Precious metals declined in the futures trade on Tuesday, with silver falling 2 per cent to Rs 2.57 lakh per kilogram, while gold slipped to Rs 1.57 lakh per 10 grams as traders booked profits amid weak gains in global markets.
On the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX), silver for the March delivery depreciated by Rs 5,422, or 2.06 per cent, to Rs 2,57,198 per kilogram. On Monday, the white metal had surged Rs 12,728, or 5.09 per cent, to close at Rs 2,62,620 per kg.
Gold futures also witnessed selling pressure, with the April contract decreasing Rs 677, or 0.43 per cent, to Rs 1,57,389 per 10 grams. In the previous session, the yellow metal climbed Rs 2,615, or nearly 1.7 per cent, to settle at Rs 1,58,066 per 10 grams.
3 February 2026
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Traders said a stronger US dollar also weighed on sentiment and capped further upside on bullion in the domestic markets.
The dollar index, which measures the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, inched up 0.09 per cent to 96.90, putting pressure on bullion prices globally.
In the international market, Comex silver futures for March delivery fell 1.20 per cent to USD 81.25 per ounce. On Monday, the metal had finished at USD 82.23 per ounce.
"Silver fell to below USD 82 per ounce on Tuesday, breaking a two-day advance as traders locked in profits, while volatility in the precious metals market persisted following a historic rout in recent weeks," Jigar Trivedi, Senior Research Analyst at IndusInd Securities, said.
He added that the white metal remains down about 33 per cent from its all-time high reached on January 29, prior to a sharp selloff that wiped out nearly 50 per cent of its value.
Gold futures for April contract slipped by USD 24.19, or 0.48 per cent, to USD 5,055.21 per ounce. It had closed at USD 5,079.4 per ounce in the previous market session.
"Gold slipped after two days of gains as profit-taking emerged in a choppy market still stabilising after a historic selloff," Kotak Securities said in a note.
The brokerage firm added that attention turns to retail sales, while macro uncertainty and easing expectations continue to support bullion despite near-term volatility.
On Monday, the dollar had weakened following reports that Chinese regulators advised domestic institutions to reduce exposure to US Treasuries, raising concerns over foreign demand for dollar assets.
