On Sunday, CME Group announced substantial increases in margin requirements for gold and silver futures as precious metals prices experienced unprecedented volatility. The exchange mandated a 33% hike in maintenance margins for Comex gold futures contracts, effective February 2, 2026.
In addition to the change for gold, CME adjusted margins for several other metals. The new measures include a 36% increase for silver futures, while platinum and palladium saw margin hikes of 25% and 14%, respectively. These rapid margin adjustments mark the second set of increases within a three-day window, reflecting the exchanges’ response to heightened market instability.
India’s Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) implemented corresponding changes, raising the margin on bullion gold contracts to 20% and on silver contracts to 25%, with both adjustments effective February 1, 2026.
As of 4:06 PM (Bangkok time) on Monday, spot gold dropped by 4.78% to $4,631.69 per ounce.
