Precious metals staged a dramatic rally to record intraday levels on Monday, with gold and silver both hitting fresh peaks. The surge was triggered by Fed Chair Jerome Powell's remarks highlighting mounting pressure on the central bank's operational autonomy from external political forces.

Powell's comments underscored growing tensions around monetary policy independence—a theme that's reshaping how markets price risk across multiple asset classes. When institutional anchors like Fed credibility face questioning, investors typically rotate capital toward safe-haven assets like bullion, even as broader portfolio implications ripple through equities, bonds, and alternative markets.

This institutional flight to gold mirrors broader market behavior during periods of policy uncertainty. For traders monitoring cross-asset correlations, the move signals heightened concerns about currency stability and inflation dynamics ahead.