Amid the recent rollercoaster ride in prices, here's what everyday investors need to know about the risks of investing in precious metals, say these writers. MELBOURNE: The start of 2026 has seen gold and silver surge to record highs – only to crash on Friday (Jan 30). Gold prices peaked above US$5,500 per ounce for the first time on Thursday, well above previous highs. But by the end of Friday, it had dropped to around US$5,068. Silver had been making gains even faster than gold. It hit more