Sou Hu Cai Jing·2026-02-05 09:41Group 1 - The core point of the news is the significant drop in precious metal prices, with gold experiencing its largest single-day decline in 40 years and silver hitting a historic intraday drop of 36% [1][2][4] - On January 31, spot gold prices fell over 12%, reaching a low of $4682 per ounce, while closing down 9.25% at $4880 per ounce [2][4] - Spot silver prices dropped to a low of $74.28 per ounce, closing down 26.42% at $85.259 per ounce [4][8] Group 2 - The sell-off in precious metals was triggered by the strengthening of the US dollar, following the announcement of Kevin Walsh as the new Federal Reserve Chairman, which raised concerns about the Fed's independence [4][6][7] - The dollar index saw a significant increase, marking its largest single-day rise since July of the previous year, which negatively impacted investor confidence in gold and silver [4][5] - The market was already experiencing a demand for a correction, and the combination of factors, including the Fed chair nomination and broader capital flow dynamics, acted as a catalyst for profit-taking [4][6] Group 3 - The broader US stock market also faced declines, with major indices closing lower due to uncertainties surrounding Federal Reserve policies, inflation pressures, and geopolitical risks [5] - The gold sector saw substantial losses, with major companies like Barrick Gold and AngloGold experiencing declines of over 10% [5] - The sell-off in precious metals was characterized by panic selling and profit-taking, particularly among leveraged positions, which exacerbated market volatility [8][12]