Group 1 - The core viewpoint of the article highlights the rising international gold prices due to inflation concerns and investor risk aversion ahead of potential market volatility in September [1][2] - The U.S. stock market experienced a collective decline last week, with the Dow Jones down 0.19%, S&P 500 down 0.10%, and Nasdaq down 0.19% [1] - International gold prices saw a cumulative increase of 2.86% last week, with an overall rise of over 5% in August, marking the best monthly performance since April [2] Group 2 - International oil prices also rose last week, driven by investor focus on the Russia-Ukraine conflict and a larger-than-expected drop in U.S. crude oil inventories, indicating supply tightness [5] - Specifically, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil prices increased by approximately 0.55%, while Brent crude oil prices rose by about 0.58% [5] - The upcoming U.S. non-farm payroll data for August is anticipated to be a key indicator of economic health and will influence market expectations regarding Federal Reserve interest rate cuts [8][11] Group 3 - The Federal Reserve is set to release its Beige Book this week, which will provide insights into economic activity and inflation trends [11] - Recent developments regarding the independence of the Federal Reserve have raised concerns in the market, particularly following the dismissal of a board member by President Trump [11] - Analysts from Goldman Sachs and Citigroup suggest that weak labor market data could signal further interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve [8][11]

Group 1 - The recent U.S. inflation data for July indicates rising prices and slow inflation, posing risks to the market, leading to a collective decline in U.S. stocks last week, with the Dow down 0.19%, S&P 500 down 0.10%, and Nasdaq down 0.19% [1] - International gold prices rose nearly 3% last week and increased over 5% in August, marking the best monthly performance since April [3] - Concerns over the independence of the Federal Reserve have heightened investor risk aversion, contributing to a 2.86% increase in international gold prices last week [3] Group 2 - International oil prices saw a slight increase last week, with WTI crude up approximately 0.55% and Brent crude up about 0.58%, driven by a decrease in U.S. crude oil inventories and ongoing tensions from the Russia-Ukraine conflict [5] - The upcoming U.S. non-farm payroll data for August is anticipated to be a key indicator of economic health and will test market expectations for Federal Reserve rate cuts [7] - Goldman Sachs suggests that the August non-farm payroll data will be crucial in determining the extent and pace of potential rate cuts by the Federal Reserve, especially if job growth remains weak [7][9] Group 3 - The Federal Reserve's Beige Book will be released this week, with the previous report indicating slight economic activity growth and a record low mention of inflation [9] - The recent dismissal of Federal Reserve Governor Cook by President Trump has raised questions about the Fed's independence, impacting market confidence in dollar assets [9]