Fed Turmoil, Gold Hits New Highs, and Crypto Holds Steady: PALvatar Market Recap, January 12 2026 - Real Vision Daily Briefing Recap

Podcast: Real Vision Daily Briefing

Published: 2026-01-12

Duration: 5 minutes

Summary

The episode dives into the turmoil surrounding Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's criminal investigation, sparking gold prices to hit new highs while the crypto market shows resilience.

What Happened

The episode begins with a major development as Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell is under criminal investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice, causing turmoil in the U.S. markets. Powell's investigation relates to the Fed's renovation works and his testimony about them, which he claims is a pretext for not lowering interest rates as much as President Donald Trump intended.

Gold prices surged to a new high of $4,600 due to concerns about the Fed's independence and the ongoing investigation. This increase reflects investor anxiety and a potential shift towards safer assets amidst the market's uncertainty.

In the crypto market, Bitcoin remained relatively stable despite the macroeconomic drama, starting the week at around $90,000. Privacy coins, however, experienced more activity, with Monero reaching an all-time high, highlighting increased interest in privacy-focused cryptocurrencies.

Coinbase has been actively lobbying U.S. lawmakers to maintain crypto exchanges' ability to reward customers holding stablecoins, as potential restrictions are considered under the Digital Asset Market Structure Bill.

In Europe, investor sentiment showed signs of improvement, with the Eurozone Centix Investor Confidence Index rising from December's figures. This increase surpassed expectations but still reflects a subdued recovery process.

The episode notes the upcoming release of key U.S. inflation data and China's export figures, which could further influence market dynamics. The anticipation of these data releases keeps markets on edge.

Listeners are encouraged to join Andreas Steno and Mikkel Rosenvold on Macro Mondays for deeper analysis of these developments. Pro reports from Delphi Digital are also highlighted as valuable resources for understanding the current economic landscape.

Key Insights

• The U.S. Department of Justice is conducting a criminal investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, focusing on Fed renovation works and his related testimony, which he claims is used as a reason for not reducing interest rates as desired by President Donald Trump.
• Gold prices have reached a historic high of $4,600, driven by investor concerns over the Federal Reserve's independence amidst the ongoing investigation into Jerome Powell.
• Bitcoin's price has remained relatively stable at around $90,000 despite macroeconomic uncertainties, while Monero, a privacy-focused cryptocurrency, has hit an all-time high, indicating a growing interest in privacy coins.
• Coinbase is lobbying U.S. lawmakers to ensure crypto exchanges can continue rewarding customers holding stablecoins, as the Digital Asset Market Structure Bill considers potential restrictions on these practices.