**Market Brief: Historic Precious Metals Crash & Outlook** **Global Market Rout** Gold and silver markets have suffered a historic collapse, erasing an estimated **$3 trillion to $7 trillion** in value within days. Following a parabolic rally to record highs, aggressive selling pressure has triggered a massive leverage reset, wiping out speculative positions across the board. **Current Price Action (As of Feb 3, 2026)** * **Gold** has retreated significantly from its peak of over **$5,300/oz**. Current spot prices are hovering near **$4,960/oz** (Global) and roughly **₹1.47 Lakh per 10g** (India MCX), marking a sharp correction of nearly **6-10%** in just a few sessions. * **Silver** faced a more brutal sell-off, plunging **25% to 40%** from its recent highs. Prices have slipped to approximately **$88/oz** (Global) and **₹2.67 Lakh per kg** (India MCX), with volatility reaching levels not seen in decades. **Why The Crash Happened** The sudden reversal was triggered by a "perfect storm" of liquidity draining events: 1. **Margin Hikes:** The CME Group raised margin requirements **5 times in 9 days**, forcing highly leveraged traders to liquidate positions immediately. 2. **Fed Policy Shift:** The nomination of Kevin Warsh (a known hawk) as Federal Reserve Chair sparked a dollar rally, dampening demand for non-yielding assets. 3. **Profit Taking:** After months of vertical gains, institutional investors capitalized on record prices, accelerating the downside momentum. **Expert Outlook** Despite the carnage, analysts from **UBS** and **deVere Group** maintain that the structural bull market for gold is intact. They view this as a necessary "leverage flush" rather than a trend change. * **Gold:** Remains a buy-on-dip candidate as central bank demand and fiat currency concerns persist. * **Silver:** Requires extreme caution. With industrial demand cooling and technical damage severe, analysts warn it is **"too early"** to re-enter, suggesting the metal needs a longer consolidation period before becoming attractive again.