Gold prices jump after US captures Venezuelan president

Just when you thought the markets might have a quiet start to the year, some truly mad shit goes down. The US has captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, and investors immediately got spooked by the increased geopolitical risks. According to reports, this uncertainty sent money rushing into so-called “safe-haven assets.” The price of gold climbed about 2.2% to $4,424 an ounce, and silver saw an even bigger jump of 3.9%.

This surge follows a record-breaking year for gold, which saw its best performance since 1979 after hitting an all-time high in late 2025. While precious metals were up, crude oil prices actually slipped a bit. Brent crude fell 0.8% to $60.26 a barrel as investors weighed the news. President Trump has promised to tap into Venezuela’s oil reserves, a sort of kill or cure approach to the country's economy, but analysts aren't holding their breath for a quick impact on global supply.

Experts pointed out that it would cost billions and take a very long time to fix Venezuela’s decaying oil infrastructure. The country’s production has been low for years, now accounting for only about 1% of global output. The former head of BP, Lord Browne, said that while a small increase might be possible, production could even fall during a reorganization. So, no cheap gas for you just yet.

Despite the drama, stock markets in Europe and Asia were mostly higher. The UK’s FTSE 100 index rose, with defence and mining companies seeing big gains. Markets in Japan, South Korea, and China also climbed, focusing on other economic news. It seems traders are betting the fallout from Venezuela will stay contained, or they simply have other things to worry about.