Gold and Silver Prices Experience Wild Swings Amid US Federal Reserve Rumors
The prices of two precious metals, gold and silver, have seen a drastic seesaw in recent days, with investors scrambling to adjust their positions amidst rising tensions over the independence of the US Federal Reserve. The metals market experienced a "meltdown" on Friday, leading to sharp declines that sent shockwaves around the world.
According to Susannah Streeter, an analyst at Wealth Club, the sell-off reflected relief that a pro-Trump figure would not be installed as the next chair of the Federal Reserve. With Donald Trump's nomination of Kevin Warsh, a former Fed governor and respected central banker, investors are now anticipating a more stable economic outlook.
However, this news has also led to a sharp recovery in some markets, with gold and silver prices experiencing partial reversals. Gold prices plummeted by as much as 8% on Monday, reaching $4,465 per ounce before recovering slightly to $4,700. Silver, which had tumbled by as much as 7%, rebounded to $79.60 per ounce.
The recovery in the metals market has also supported the UK's FTSE 100 stock index, which breached the 10,300 mark for the first time on Monday. The blue chip index closed at 10,341 points, with investors breathing a sigh of relief after the recent sell-off.
Meanwhile, industrial metals such as platinum and copper also experienced sharp declines on Monday, while oil prices fell by 4% due to easing geopolitical tensions between the US and Iran.
Bitcoin, however, has seen a partial recovery over the weekend, rising by 1.8% against the US dollar. While still far off its peak of $125,000 last year, the cryptocurrency remains above $80,000.
Analysts at Deutsche Bank expect gold to hit $6,000 this year, citing a "crowded" trade that has seen positioning reach close to 8 on their indices last week. Meanwhile, Mohit Kumar of Jefferies notes that the recent sell-off looks like an "unwind" of a crowded trade, with positioning now much less crowded.
Despite the recent sharp falls, gold and silver are still up by about 65% and 120% respectively compared to this time last year, indicating that the metals remain attractive assets for investors seeking safe haven.
The prices of two precious metals, gold and silver, have seen a drastic seesaw in recent days, with investors scrambling to adjust their positions amidst rising tensions over the independence of the US Federal Reserve. The metals market experienced a "meltdown" on Friday, leading to sharp declines that sent shockwaves around the world.
According to Susannah Streeter, an analyst at Wealth Club, the sell-off reflected relief that a pro-Trump figure would not be installed as the next chair of the Federal Reserve. With Donald Trump's nomination of Kevin Warsh, a former Fed governor and respected central banker, investors are now anticipating a more stable economic outlook.
However, this news has also led to a sharp recovery in some markets, with gold and silver prices experiencing partial reversals. Gold prices plummeted by as much as 8% on Monday, reaching $4,465 per ounce before recovering slightly to $4,700. Silver, which had tumbled by as much as 7%, rebounded to $79.60 per ounce.
The recovery in the metals market has also supported the UK's FTSE 100 stock index, which breached the 10,300 mark for the first time on Monday. The blue chip index closed at 10,341 points, with investors breathing a sigh of relief after the recent sell-off.
Meanwhile, industrial metals such as platinum and copper also experienced sharp declines on Monday, while oil prices fell by 4% due to easing geopolitical tensions between the US and Iran.
Bitcoin, however, has seen a partial recovery over the weekend, rising by 1.8% against the US dollar. While still far off its peak of $125,000 last year, the cryptocurrency remains above $80,000.
Analysts at Deutsche Bank expect gold to hit $6,000 this year, citing a "crowded" trade that has seen positioning reach close to 8 on their indices last week. Meanwhile, Mohit Kumar of Jefferies notes that the recent sell-off looks like an "unwind" of a crowded trade, with positioning now much less crowded.
Despite the recent sharp falls, gold and silver are still up by about 65% and 120% respectively compared to this time last year, indicating that the metals remain attractive assets for investors seeking safe haven.