[Analyst: Risk-aversion offsets high interest rate pressure, gold prices rise amid fluctuations] Odaily Planet Daily News – As the ongoing Middle East conflict continues to drive demand for safe-haven assets, gold prices have risen and are approaching the $5,200 per ounce mark. New York gold futures increased by 0.8% to $5,175.20 per ounce. Analysts from ING stated: 'The inflationary impact caused by the sharp rise in energy prices due to the Middle East conflict may reinforce market expectations that interest rates will remain high for a longer period, which is a bearish factor for non-yielding assets like gold. However, elevated geopolitical uncertainty continues to support risk premiums, helping to solidify price floors despite the challenging interest rate environment.' (Jin10)