South Korean shares fell sharply on Friday, ending 1.8% lower after a volatile week marked by heavy selling in major tech stocks and renewed U.S.-China trade tensions.

Editor's note: Nijat Babayev is an Azerbaijan-based journalist. The article reflects the author’s personal views and may not necessarily represent the position of News.Az.

Gold prices fell, marking their first weekly drop since mid-August, as optimism over US-China trade talks reduced demand for safe-haven assets.

Oil prices held steady on Monday as progress in US-China trade talks supported demand optimism, even as concerns about a potential global supply glut lingered.

New Delhi and Washington are nearing completion of a long-pending trade agreement that would reduce US tariffs on Indian imports to around 15–16% from the current 50%, according to three sources familiar with the discussions.

South Korean shares closed at a fresh record high for the fourth consecutive session on Monday, driven by optimism over easing trade tensions between the United States and China.

Gold prices climbed to a record high above $4,300 per ounce on Friday, heading for their best weekly performance in more than 17 years.