Hawkish Powell Bets Spark Commodity Sell-Off as Gold, Silver See Sharp Shakeout

Global commodity markets suffered a broad-based sell-off on Monday, with gold, silver, crude oil, and industrial metals all sliding sharply as investors repositioned for a more hawkish Federal Reserve outlook.According to Jin10, CBA commodity strategist Vivek Dhar said markets sold precious metals in tandem with U.S. equities, signaling that investors increasingly expect Jerome Powell to maintain a tighter policy stance for longer.“The market decided to sell off precious metals alongside U.S. stocks, indicating investors perceive Powell as more hawkish,” Dhar said, adding that a strengthening U.S. dollar has compounded pressure across commodities, including base metals and crude oil.Asian equity markets tracked U.S. stock futures sharply lower, with the renewed collapse in precious metals amplifying risk-off sentiment at the start of a week packed with corporate earnings, central bank meetings, and key macroeconomic data.Despite the violent move, Dhar cautioned against interpreting the sell-off as a structural shift.“The key question is whether this marks the beginning of a structural decline in commodity prices or is merely a correction,” he said. “We view this as an adjustment and a buying opportunity, not a change in fundamentals.”Notably, Dhar reiterated his bullish long-term outlook for gold, maintaining a forecast for prices to reach $6,000 in the fourth quarter, even after the latest “epic shakeout” in precious metals.