Gold futures experienced significant volatility, dropping to $4,021 an ounce in morning trading, following its steepest daily decline in over 12 years. The pullback halted a major upward trend that had persisted since mid-August, though Gold futures remain up approximately 55% for the year. The initial rally was driven by the "debasement trade," with investors seeking protection from large budget deficits and speculating on Federal Reserve interest rate cuts. Additional demand was supported by central banks diversifying away from the dollar and retail investors moving into futures. The ongoing US government shutdown is leaving traders without key positioning data from the CFTC, which could lead to unusually large speculative positions. Markets are also weighing potential trade progress between the US and China. The CME FedWatch Tool indicates a 98.9% chance of a 25 basis point rate cut at the October 28-29 meeting.