure the depth of the crisis. Each interest rate cut, although it may cheer Wall Street in the short term, is another nail in the coffin of the dollar’s purchasing power and another incentive for investors and, more importantly, central banks around the world, to diversify their reserves into tangible, sovereign assets like gold.
Even the American domestic scenario, with a government shutdown that delays the release of essential economic data, contributes to this perception of misgovernment. While Trump is busy blaming Democrats, the administrative machinery of the world’s largest economy fails, reinforcing the image of an empire in disarray.
Therefore, the historic rise in precious metals is much more than news for the economics pages. It symbolizes a transition of power and the global search for alternatives to a financial system held hostage by the whims of Washington. It is material proof that nations, starting with China, are no longer willing to passively accept the use of economic power as a weapon of domination.
Every gram of gold purchased is a vote for multipolarity, stability and the sovereign right of each nation to chart its own economic destiny, free from tariffs and unilateral sanctions. Gold doesn’t lie, and today it tells us that the world is changing.
With information from Reuters*
Source: https://www.ocafezinho.com/2025/10/14/ouro-e-prata-refletem-caos-da-hegemonia-americana/
