Gold prices surged to a near three-month high on Friday, extending gains for a third straight week as a weaker US dollar and the US Treasury’s decision to increase bond buybacks supported demand for the yellow metal. Spot gold rose 2% to $4,603, taking its weekly gain to 5%, after earlier touching its highest level since May 29.

What drove gold higher this week?

Weaker dollar

The rally was supported by a softer US dollar and efforts by the US Treasury Department to keep longer-term yields under control. The dollar was headed for a weekly decline, making dollar-priced commodities more affordable for holders of other currencies.

US Treasury’s bond buyback move

The US Treasury has announced that it will double the size of buybacks of longer-dated Treasury securities over the next quarter to at least $4 billion per operation. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has also said the government could increase the repurchases further.

The move is aimed at helping keep longer-term Treasury yields under control. This is supportive for gold as lower bond yields reduce the opportunity cost of holding the non-yielding asset. Gold can also benefit if the move puts pressure on the US dollar, as a weaker dollar makes the metal cheaper for buyers holding other currencies.

Hopes of the US Fed holding rates

Traders are now pricing in a 67% chance that the Fed will keep rates unchanged next month, while the probability of a hike stands at 33%, according to the CME FedWatch Tool.

While gold is typically seen as a hedge against inflation, higher interest rates tend to reduce bullion’s appeal because it is a non-yielding asset.

Can gold hit record high again?

The recent pullback may have created an opportunity for investors to gradually start accumulating gold, according to Jefferies’ Global Head of Equity Strategy Christopher Wood and billionaire hedge fund manager John Paulson. Both suggest that the precious metal could be at the beginning of a long-term bull run.”As people lose faith in paper currencies, gold as an alternative will continue to grow,” Paulson said in an interview with CNBC. Paulson, whose bet against subprime mortgages became one of the most profitable trades in Wall Street history, turned his attention to gold in 2009.

He argued that fiscal and monetary stimulus following the financial crisis would eventually weaken the US dollar. Since then, gold prices have roughly quadrupled, crossing the $5,000 threshold before pulling back.

Paulson said demand for bullion is continuing to broaden, led by central banks adding to their reserves alongside rising interest from the private sector.

“Gold is becoming the most apt reserve currency in the world, replacing fiat currencies,” Paulson said in an interview with CNBC. “The demand from central banks, for instance, has continued to grow, as has the private sector.”

However, Paulson believes investors could benefit more from owning gold mining companies than bullion itself, particularly companies with large undeveloped reserves. “I think the greatest way to invest is to invest in early-stage gold stocks,” he said.

Christopher Wood, in his Greed and Fear report, said investors should once again begin accumulating gold and gold mining stocks after an extended pause.

Wood draws a parallel with the dot-com bust, arguing that when the Nasdaq-led technology sector drove the market lower, the bear market had by late 2000 spread beyond technology to other sectors as it became clear that the unwinding of the dot-com boom would affect the broader economy.

He believes a similar scenario could unfold if the AI capex boom implodes, which he says would happen if credit issues come to the fore.

This comes despite the broadening of the US equity market since the AI capex boom and the related increase in wealth effect in the US stock market, which have been among the main drivers of US economic growth over the past three years, along with easy fiscal policy.

The World Gold Council echoes this view. At current levels, gold prices are broadly aligned with a global backdrop of moderate growth, cooling but still elevated inflation, and expectations of further, but limited, central bank tightening. Under these conditions, gold is likely to remain relatively rangebound, within a range of ±5%.

However, the stage could be set for a possible breakout. On the upside, clear catalysts such as a worsening economy, a renewed geopolitical shock, a shift towards lower interest-rate expectations or a wave of dip buying could reignite gold’s momentum and push prices back towards US$4,500/oz or above. If the signals are strong, gold could move even higher.

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

Taxi fares could go up by 8% in order to help drivers combat a rise in fuel prices and the cost of living.

The North Tyneside Hackney Carriage Association (NTHCA) has urged North Tyneside Council to approve an increase in fares, resulting in an average cost per mile of £5.52 for a three-mile journey.

The proposed rises apply to hackney carriages, which can be hailed on the street or at a taxi rank and not vehicles that can be pre-booked.

However Labour councillor John O’Shea said he wanted to look at a more “balanced arrangement, not the 8% that has been suggested” as residents in North Tyneside were “suffering as well with the cost of living”.

The NTHCA’s main reason for the request, alongside the cost of living, was due to high fuel prices and vehicle parts soaring in costs.

Extra charges, including fines for car theft, have been proposed to rise from £125 to £130, and charges for dogs and other animals, except service dogs, to rise from £3 to £4, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Councillors have voiced concerns about the proposed hike, particularly regarding North Tyneside’s elderly residents.

O’Shea said: “I just don’t think we have got the right balance.

“I notice that the taxi trade has had significant uplifts in fuel and insurance and things like that, so they’ve been suffering for a little while.”

He added there were “residents in North Tyneside who have been suffering as well with the cost of living”.

“My suggestion to the director of public health is to look at a balanced arrangement, not the 8% that has been suggested.”

The taxi fare proposals, pending approval from the director of public health, would be made public for at least 14 days and would open to objections.

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Hua Hin, a historically royal retreat in Thailand, is being repositioned as a world-class destination emphasizing tranquility, royal heritage, and quality tourism, with improved international air connectivity and strategic branding initiatives.

Discovering Hua Hin: Thailand’s Silent Beach Pioneer

Nestled south of Bangkok, alongside a stretch of sandy shoreline meeting the Gulf of Thailand, lies Hua Hin. This town quietly crafted the concept of a modern Thai beach holiday, not seeking the attention sought by Phuket or Pattaya. Hua Hin’s allure dates back nearly a century to its founding. Today, the Thai government is eager to share this hidden gem with the global audience, hoping to elevate its status as a premier destination.

Evolution from Royal Retreat to Global Icon

Hua Hin’s story began in 1834 when farmers, fleeing drought, settled along its coast, naming it Samo Riang. The coalescence of Hua Hin’s rise as a royal retreat began with the Southern Railway’s completion in 1911, linking the area to Siam’s aristocracy. With the encouragement of Prince Purachatra Jayakara, it transformed into a cherished escape. King Rama VII’s summer palace, Klai Kangwon, was finalized by 1929, cementing its place as a royal retreat. Today, the historic Railway Hotel survives as the Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas, a nod to its prestigious past.

Embracing Hua Hin’s Future: Activities and Ambitions

Hua Hin is launching a significant initiative to redefine itself as a prestigious global hub. The government’s strategy emphasizes its serene ambiance, distinguished royal legacy, and appeal among discerning visitors. Key to this transformation is improving air connectivity, including expanding Hua Hin Airport and forging new international routes. Complementing the government’s efforts, tourism authorities focus on high-value visitors, marketing the locale’s balance of night markets, beachfront jazz festivals, and cultural landmarks like Wat Huay Mongkol. Hua Hin blends leisure and cultural richness, aspiring to welcome all explorers into its evolving narrative.

Source : Hua Hin is Where Royal Legacy Meets the Gulf of Thailand

Wordle players tackling Saturday’s puzzle have a five-letter word to solve for Aug. 22, 2026, marking game number 1,890 in the New York Times’ daily word-guessing franchise. Below are hints for those hoping to solve the puzzle themselves, followed by the full answer for anyone ready to check their work or simply looking to keep a winning streak intact.

Wordle challenges players to guess a five-letter word within six attempts, with the game providing color-coded feedback after each guess: green tiles indicate a correct letter in the correct position, yellow tiles indicate a correct letter in the wrong position, and gray tiles indicate a letter that does not appear in the word at all. The game has remained a fixture of daily online routines since its viral rise in early 2022, prized by fans for its simplicity, its once-a-day format, and the shareable emoji grids players post to compare results without spoiling the actual answer for others.

For those seeking hints before the full reveal, here is what today’s puzzle offers. Today’s Wordle answer contains just one of the five vowels, meaning players should expect a word built primarily around consonants. There are no repeated letters anywhere in the word, ruling out any double-letter combinations. The word begins with the letter “P,” a starting consonant that narrows the field considerably compared with more commonly used opening letters.

For players still working through the puzzle, one additional descriptive hint: today’s word refers to a small shellfish with ten legs and a long tail, commonly eaten as seafood and often confused with a similar, larger crustacean that shares a similar body shape.

Spoiler warning: The full answer to today’s Wordle follows below.

Today’s Wordle answer for Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026, puzzle number 1,890, is PRAWN.

The word refers to a shellfish that can be eaten, characterized by ten legs and a long tail, and commonly found on menus worldwide, particularly in dishes originating from coastal and Southeast Asian cuisines. The word’s single vowel, “A,” combined with the relatively distinctive consonant cluster of “P,” “R,” “W” and “N,” likely made the puzzle a moderate challenge for players who opened with guesses heavily weighted toward the game’s most frequently appearing letters, such as “E,” “A,” “R,” “O” and “T,” given that several of those common letters, including “E,” “O” and “T,” do not appear in today’s answer at all.

Yesterday’s Wordle answer, for puzzle number 1,889 on Aug. 21, was TRACE. That word shares three letters, “R,” “A” and “T,” with today’s answer, though arranged in a different configuration, offering an interesting point of overlap for players tracking recent trends in the game’s letter patterns across consecutive days.

For players looking to improve their overall Wordle strategy going forward, puzzle experts commonly recommend starting with words that contain a strong mix of frequently used vowels and consonants, since doing so maximizes the amount of information gained from the very first guess, regardless of what the day’s specific answer turns out to be. Commonly recommended opening words include ABOUT, ADIEU and IDEAL, each of which is frequently cited among puzzle solvers for its efficient coverage of common vowels and consonants across the English language.

Wordle has continued to draw a dedicated daily audience despite now being several years removed from its initial 2022 viral breakout, when the game rapidly spread across social media as players shared their daily results using the now-familiar green, yellow and gray emoji grid format. The New York Times acquired the game from its original creator, software engineer Josh Wardle, shortly after it first gained widespread popularity, and has continued operating it as a free daily puzzle within its broader suite of games, which also includes Connections, the Mini Crossword and other daily word and logic puzzles.

For players who missed today’s puzzle or are looking to track their performance over time, Wordle resets at midnight local time each day, meaning the same puzzle and answer apply to all players regardless of time zone, though the exact moment a new puzzle becomes available will vary depending on where a given player is located relative to their own local midnight.

Players hoping to avoid spoilers for future puzzles are generally advised to be cautious when browsing daily hint and answer coverage, since many outlets, including this one, structure their coverage with hints presented first and the full answer revealed only after an explicit spoiler warning, allowing readers to stop reading at whatever point suits their own preference for either solving independently or checking their work against the confirmed daily solution.

Article 2: NYT Connections

NYT Connections Answers and Hints for August 22, 2026: Solving Puzzle Number 1,168 Without Spoilers Now

Fans of the New York Times’ popular word-grouping game Connections have a fresh puzzle to work through for Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026, marking game number 1,168 in the daily franchise. Below are hints organized by difficulty level, followed by the complete answer set for anyone ready to check their work.

Connections challenges players to sort 16 words into four groups of four, with each group sharing a hidden theme or connection. The puzzle assigns a color-coded difficulty level to each category: yellow represents the most straightforward group, followed by green, then blue, with purple reserved for the trickiest and most conceptually deceptive category of the day. Players are allowed up to four incorrect guesses before the puzzle ends and the full solution is revealed automatically. The game, created by New York Times puzzle editor Wyna Liu, launched in beta in June 2023 and has since grown into the second-most-played puzzle in the Times’ games lineup, trailing only Wordle itself in overall popularity.

According to Tom’s Guide, which rates each day’s puzzle difficulty on a five-point scale using its own Connections Companion tool, Saturday’s puzzle scored a relatively low 1.3 out of 5, indicating an easier-than-average solve compared with earlier in the week.

Here are hints for each of today’s four categories, presented from easiest to hardest.

The yellow group, the most straightforward of the day, centers on a set of common workshop tools used for cutting and shaping wood. One hint offered by puzzle solvers described it simply as “handy,” a nod to tools used to drive nails, carve wood and smooth surfaces.

The green group focuses on a specific category of fruit, distinguished by compound names that each begin with a different descriptive word attached to the same base term. One clue offered for this category noted that “summer makes them sweeter,” pointing toward warm-weather produce.

The blue group centers on settings commonly found on an adjustable garden hose nozzle, the kind used to water plants or wash a car, with each answer representing a different spray pattern. A hint circulating among puzzle solvers specifically noted, “Don’t forget to water the plants.”

The purple group, traditionally the most conceptually challenging category each day, links four well-known cultural references that all share a common trailing word. According to hints shared by solvers, the connection draws from entertainment and pop culture more broadly, spanning references from television, film and music. One clue pointed players toward well-known “Girls” references, comparing the category to groups like Destiny’s Child or the ensemble cast of the sitcom “Living Single.”

Spoiler warning: The full answer set for today’s Connections puzzle follows below.

The complete answers for NYT Connections puzzle number 1,168, published Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026, are as follows:

Yellow Group — Carpentry Tools: CHISEL, HAMMER, PLANE, SAW

Green Group — Kinds of Melon: BITTER, MUSK, WATER, WINTER

Blue Group — Garden Hose Settings: CONE, JET, MIST, SHOWER

Purple Group — ___ Girls of Pop Culture: GILMORE, GOLDEN, MEAN, SPICE

The purple category proved to be the day’s trickiest grouping precisely because its connecting word, “Girls,” follows each answer rather than preceding it, and because two of the four words carried plausible alternative meanings that could easily mislead solvers. GOLDEN could reasonably be read as a descriptor tied to age or color, while MEAN might just as easily be interpreted as either “average” in a mathematical sense or “unkind” in a personal one, rather than immediately calling to mind the 2004 teen comedy film “Mean Girls.” GILMORE and SPICE, by contrast, tended to be recognized more quickly by solvers given their strong and specific associations with the television drama “Gilmore Girls” and the pop group Spice Girls, respectively.

Several of the puzzle’s other categories also included deliberate decoys designed to mislead solvers into premature groupings. The words PLANE and JET, for instance, could easily tempt players into forming an aviation-themed group together, when in fact PLANE belonged to the carpentry tools category and JET belonged to the garden hose settings group instead. Similarly, CONE might initially suggest an ice cream treat or a traffic cone to many solvers, rather than its actual role as a specific spray pattern setting found on garden hose nozzles.

For players hoping to preserve a winning streak or avoid accidentally spoiling the puzzle for themselves, Connections resets at midnight local time each day, consistent with the New York Times’ broader approach to its daily puzzle offerings, meaning today’s puzzle and its answers will remain the same for all players regardless of time zone, while a fresh puzzle becomes available starting at each individual player’s local midnight.

The newly-introduced closing auction session (CAS) led to weak participation in BSE, with Nuvama highlighting that the thin liquidity appears to be “feeding on itself”, discouraging further volumes and weighing on earnings.

However, the brokerage suggests this vicious cycle can only be broken by higher participation. In its weekly report, it noted that BSE’s index option premium volumes (ADPTV) stood at around Rs 15,600 crore during the week which ended this Friday. This marks a sharp 14% plunge from the previous week. Average daily contracts also declined more than 8% week-over-week to Rs 9.6 crore.

This overall resulted in a 6% WoW decline in premium per contract to Rs 1,631, according to calculations made by Nuvama Institutional Equities. This highlights investor worries around the newly introduced closing auction system.

What is CAS?

Indian stock exchanges introduced CAS on August 3, changing the way closing prices are calculated for stocks included in the futures and options (F&O) segment. Under CAS, continuous trading in stocks that also have F&O contracts ends at 3:15 pm. However, this does not mean these stocks are closed for the day 15 minutes before the broader market shuts.
From 3:15 pm onwards, these stocks move into the CAS, a 20-minute auction process that runs until 3:35 pm to determine their official closing prices. Meanwhile, stocks that are not part of the F&O segment continue to trade as usual until 3:30 pm.

During the 20-minute auction window, buy and sell orders for eligible stocks are collected and matched at a single equilibrium price. This mechanism is aimed at improving price discovery and reducing the impact of last-minute trades on closing prices.

CAS chaos unfolds

The introduction of CAS sparked confusion among market participants, resulting in lower participation. A sharp divergence was seen in the benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty, with several retail traders going on to the extent of declaring a boycott on August 12.While panic prevails on Dalal Street, some analysts pointed out that these are initial teething issues that will gradually fade away. Sebi officials during their meetings with market players said that the new system is just facing teething issues in its early days and that the regulator remains confident it will improve as participation rises.

Also read | CAS chaos: Retail traders call for boycott, declare ‘No Trade Day’

Manipulation of Sensex during CAS?

The CAS debate got amplified after Sebi has passed an ex-parte interim order against Copthall Mauritius Investment Limited and Mansi Share and Stock Broking Private Limited for alleged manipulative trades during the closing auction session on BSE’s Sensex weekly expiry day.

Sebi did not at this stage allege that Copthall and Mansi acted in concert. It said the two entities adopted opposite but aggressive price-impacting strategies during the same CAS session. Copthall’s orders pushed the index up while Mansi’s orders pushed it down temporarily until cancellation. The regulator calculated wrongful gains of Rs 2.96 crore for Copthall and Rs 71.64 lakh for Mansi, taking the total alleged wrongful gain to Rs 3.67 crore.

Also read | Explained: How a JP Morgan unit and a Mumbai-based stock broking firm allegedly manipulated Sensex during CAS

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

Hyderabad-based Gemini Edibles & Fats India (GEF), which makes edible oils under the brand name Freedom Oils, filed its draft papers for initial public offering (IPO) entirely comprising an offer for sale with capital markets regulator Sebi.

The company, which claims to be one of the largest regional branded edible oil players in the Indian market with a presence in Southern India and some other parts, is primarily engaged in the trading, processing, manufacturing, and marketing of edible oils and specialty fats. The selling shareholders plan to sell up to 4.12 crore equity shares as part of the OFS.

Selling shareholders

Since the IPO has no fresh issue component, the company will not receive any proceeds from the offering. The funds raised through the OFS will go to the selling shareholders, including promoters Alka Chowdhry and Golden Agri International Enterprises, along with investors Black River Food 2 and Investment and Commercial Enterprise.

Also read | CAS chaos triggers liquidity spiral: Nuvama says higher participation needed to break cycle

Gemini Edibles & Fats India is also the largest sunflower oil selling company within the branded market in terms of revenue with a market share of 18% in FY26. It has more than 1,600 distributors, 3 lakh retail outlets and over 60 warehouses and stock points across key markets.

Gemini Edibles & Fats financials

On the financial front, Gemini Edibles & Fats’ revenue from operations increased to Rs 12,650 crore in FY26 from Rs 10,755.95 crore in FY25. According to a report by TKC, the company’s branded revenue grew at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 20.5% between FY20 and FY25, compared with 10.1% growth for the overall branded edible oil market.
The shares of the company will debut on stock exchanges BSE and NSE after the IPO. Motilal Oswal Investment Advisors and IIFL Capital Services are the book running lead managers for the IPO.Also read | IPO-bound Upstox crosses 2 crore customers, eyes 10 crore users in five years

(With inputs from agencies)

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

ATLANTA — Quality Control Music co-founder and CEO Pierre “P” Thomas has been hospitalized following a medical emergency, the Atlanta-based record label confirmed in a statement Friday, though the specific cause of his hospitalization was not immediately disclosed.

“We want to clarify that Pierre ‘P’ Thomas is alive and currently hospitalized receiving medical care,” Quality Control Music wrote in a statement shared on social media Friday, Aug. 21. The label asked for privacy for Thomas and his loved ones as he continues treatment. “We ask that everyone keep P and his family in their thoughts and prayers and respectfully give them the privacy and space they need during this time,” the statement said. The label closed its message by acknowledging the outpouring of concern from fans and industry figures following news of Thomas’ hospitalization. “We deeply appreciate everyone’s concern, support, prayers, and loving energy right now,” the statement concluded.

Thomas, 45, co-founded Quality Control Music in March 2013 alongside Kevin “Coach K” Lee, building the label into one of the most influential hip-hop imprints of the past decade. According to the company’s official website, the label has become known for identifying and developing emerging artists early in their careers. “Quality Control is known to find and develop smaller artists, which is the reason why many Quality Control artists seem to come out of nowhere,” the label’s website states, adding that the company relies on internet-based analytical tools to target the specific audiences where its artists have the strongest early followings.

Under Thomas and Lee’s leadership, Quality Control helped launch the careers of several major hip-hop acts, including the trio Migos, along with rappers Lil Yachty and Lil Baby, among other artists who rose to prominence through the label over the past decade.

Quality Control expanded well beyond music in 2018, launching a dedicated sports management division. According to Billboard, Lee’s nephew, New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara, was among the athletes signed to that division following its launch. Billboard also reported that rapper and entrepreneur Cardi B previously held a consulting arrangement with the company, reflecting the label’s broader ambitions beyond traditional artist management and record production.

Thomas and Lee’s contributions to the music industry have been formally recognized on multiple occasions. The pair received Billboard’s Executive of the Year Award in 2018, and later became the inaugural recipients of Billboard’s first peer-voted R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players’ Choice Award in 2023, underscoring the significant influence Quality Control has built within the broader hip-hop industry since its founding.

News of Thomas’ hospitalization arrives amid a broader stretch of health-related news within the entertainment industry in recent days. Big Machine Label Group Chief Executive Scott Borchetta was reported to be in “stable condition” after suffering what was described as a “big hit” during a racecar accident, according to separate coverage from People. Those two developments, while unrelated, have together drawn heightened attention to the health of prominent music industry executives in recent days.

Representatives for People magazine indicated they had reached out to a spokesperson for Quality Control Music seeking additional information regarding Thomas’ condition and the circumstances surrounding his hospitalization, though no further details had been provided publicly as of the label’s initial statement Friday.

The label’s decision to issue a public statement confirming Thomas was hospitalized, while explicitly emphasizing that he remains alive, suggests the company was responding directly to unconfirmed rumors or speculation that had begun circulating about his condition prior to the official announcement. Public figures and their representatives frequently issue similarly worded statements specifically to correct inaccurate information spreading on social media during a medical emergency, particularly when unverified reports risk causing unnecessary alarm among fans, family members and industry colleagues.

As of Friday night, Quality Control had not released additional information regarding the nature of Thomas’ medical emergency, his current condition beyond being hospitalized, or an expected timeline for any further updates. The label’s statement did not indicate whether Thomas’ hospitalization was connected to any preexisting health condition or whether it stemmed from a sudden, unrelated incident.

Thomas’ role at the center of Quality Control’s operations has made him one of the more recognizable executive figures in contemporary hip-hop, given the label’s outsized influence on the genre’s commercial landscape over the past decade. The company’s continued operations and its roster of prominent artists mean that any significant health event affecting either of its co-founders is likely to draw substantial attention and concern from across the music industry, reflected in the label’s own acknowledgment of the “concern, support, prayers, and loving energy” it said it had already received in the hours following its initial statement.

As tributes and well-wishes continue circulating following the announcement, further updates regarding Thomas’ condition and prognosis are expected to come directly from Quality Control Music, consistent with the label’s request that the public respect the family’s privacy during what remains an evolving and still-developing situation. This is a developing story, and additional details are likely to emerge as Thomas continues to receive medical care and as the label determines what further information, if any, it plans to share publicly regarding his health and recovery.