Date: 17th June 2026.
New Fed Chairman in Focus: Stocks Decline and Gold Loses Momentum.
The NASDAQ saw a significant decline on Tuesday, largely due to profit-taking from stocks that had seen significant increases in the previous days. All global indices fell on Tuesday as investors took a cautious approach to the new Federal Reserve chairman. However, the NASDAQ came under significantly higher pressure.
Furthermore, the US Dollar is declining largely due to the lower demand for safe-haven assets and lower oil prices. Crude oil has now fallen to $75 per barrel, the lowest since 5 March. Gold has also lost momentum despite the price of the Dollar retracing lower. The main price drivers for the US Dollar and Gold will be tonight’s press conference from the Federal Reserve.
The NASDAQ Comes Under Profit-Taking Pressure
Analysts note that the stocks that drove the NASDAQ lower on Tuesday were primarily NVIDIA, Broadcom, Micron Technology, and Intel. These are stocks that had seen significant gains in the previous days. For this reason, investors believe the decline is also due to profit-taking after quick significant quick gains.
In addition to this, investors are also taking a cautious approach to the Federal Reserve’s press conference. The US Federal Reserve will announce its monetary policy decision tonight at 18:00 GMT. Kevin Warsh will chair the meeting and hold his first press conference as chairman.
HFM - NASDAQ 30-Minute Chart
Markets widely expect interest rates to remain unchanged at 3.50%-3.75%. Investors will instead focus on the press conference and updated economic projections for clues on the future policy path. Kevin Warsh does not favour forward guidance, which sets him apart from his predecessor. Some analysts believe that, despite his hawkish policy stance, a reduced emphasis on forward guidance could benefit the stock market.
Previously, Mr Warsh has told the market he is looking to reform the Fed. Investors will be interested to hear what this means for Fed policy. If the Fed opts to stop its QE programme, the stock market could come under pressure, particularly as the Dollar increases again.
The NASDAQ remains in an overall uptrend, but the next major move is likely to depend on the Federal Reserve meeting. A hawkish tone from Kevin Warsh could pressure growth stocks and extend the current pullback. A neutral or dovish tone could help the index retest its recent highs. However, in terms of technical analysis, the NASDAQ is regaining bullish momentum and obtaining further buy signals as the price corrects.
Gold Does Not Maintain Bullish Momentum
Gold has traded mostly sideways over the past 24 hours, holding near a one-week high around the $4,330-$4,370 area. Momentum remains cautiously positive after Monday’s rebound, but the recovery is not fully confirmed while prices stay below the key 200-day moving average, which is acting as resistance near $4,446.
A key concern for technical analysts is that Gold has not been able to maintain bullish momentum while the US Dollar has continued to decline. This can be seen as a key signal that Gold may again decline or remain within a new price range between $4,000 and $4,350.
The short-term bias remains neutral-to-slightly bullish as long as gold holds above the recent support zone around $4,300–$4,320. A break above $4,446 could strengthen the bullish outlook, while a move back below $4,300 may signal renewed selling pressure. A hawkish Fed can pressure Gold, in a very similar way to the stock market.
HFM - Gold 30-Minute Chart
Key Takeaways:
The NASDAQ fell as investors took profits in semiconductor stocks following strong gains earlier in the week.
Investors await Kevin Warsh’s first Fed press conference for clues on future monetary policy and reforms.
The US Dollar weakened as oil prices fell and demand for safe-haven assets eased.
Gold struggled to maintain momentum despite a weaker Dollar, raising concerns over further upside potential.
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Please note that times displayed based on local time zone and are from time of writing this report.
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Michalis Efthymiou
HFMarkets
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