Key TakeawaysGold prices have rocketed almost 50% this year, marking their best performance since 1979, as institutional investors seek safe-haven assets amidst global uncertainty and central bank diversification.French bond futures (FOATc1) slipped 0.18% as concerns over France's political instability, rising debt, and a recent Fitch downgrade weigh on market sentiment.Hong Kong stocks fell, with the Hang Seng Index (HSI) declining 0.6%, as a U.S. government shutdown dampened investor confidence and introd ...