# S&P 500

Dollar Slides, Gold Rockets Past $5,000 as Markets and Beijing Gear Up for a Diplomatic-Economic Thaw

A sharp dollar decline, amplified by comments from a US political figure, propelled gold and silver to record levels even as the S&P 500 closed at a new high. Simultaneously Beijing prepares for a high-profile UK prime ministerial visit, rolls out drug-regulatory reform and contends with mixed domestic signals—falling real-estate lending, rising semiconductor prices and tighter futures oversight—that together shape China’s near-term economic trajectory.