<h1>Central bank keeps key interest rate at 5.5%; governor says gold now signals global uncertainty, warns on fiscal strain</h1> The central bank governor said gold prices are increasingly acting as a barometer of global uncertainty, a role once played by crude oil, as the central bank kept its key interest rate unchanged at 5.5% with a neutral stance. He warned that many countries are fiscally strained, current trade policies could impair growth in some economies, and equity markets-driven by technology stocks-appear complacent and susceptible to correction. The global economy has been more resilient than expected but the outlook remains clouded; oil prices are range-bound, while gold has risen toward record levels.