Global Shares Mixed, Gold Plunges as Investors Lock In Profits

22 October 2025 – Global stock markets traded in mixed fashion today, while gold prices plunged sharply after an extended rally as investors began to lock in profits.

In the Asia-Pacific region, the MSCI Asia Pacific (ex-Japan) index slid by 0.61%, with U.S. futures for the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 registering modest gains. Markets are closely eyeing the upcoming Federal Reserve meeting and fresh U.S. economic data.

Gold, despite having surged more than 50% this year on back of economic uncertainty and rate-cut expectations, dropped severely without an obvious new catalyst entering the market.

“One of the key factors is the massive over-extension of gold positioning. Once you have that many speculative positions, you’re vulnerable to a sharp pull-back,” said Tony Sycamore, market analyst at IG.

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 managed a slight rebound after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi announced plans for a major stimulus package, giving markets hope of renewed liquidity.

The yen traded narrowly around ¥151.77 per dollar, while oil prices edged higher on supply-risk concerns linked to Russian sanctions.

Outlook: The market appears to be taking a breather after a strong run-up. Profit-taking is clearly underway, and the coming week’s central bank meetings and economic releases will be critical in setting the next direction for risk assets.