PRECIOUS-Gold tops $4,500, silver and platinum hit records in metal markets frenzy

Updates prices and adds graphic

By Sherin Elizabeth Varghese

Dec 24 (Reuters) - Gold surged past $4,500-an-ounce for the first time on Wednesday, while silver and platinum also hit record highs, as investors piled into precious metals to hedge against geopolitical and trade risks, and on expectations of further U.S. rate cuts in 2026.

Spot gold XAU= rose 0.2% to $4,495.39 per ounce by 0552 GMT, after touching a record high of $4,525.19 earlier in the session. U.S. gold futures GCcv1 for February delivery climbed 0.4% to a record high of $4,522.10.

Silver XAG= gained 1.1% to $72.16 an ounce, after hitting an all-time peak of $72.70 earlier, while platinum XPT= jumped 2.5% to $2,333.80 after peaking at $2,377.50.

Palladium XPD= climbed almost 3% to $1,916.69, its highest level in three years.

"Precious metals have become more of a speculative narrative around the idea that, with de-globalisation, you need an asset that can act as a neutral go-between, without sovereign risk particularly as tensions between the U.S. and China persist," said Ilya Spivak, head of global macro at Tastylive.

Thin year-end liquidity exaggerated recent price moves but the broader theme was likely to endure, with gold targeting $5,000 over the next six to 12 months and silver potentially pushing toward $80 as markets respond to key psychological levels, Spivak added.

Gold has surged more than 70% this year, its biggest annual gain since 1979, driven by safe-haven demand, expectations of U.S. rate cuts, robust central-bank buying, de-dollarisation trends and ETF inflows, with traders pricing in two rate cuts next year. FEDWATCH

Silver has jumped more than 150% over the same period, outpacing gold on strong investment demand, its inclusion on the U.S. critical minerals list and momentum buying.

Gold and silver have "been hitting the accelerator pedal this week" with fresh record highs, reflecting their appeal as stores of value amid expectations of lower U.S. rates and lingering global debt, said Tim Waterer, chief market analyst at KCM Trade.

Platinum and palladium, primarily used in automotive catalytic converters to reduce emissions, have surged this year on tight mine supply, tariff uncertainty, and a rotation from gold investment demand, with platinum up about 160% and palladium gaining more than 100% year-to-date.

"What we're seeing in platinum and palladium is largely catch-up," Spivak said, adding that the thin nature of those markets leave them vulnerable to sharp swings, even as they broadly track gold, once liquidity returns.

(Reporting by Sherin Elizabeth Varghese in Bengaluru; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu, Ronojoy Mazumdar, Harikrishnan Nair and Sonia Cheema)

((sherinelizabeth.varghese@thomsonreuters.com;))