Market Indexes Tank Again, but Gold Continues to Shine

Market Performance - Major market indexes experienced significant declines, with the Dow down 971 points (-2.48%), S&P 500 down 124 points (-2.36%), Nasdaq down 415 points (-2.55%), and Russell 2000 down 42 points (-2.27%) [1] - The market opened in the red but showed some recovery before President Trump's comments negatively impacted investor confidence [2][3] Federal Reserve and Economic Policy - President Trump criticized Fed Chair Jerome Powell, demanding immediate interest rate cuts, which contributed to market volatility [3][4] - The potential for replacing Powell before his term ends in May 2026 raises concerns among investors, especially with inflation remaining above the Fed's target of 2% [4] Gold Market - Gold prices reached a new all-time high, closing up 3.3% at $3426 per ounce, marking a significant increase from just over a year ago when it first hit$2000 per ounce [5] - Factors contributing to the rise in gold prices include Chinese investors avoiding U.S. equities and treasuries amid ongoing trade tensions, as well as a declining U.S. dollar [6] Earnings Reports - Major companies reporting Q1 earnings include 3M, Lockheed Martin, GE Aerospace, Capital One, and Tesla, with Tesla expected to report a year-over-year earnings per share decline of 2.22% but a revenue increase of 0.95% [9] - Tesla has missed earnings estimates in five of its last six quarters and its share price has dropped 43% since the beginning of the year [10]