Palladium futures fell more than 5% to around $1,723 per ounce, retreating from a near one-week high amid weakness across platinum group metals. The broader sell-off in the precious metals reflected profit-taking and a firmer US dollar, which strengthened as markets positioned ahead of key US economic data this week, including payroll and services sector releases that investors see as critical for the Federal Reserve’s policy outlook. Recent commentary from Fed officials, including Governor Stephen Miran’s remarks on the potential need for significant rate cuts this year, has kept monetary policy expectations firmly in focus. Earlier in the week, palladium prices had climbed following heightened geopolitical tensions after the United States captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in a military operation. The development sparked a brief surge in safe-haven demand across precious metals as investors reacted to the potential for broader regional instability.
