New Delhi, July 16: Falling for the second straight session, gold prices depreciated Rs 500 to Rs 98,870 per 10 grams in the national capital on Wednesday due to continuous selling by stockists, according to the All India Sarafa Association.

On Tuesday, the precious metal of 99.9 per cent purity had declined by Rs 200 to close at Rs 99,370 per 10 grams.

Meanwhile, gold of 99.5 per cent purity slipped Rs 400 to Rs 98,400 per 10 grams (inclusive of all taxes). It had settled at Rs 98,800 per 10 grams in the previous market session.

Also, silver prices declined by Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,11,000 per kilogram (inclusive of all taxes) on Wednesday. The white metal had finished at Rs 1,12,000 per kg on Tuesday.

In contrast, spot gold rose by USD 16.41 or 0.49 per cent to USD 3,341.37 per ounce in the global markets.

“Gold edged higher to USD 3,346 per ounce, supported by renewed tariff threats from President Donald Trump, who signalled possible levies on pharmaceuticals by the end of the month, with additional duties on semiconductors also under consideration.

“Risk appetite remains subdued as new tariffs targeting 25 countries, including Canada, Mexico, and the EU, are set to take effect on August 1,” Kaynat Chainwala, AVP-Commodity Research, Kotak Securities, said.

On the global front, spot silver went up nearly 1 per cent to trade at USD 38.05 per ounce.

“Gold has been consolidating while silver has been breaking out. Silver prices pushed as high as USD 39 per ounce, first and foremost reflecting renewed investor interest.

“We have seen continued inflows into physically backed silver products during the past few weeks, and the open interest in the futures market has also been expanding, in particular in China. Technical traders further fuelled the rally after prices broke above important resistance levels,” Carsten Menke, Head of Economics and Next Generation Research at Julius Baer, said.

Menke further stated that by judging the strength of the recent rally and the decline of the gold/silver ratio to around 85, silver does not appear particularly cheap anymore in comparison to gold.

“When the ratio was at 100, we highlighted silver’s catch-up potential, but this seems to be very much exhausted as of now.”

According to Jateen Trivedi, VP Research Analyst – Commodity and Currency, LKP Securities, investors will be awaiting key US macroeconomic data, including Producer Price Index (PPI) and jobless claims, which will provide further insights for the trajectory of bullion prices.

Nagpur, July 16: In a deeply distressing incident that has sent shockwaves through Nagpur and beyond, two students preparing for the NEET medical entrance exam died by suicide within a few hours of each other.

Khwahish Devram Nagare, a 16-year-old resident of Balaghat in Madhya Pradesh, took his own life. The incident occurred under the jurisdiction of the Ambazari police station of Nagpur city.

He had come to Nagpur to prepare for the NEET exam and was attending coaching classes at PhysicsWallah Tuition Centre on Canal Road. Living in a private hostel in the city, Khwahish was found hanging from a ceiling fan in his room on Wednesday morning.

Before taking the extreme step, he left behind a short note that read: “Sorry, mom-dad, I won’t be able to do it.”

The poignant message has shaken parents, teachers, and the academic community, once again highlighting the dark side of competitive exam culture and the weight of expectations placed on young shoulders.

Just a few hours ago, a 17-year-old girl, Vaidehi Anil Uike, also died by suicide while preparing for the same exam. She was staying in another part of the city, under the jurisdiction of Hingna police station. Her death, too, has been registered as an accidental death by the police.

The back-to-back suicides have sparked concern, with questions being raised about the intense academic pressure students face while preparing for highly competitive exams like NEET.

Nagpur Police Commissioner Ravinder Kumar Singhal appealed to parents to be more mindful of their children’s mental well-being. “Please do not burden children with pressure to succeed academically. There are many career options available today — even for those who may not wish to pursue formal education,” he said.