<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><root available-locales="en_US," default-locale="en_US"><static-content language-id="en_US"><![CDATA[<p>Gold crossed the psychological Rs 22,000-mark on Wednesday on aggressive buying by stockists, amid a rising global trend. It rose by Rs 115 to Rs 22,060 per 10 grams. Silver also climbed to a new high and rose by Rs 1,850 to Rs 66,300 per kg on rising demand from industrial units.<br><br>Silver coins followed suit and shot up by Rs 1,500 to a record high of Rs 72,000 for buying and Rs 72,500 for selling of 100 pieces.<br><br>Trading sentiments remained bullish as gold extended its record-making rally to top $1,500 an ounce in global markets as dollar fell on mounting debt in Europe and the US, prompting investors to seek bullion as a store of value.<br><br>In international markets, gold climbed 0.3 per cent to $1,500.43 an ounce and silver jumped 0.9 per cent to a 31-year peak of $44.35 an ounce.<br><br>Besides, retail customers and jewellers buying for the coming marriage season further fuelled the uptrend.<br><br>On the domestic front, gold of 99.9 and 99.5 per cent purity shot up by Rs 115 each to a new high of Rs 22,060 and Rs 21,940 per 10 grams, respectively.<br><br>Sovereigns also moved up by Rs 100 to fresh peak level of Rs 18,000 per piece of eight grams.<br><br>Silver continued its record setting spree and spurted by Rs 1,850 to new peak level of Rs 66,300 per kg and weekly-based delivery by Rs 1,530 to Rs 65,055 per kg.<br><br>(PTI)</p>