The U.S. dollar strengthened through the month of October, buoyed by persistent expectations of further tightening by the Federal Reserve. The dollar index rose 0.93% to 3,875.55, reflecting a 3.63% decline in gold at $3,875.55 per ounce. Silver also slipped, falling 6.20% to $49.14 an ounce. In the energy sector, West Texas Intermediate crude edged up 0.93% to $102.95 a barrel, while Brent crude climbed 2.08% to $113.10. Base‑metals were mixed: copper dropped 1.41% to $6.51 a pound, and aluminium fell 0.38% to $3,059.70. Natural gas slipped 2.34% to $2.883 per million British thermal units. While the dollar firmed, the euro and Japanese yen weakened against the greenback, underscoring a broader shift toward the U.S. currency amid ongoing rate‑hike speculation.