Summary of Conference Call Notes Industry Overview - The current market decline is primarily attributed to the drop in gold and silver prices, raising concerns about liquidity issues within the financial system [1] - There are indications that gold and silver may show signs of stabilization, which would significantly improve market liquidity expectations [1] - Major indices such as FTSE A50, Hang Seng Index futures, and Nasdaq 100 futures have rebounded recently [1] Key Points - Short-term market adjustments caused by liquidity shocks are expected to recover quickly [1] - Attention is shifting towards the upcoming earnings season in the US stock market, with companies like Palantir, NXP Semiconductors, and Teradyne set to report earnings [1] - A risk warning is issued regarding the potential underperformance of AI sector expectations [1]

Group 1: Precious Metals Performance - Gold prices have reached a historic high of $4,401.79 per ounce, marking a nearly 1.5% increase in a single day [1] - Silver has surged to a record high of $68.68 per ounce, with an intraday peak of $69.45, reflecting a year-to-date increase of over 100% [1] - Platinum has risen by 1.74% to $2,011 per ounce, surpassing the $2,000 mark for the first time since 2008 [1][8] Group 2: Market Drivers - The rise in precious metals is driven by expectations of interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve in 2026 and heightened geopolitical tensions, particularly related to Venezuela and the Russia-Ukraine conflict [1] - Gold ETFs have seen continuous inflows for five weeks, indicating strong investor interest and competition for limited gold supplies [2] - Analysts from Goldman Sachs predict that gold could reach $4,900 per ounce next year, highlighting potential upward risks [2] Group 3: Oil Prices - Oil prices have increased, with Brent crude rising over 1% to approximately $60.76 per barrel, and WTI crude also gaining over 1% to around $57.19 [1][10] - The rise in oil prices is attributed to geopolitical tensions, including increased sanctions on Venezuela by the U.S. [10] Group 4: U.S. Stock Market Futures - U.S. stock index futures have shown slight increases, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average futures up by 1% and Nasdaq 100 futures rising by 0.4% [1][13] - Traders are focusing on the potential recovery of technology stocks as the year-end approaches [13]

Market Overview - The market is facing two major uncertainties: potential U.S. intervention in the Middle East conflict and the Federal Reserve's monetary policy decision [1] - U.S. stock futures have rebounded slightly, with the S&P 500 futures up approximately 0.2% [1][10] - European stocks have also seen a slight increase, with German and French stocks rising about 0.3% [2] - The MSCI Asia-Pacific index remained flat, indicating minimal changes in the Asia-Pacific region [3] Currency and Commodity Movements - The U.S. dollar index has decreased by about 0.1%, while the euro and yen have increased by approximately 0.2% and 0.1%, respectively [4] - U.S. Treasury yields have risen slightly, with the 10-year Treasury yield increasing by over 1 basis point [5] - Spot gold prices remained stable, while silver rose by about 0.3% [6] - Both WTI and Brent crude oil prices have continued to decline, with daily losses expanding to 1% [7][13] - European natural gas futures have surged over 1.4%, reaching above €40 per megawatt-hour, the highest since early April [8] Geopolitical and Economic Context - The ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel has raised concerns about U.S. military involvement, with speculation about a potential attack discussed in a recent National Security Council meeting [9] - The Federal Reserve is expected to announce its interest rate decision, with the market anticipating no changes in June and July, but betting on nearly two rate cuts later this year [9] - The CEO of EFG Asset Management highlighted the uncertainty faced by the Federal Reserve due to various intertwined factors, including tariffs, energy price fluctuations, geopolitical risks, and the growing U.S. fiscal deficit [9] Investor Sentiment - The VIX index, which measures market volatility, has surpassed the critical level of 20, indicating increased investor anxiety amid the Middle East tensions [11] - Despite the geopolitical situation, the market is already facing numerous risks, including high stock valuations and unaccounted uncertainties such as tariff policies and fiscal uncertainties [11]

Group 1 - The manufacturing sector is shrinking due to high tariffs, but the service sector remains resilient, with the US ISM Services PMI for April exceeding expectations and reversing the decline from the previous month [1] - This data supports a slight increase in the US dollar by approximately 0.2%, alleviating the significant appreciation of Asian currencies caused by optimistic sentiments regarding US trade agreements [1] - The New Taiwan Dollar continued its downward trend, dropping by 0.4% to 30.275 against the US dollar, while the Taiwan Stock Exchange weighted index closed relatively unchanged at 20,522.59 points [1] Group 2 - The S&P 500 index futures experienced a decline of 0.4%, with individual stocks like Ford Motor Company retracting financial guidance due to tariff concerns, and Palantir's stock plummeting by about 10% in pre-market trading due to disappointing earnings [1] - Investors are closely monitoring the Federal Reserve's decision, with widespread expectations that the Fed may maintain a wait-and-see approach amid conflicting signals from the trade war and strong employment data [1]