China’s Haitian Water Group, which is branching into the solar sector, will pay German tech giant Heraeus CNY502 million (USD68.8 million) in cash for its solar silver paste operations and factories in China and Singapore, which produce a key raw material that forms the metal electrodes in photovoltaic cells.

Gold is heading for one of its biggest annual gains this century, with a 27% advance that’s been fueled by US monetary easing, sustained geopolitical risks, and a wave of purchases by central banks.

Many analysts expect gold prices to hit $3,000 an ounce next year, but the rally is not expected to materialize until the second half of 2025. At the same time, with prices consolidating around $2,650 an ounce, next year's target would represent roughly a 13% gain compared to this year's nearly 30% rally.