Investors nervous about geopolitics, tariff threats and US budgetary issues flocked to buy gold Monday, pushing the safe-haven precious metal well into record territory.The dollar sank, meanwhile, amid speculation of US-Japanese central bank coordination to support the yen. Gold climbed above $5,100 an ounce, having cracked $5,000 on Sunday, amid rising global uncertainty and turmoil set off by US President Donald Trump’s policies. “It vaulted over the psychologically important 5,000 mark on a glittering streak, heading sharply higher as trade tensions emanating from the US unnerved investors,” said Susannah Streeter, chief investment strategist at Wealth Club.By comparison, gold could be had for just over $2,000 an ounce only two years ago. Silver prices have also spiked to record territory.”The relentless quest for hard assets continued amid yet more talk of tariffs and US government shutdowns,” said Neil Wilson, a strategist at Saxo UK.Several US senators have said they would vote against coming government spending bills after federal agents killed a second American citizen in Minneapolis, significantly increasing the chances of a government shutdown next week.The dollar was weighed down by a surge in the yen on speculation that authorities may intervene to prop up the Japanese currency, but also by limited visibility on the US economy and inflation fears.”The FX (foreign exchange) market is front and centre at the start of this week and the focus is on the huge move higher in the yen,” said Kathleen Brooks, research director at XTB trading group. “Reports suggest that Japanese officials were joined by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York who bought yen to support the beleaguered currency,” she added.The yen had slid amid worries about Japan’s fiscal position, the central bank’s decision to hold off on interest rate hikes, and expectations that the US Federal Reserve will stay put on the rates front this week.The stronger yen weighed on Tokyo’s stock market because of its negative impact on exporters.The US Fed is expected to hold interest rates steady this week despite Trump’s pressure to slash them, which is seen as a threat to its independence, which has traditionally been one of the pillars of US assets’ solidity.US stocks began the week firmer, with several of the so-called Magnificent Seven tech firms set to report earnings this week.- Key figures at around 1630 GMT -Gold – UP 2.3 percent at $5,094.90 per ounceSilver – UP 11.7 percent at 113.16 per ounce New York – Dow: UP 0.3 percent at 49,266.80 pointsNew York – S&P 500: UP 0.6 percent at 6,955.07New York – NASDAQ Composite: UP 0.7 percent 23,655.99London – FTSE 100: UP less than 0.1 percent at 10,148.85 (close)Paris – CAC 40: DOWN 0.2 percent at 8,131.15 (close)Frankfurt – DAX: UP 0.1 percent at 24,933.08 (close)Tokyo – Nikkei 225: DOWN 1.8 percent at 52,885.25 (close)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: UP 0.1 percent at 26,765.52 (closeShanghai – Composite: DOWN 0.1 percent at 4,132.61 (close)Dollar/yen: DOWN at 153.98 yen from 157.00 yen on FridayEuro/dollar: UP at $1.1885 from $1.1823Pound/dollar: UP at $1.3702 from $1.3636Euro/pound: UP at 86.71 from 86.70 penceBrent North Sea Crude: DOWN 0.8 percent at $64.58 per barrelWest Texas Intermediate: DOWN 1.0 percent at $60.49 per barrelburs/rl/jh