An American Airlines jet was found Monday with possible bullet holes on its exterior after completing a flight from Medellin, Colombia, to Miami.

The damage was discovered during a routine post‑flight inspection of the Boeing 737 MAX 8 at Miami International Airport.

According to Airlive.net, the puncture marks resembled bullet holes and were found on the plane’s right wing assembly.

American Airlines confirmed to FOX Business that the plane was impacted and is currently undergoing inspection. 

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“Following a routine inspection, our teams identified a puncture to the exterior of one of our aircraft in Medellín, Colombia,” the airline said.

“The aircraft was immediately removed from service for further inspection and repair. We will work closely with all relevant authorities to investigate this incident.”

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The plane, registered as N342SX, first departed Miami Sunday as Flight AA923 for Medellín’s José María Córdova International Airport, where it stayed overnight in Colombia, according to AirNavRadar.

The next morning, it completed its return leg as Flight AA924, landing in Miami at approximately 10:33 a.m.

The flight cruised without any issues during its three-hour journey over the Caribbean, and no one was reported injured, the airline told FOX Business.

During the inspection, maintenance crews noticed puncture marks on the right aileron, the part of the wing that controls roll and allows the airplane to turn, Airlive.net reported.

Ticker	Security	Last	Change	Change %
AAL	AMERICAN AIRLINES GROUP INC.	13.15	+0.22	+1.70%

While the cause of the possible gunfire remains under investigation, the incident has raised concerns about safety in Medellín. The city, now a popular and vibrant destination for tourists, was once notorious in the 1990s for high levels of violence and drug-related crime.

Following the discovery, flight technicians at the Miami airport conducted temporary structural patching to stabilize the wing, Airlive.net said.

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At 8 p.m., roughly 10 hours after landing in Miami, the plane departed again as a non-commercial flight to American Airlines’ primary maintenance hub at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW). 

The aircraft currently remains grounded at DFW, where specialized engineers are able to assess the jet and determine whether any additional mechanisms were impacted.

Gold and silver prices surged at the opening on the MCX on Wednesday as investors flocked to safe haven assets amid rising geopolitical tensions and uncertainty over U.S. tariffs after the Supreme Court of the United States struck down a range of measures introduced by US President Donald Trump.

MCX Gold futures due April 2026 were up Rs 1,103 or 0.7% at Rs 1,61,072 per 10 grams. Meanwhile, silver futures for March 5, 2026 delivery jumped by Rs 7,246 or 2.7% to Rs 2,67,990 per kg.

In the international market, gold prices climbed 0.5% to $5,174.76 per ounce as of 0159 GMT. Bullion had ended the previous session down more than 1% as investors booked profits after prices touched a three week high earlier in the day. Meanwhile, spot silver gained 1% to $88.23 per ounce, after hitting a more than two week high on Monday.

Also read: Fading vibes: Internet stocks slump up to 28% in 2026 but Paytm, Groww, 5 more earn brokerages’ backing post Q3

How should you trade gold?

Manoj Kumar Jain of Prithvi Finmart said the global tariff of 10% imposed by Donald Trump came into effect on Monday, once again increasing uncertainty in global trade. Markets are also cautious ahead of the scheduled US Iran talks on February 26 in Geneva regarding the nuclear deal. The dollar index is holding steady above the 97 mark, limiting gains in both precious metals.

However, tariff related uncertainty and geopolitical tensions could continue to support prices of precious metals. According to Jain, price volatility remains very high in both gold and silver. Silver may hold support at $68.00 per troy ounce, while gold could hold support at $4,880 per troy ounce on a closing basis this week.
He added that gold and silver prices are likely to remain volatile this week amid fluctuations in the dollar index, tensions between the United States and Iran, and ahead of Trump’s speech. Gold has support at $5,122 to $5,084 and resistance at $5,220 to $5,264 per troy ounce, while silver has support at $84.80 to $82 and resistance at $90 to $92.40 per troy ounce in today’s session.On the Multi Commodity Exchange of India, gold has support at Rs 1,58,800 to Rs 1,56,300 and resistance at Rs 1,61,400 to Rs 1,63,000, while silver has support at Rs 2,54,400 to Rs 2,48,800 and resistance at Rs 2,66,000 to Rs 2,71,000. Jain recommends buying gold on dips around the Rs 1,59,000 to Rs 1,57,000 range, with a stop loss below Rs 1,55,500 for targets of Rs 1,61,000 to Rs 1,62,500.

Gold rates in physical markets

Gold price today in Delhi

Standard gold (22 carat) prices in Delhi stand at Rs 1,18,768 per 8 grams while pure gold (24 carat) prices stand at Rs 1,29,552 per 8 grams.

Gold price today in Mumbai

Standard gold (22 carat) prices in Mumbai stand at Rs 1,18,648 per 8 grams while pure gold (24 carat) prices stand at Rs 1,29,432 per 8 grams.

Gold price today in Chennai

Standard gold (22 carat) prices in Chennai stand at Rs 1,19,128 per 8 grams while pure gold (24 carat) prices standat Rs 1,29,960 per 8 grams.

Gold price today in Hyderabad

Standard gold (22 carat) prices in Hyderabad stand at Rs 1,18,648 per 8 grams while pure gold (24 carat) prices stand at Rs 1,29,432 per 8 grams.

(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times.)

Thailand recorded its strongest trade growth in four years in January 2026, with exports jumping 24.4% and imports rising 29.4%, far exceeding economic forecasts.

This surge was primarily driven by a global “upcycle” in demand for electronics related to artificial intelligence and data centers, providing a significant boost to the Thai economy as the government navigates complex trade relations with the United States and China.

Key Points

• Thai exports and imports reached their highest growth rates since late 2021, fueled by outbound electronic shipments and high demand for raw materials and machinery.
• Trade officials attributed the export spike to genuine demand for AI-related technology rather than the transshipment of Chinese goods through Thailand to avoid tariffs.
• Thailand maintained a $4.8 billion trade surplus with the United States in January, while running a $7.2 billion trade deficit with China.
• The Commerce Ministry is prioritizing continued trade talks with the U.S. to maintain cooperation and mitigate the impact of proposed 15% global tariffs.
• The strong trade data provides political momentum for Caretaker Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul’s coalition government, which has pledged to improve Thailand’s economic growth relative to its regional competitors.

The Ministry of Commerce clarified that the export spike is a result of genuine demand rather than the transshipment of Chinese goods. This economic boost arrives as the caretaker government looks to accelerate Thailand’s growth to remain competitive with other major Southeast Asian economies.

What specific technological trends contributed to the 24.4% jump in Thai exports in January 2026?

the specific technological trends and factors that contributed to the 24.4% jump in Thai exports are:

• Artificial Intelligence (AI): The surge was primarily driven by high global demand for electronic components specifically related to AI technology.
• Data Centers: There was a significant “upcycle” in demand for electronics tied to the development and operation of data centers.
• Electronics Sector Upcycle: The broader electronics industry experienced a growth phase, leading to increased outbound shipments of electronic products.
• Inbound Demand for Infrastructure: While exports rose, the document also notes stronger demand for raw materials and machinery, which supported the overall trade activity linked to these sectors.

The Ministry of Commerce, specifically Nantapong Chiralerspong (Director-General of the Trade Policy and Strategy Office), clarified that this spike was a result of genuine demand for these specific technologies rather than the transshipment of Chinese goods through Thailand to avoid tariffs

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