Sou Hu Cai Jing·2026-02-02 07:06Core Viewpoint - The recent sharp decline in gold and silver funds, triggered by the nomination of hawkish Kevin Warsh as the next Federal Reserve Chairman, has led to significant market panic and liquidity traps for investors [2][6][11]. Group 1: Market Reaction - On February 2, the Guotai Silver LOF fund resumed trading and immediately hit the daily limit down, with sell orders exceeding 8 billion yuan, while the trading volume was only around 50 million yuan by midday [3][5]. - Major gold and silver funds, including E Fund and Harvest, experienced daily declines of over 7%, with some ETFs hitting the limit down, reflecting a nearly 30% maximum drawdown over the past three trading days [5][6]. Group 2: Causes of Decline - The direct catalyst for the decline was President Trump's nomination of Kevin Warsh, known for his hawkish monetary policy stance, which raised fears of a shift in monetary policy [6][11]. - Following this announcement, international precious metal futures prices plummeted, with silver futures experiencing a single-day drop of over 30%, the largest since 1980, and gold futures dropping over 10% [6]. Group 3: Investment Risks - The investment frenzy in gold and silver funds, particularly the Guotai Silver LOF, revealed multiple risks, including liquidity traps and a lack of understanding of the fund's arbitrage mechanisms among investors [8][10]. - The Guotai Silver LOF saw its price premium soar to over 60%, attracting speculative investments, but the subsequent market downturn has left many investors facing significant losses due to the rapid decline in both the fund's net asset value and the premium [10][11]. Group 4: Future Outlook - Analysts suggest a "long-term bullish, short-term bearish" outlook for precious metals, indicating that while short-term volatility is expected, the long-term demand from global central banks will continue to support gold prices [7]. - The current market conditions highlight the importance of value investing and caution against speculative behavior, as many investors may become trapped in high-premium situations [11].