Oil prices surge, gold and silver prices plummet.

Affected by factors such as tensions in the Middle East and market concerns about crude oil supply disruptions, international oil prices rose significantly on the 23rd, with Brent crude oil futures prices hitting a nearly 6-month high. As of the close that day, the light crude oil futures price for December delivery on the New York Mercantile Exchange settled at $103.27 per barrel, up 3.82%; the London Brent crude oil futures price for December delivery settled at $116.72 per barrel, up 3.14%. On the 23rd, rising energy prices triggered inflation concerns, strengthened expectations of Federal Reserve rate hikes, and combined with a stronger dollar, international gold and silver prices came under pressure and fell that day. As of the close that day, the gold futures price for December delivery on the New York Mercantile Exchange was reported at $4,007.90 per ounce, down 1.29%; the silver futures price for December delivery was reported at $53.949 per ounce, down 1.92%.