Pre-Market | Federal Reserve Independence Concerns Spark Gold Surge and Market Volatility

4 Sep., Concerns over potential loss of Federal Reserve independence are escalating, with investors shifting toward inflation-hedging strategies. Fears of credibility erosion could trigger sharp rises in gold prices and broader inflationary risks. Meanwhile, DOW FUTURES are down 0.09% in pre-market, NASDAQ FUTURES are up 0.21% in pre-market, and S&P FUTURES are up 0.14% in pre-market.

In pre-market trading, The Southern saw a significant rise of 3.84% due to a favorable change in its price-to-sales multiple. Amazon.com also experienced a notable increase of 2.26%, driven by strong earnings reports and analyst support. Meanwhile, Sanofi faced a substantial drop of 8.00% as drug trial results fell short of expectations. Salesforce also declined by 7.04%, attributed to a weak revenue forecast that failed to meet investor expectations.

In pre-market trading, BrilliA surged over 104.69% as a dividend declaration boosted market confidence. Zeta Network also saw a significant rise, up 67.88%. Meanwhile, Neonode experienced a sharp decline, dropping 80.62%. Artelo Biosciences fell 35.39% after announcing a public offering to fund the clinical development of ART27.13.

Apple is raising prices for its upcoming iPhone 17 series for the first time since 2017, with the iPhone 17 Air priced $100 higher than previous models and the Pro version starting at $1099, eliminating lower-capacity options. These adjustments are projected to increase average selling prices by 5% in fiscal 2026 without affecting demand. Investors are growing concerned over Federal Reserve independence amid political pressure for rate cuts, fueling inflation fears and potential shifts to gold investments; gold prices could surge to $5000 per ounce if confidence erodes. Nasdaq is modifying listing standards to raise the minimum public float market cap to $15 million from $5 million for new firms, accelerate delisting for companies below $5 million market cap, and require a $25 million fundraising minimum for Chinese-operated new listings.