Market Overview - The gold and silver markets experienced significant volatility, with gold prices dropping nearly 3% at one point and settling at $4926.64 per ounce, down 0.76% [1] - Silver faced a more severe decline, plunging nearly 16% during the day and closing down 10.69% at $78.77 per ounce [3] Futures Market - The futures market mirrored the spot market's weakness, with COMEX gold futures down 0.4% at $4931.1 per ounce and COMEX silver futures down over 7% at $77.875 per ounce [5] Stock Market Impact - Precious metal-themed LOFs (Listed Open-Ended Funds) fell, with gold LOFs and Jiashi Gold LOF dropping over 2%, and Guotou Silver LOF hitting a trading halt for the fourth consecutive day [7] - The A-share precious metals sector saw an overall decline exceeding 6%, with most stocks closing in the red [8] Individual Stock Performance - Notable declines in individual stocks included: - Hunan Silver: down 9.97% at $13.90 - Xiaocheng Technology: down 9.84% at $59.04 - Sichuan Gold: down 9.74% at $46.08 [9] Market Sentiment and Influences - The recent downturn in gold and silver prices is attributed to a combination of factors, including the nomination of hawkish Federal Reserve member Waller, which triggered market panic and profit-taking after significant price increases [12][16] - Analysts suggest that the core driver of the decline is the large-scale profit-taking following a period of substantial price appreciation, rather than a direct causal relationship with Waller's nomination [16] Future Outlook - Short-term volatility is expected to continue, but the long-term upward trend for gold remains intact, supported by factors such as central bank purchasing and increased demand from private investors [20] - Goldman Sachs maintains a price target of $5400 per ounce for gold by December 2026, while JPMorgan is more aggressive, predicting $6300 per ounce, citing ongoing demand from central banks and diversified investment strategies [20]