Precious metals hit a new all-time high, and Federal Reserve data is coming—can the stock market close strongly next week?

【Blockchain Rhythm】Although last week saw the Christmas holiday, the precious metals market did not rest. Gold, silver, and platinum all surged to record highs, continuing the strong momentum at the end of the year.

Spot gold performed the most steadily — driven by both risk aversion and expectations of interest rate cuts, it approached $4,550 per ounce on Friday, with a cumulative increase of over 70% this year. What does this number indicate? Market caution towards risk assets is rising.

Silver was even more explosive. It broke through integer thresholds and hit new records consecutively this week, with a single-day increase of over 10% on Friday, reaching a high of $79 per ounce at one point. This wave in precious metals clearly reflects investors’ concerns about economic prospects.

Next week, pay close attention to several key data points: the Federal Reserve meeting minutes on Wednesday, US initial jobless claims on Wednesday, and the US December manufacturing PMI final reading on Friday — these data will continue to influence market sentiment.

On the US stock side, investors are expecting a strong start to close out 2025. Major stock indices are expected to finish December higher, having shaken off earlier this month’s tech sector weakness (mainly caused by volatility from AI spending concerns). The question is, will the signals of interest rate cut expectations and the surge in precious metals bring new pressure to the stock market? It’s worth watching.