Precious metals markets ignited this past week, with gold rocketing past the $5,200 per ounce milestone in a powerful rally driven by a confluence of geopolitical uncertainty and renewed investor safe-haven demand. The move was amplified by a spectacular 12% surge in silver, which broke above $86 per ounce, signaling broad strength across the metals complex. The rally comes as markets digest the implications of new U.S. tariffs and significant shifts in the Western Hemisphere's energy landscape.

While metals captured the headlines, Colombia's energy sector underwent a period of intense turmoil and transformation. In a major consolidation move, Canada's Parex Resources tabled a $500 million all-cash offer for Frontera Energy's Colombian oil and gas assets. This deal highlights the perceived value in the country's resources, even as it faces a looming natural gas crisis. Recent reports indicate President Petro's anti-fossil fuel policies are severely hampering production, with reserves dwindling to a critical low of just under six years.

Compounding the issue, Colombia currently lacks the necessary U.S. license to import gas from neighboring Venezuela, leaving it increasingly vulnerable to energy shortages. These regional dynamics are unfolding against a backdrop of shifting global trade policies. The Trump administration's announcement of a new 15% global tariff has injected fresh uncertainty into the market, though initial analysis suggests Latin American commodity exporters may be relatively insulated.