Gold Prices Fall Below $4,000 as Strong Dollar, Fed Rate Hike Bets Weigh on Bullion 
White House Seeks $87.6 Billion Emergency Funding for Iran War, Farmers, and Ebola Response 
Morgan Stanley Sees Chinese Auto Market Recovery Gaining Momentum in Late Summer 
South Korea’s KOSPI Plunges as Apple Price Hikes and OpenAI IPO Delay Shake AI Chip Stocks 
Asian Stocks Sink as Apple Price Hikes Spark AI Valuation Fears, South Korea and Japan Lead Selloff 
Trump Requests $11 Billion More in Farm Aid as Rising Costs Pressure U.S. Farmers 
Oil Prices Drop as Strait of Hormuz Shipping Recovers 
US Dollar Slips After PCE Inflation Data as Fed Rate Hike Expectations Stay Elevated 
U.S. Dollar Reaches One-Year High as Tech Sell-Off and Fed Rate Hike Expectations Support Demand 
Asian Currencies Trade Mixed as Yen Hovers Near 40-Year Low, Dollar Holds Firm on Fed Outlook 
Asian Markets Rally as Micron and Qualcomm AI Outlook Lifts Global Tech Stocks 
SpaceX Eyes Starlink Mobile Phone Service to Challenge Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile 
Gold Drops Below $4,000 as Strong US Dollar and Fed Rate Hike Expectations Pressure Bullion 
Australia Jobs Growth Strengthens Rate Hike Outlook 
Gold Falls Below $4,000 as Strong Dollar and Fed Rate Hike Expectations Weigh on Prices 
Wall Street Ends Lower as AI Stocks Drag Markets, Fed Rate Outlook Shifts 
US Dollar Slips After PCE Inflation Data Eases Fed Rate Hike Expectations 
Wall Street ended Friday on a weaker note as risk-off sentiment dominated trading, driven by hotter-than-expected U.S. inflation data, a dramatic sell-off in precious metals, and major political developments surrounding the Federal Reserve. The benchmark S&P 500 fell 0.4% to 6,939.65, the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 0.4% to 48,892.47, and the Nasdaq Composite slid 0.9% to 23,461.82, pressured by declines in large-cap technology stocks.
Investor mood darkened after President Donald Trump nominated former Federal Reserve Governor Kevin Warsh as the next Fed chair. While the announcement was widely anticipated, it reignited debate around interest rates and central bank policy. Warsh, who served at the Fed from 2006 to 2011, is viewed as less dovish than markets might have expected, despite aligning recently with Trump’s calls for lower rates. Analysts noted that his history of criticizing ultra-loose monetary policy could reassure investors concerned about the Fed’s independence, helping explain the relatively muted market reaction.
Economic data added to the caution. Core producer price inflation for December surged 0.7% month-over-month and 3.3% year-over-year, both well above expectations. The data reinforced the Federal Reserve’s recent decision to keep interest rates unchanged, underscoring that inflation remains sticky and limiting hopes for near-term rate cuts.
Markets were also rocked by a spectacular reversal in precious metals. After weeks of sharp gains fueled by safe-haven demand, gold, silver, and platinum prices collapsed as investors rushed to lock in profits. Spot gold plunged nearly 10% to around $4,850 an ounce, silver tumbled almost 28% in its worst session on record, and platinum fell more than 18%, marking one of the most dramatic precious metals sell-offs in decades.
Despite Friday’s losses, U.S. stocks still ended January with gains. The S&P 500 rose 1.4% for the month, the Dow gained 1.7%, and the Nasdaq added 0.9%. However, analysts cautioned that February has historically been a weak month for equities, suggesting volatility could persist as investors navigate inflation risks, Fed policy uncertainty, and shifting global dynamics.
