The price of gold has surged to a record high of $3,508.50 per ounce as global economic uncertainty drives investors to seek out the precious metal as a safe haven asset. The consistent rise in price has been significantly influenced by US trade policies and expectations of interest rate cuts.

• The spot gold price reached $3,508.50 per ounce on Tuesday, increasing by nearly a third this year.
• Adrian Ash, director of research at BullionVault, attributes the rise to US President Donald Trump’s impact on geopolitics and global trade.
• Concerns over the independence of the US Federal Reserve are also driving interest in safe-haven assets like gold, according to Derren Nathan from Hargreaves Lansdown.

Shares in Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD plummeted by as much as 8% on Monday after the company reported a significant drop in profit due to an ongoing price war in China’s car sector.

• BYD's net profit fell to 6.4 billion yuan ($900 million; £660 million) between April and June, marking a 30% decrease from the previous year.
• The industrial policy expert Prof Laura Wu from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore noted that BYD's "surprising" performance indicates that even the sector leader isn't immune to the "cut-throat" price war.
• Average car prices in China have fallen by around 19% over the past two years, now costing approximately 165,000 yuan ($23,100; £17,100).

Mercy Mwelu explores the psychological aspects of investing, arguing that financial decisions are heavily influenced by emotions, beliefs, and biases rather than purely rational thinking. The article highlights how understanding investor psychology is crucial for success, especially in volatile markets.

• Investors pulled over USD 326 billion from equity mutual funds in March 2020 during the COVID-19 market crash due to fear.
• Jubilee Asset Management emphasizes investor education and behavioural coaching to bridge the gap between financial strategy and emotional discipline.
• A 2021 Fidelity Investments study found women outperformed men by 0.4% annually over 10 years in investing due to more disciplined approaches.