Stock Market Update

[BRIEFING.COM] With about two hours to go on Thursday afternoon, the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (-1.38%) is in last place down almost 317 points.

Gold futures settled $61.30 lower (-1.2%) at $4,889.50/oz, as a firmer U.S. dollar and shifting rate expectations after Kevin Warsh's Fed chair nomination sparked profit-taking and position unwinds. The move was amplified by broader risk aversion, margin pressures in metals futures, and cross-asset liquidation, even as longer-term safe-haven fundamentals remain intact.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Dollar Index is up about +0.2% to $97.82.