Jerome Powell, chairman of the US Federal Reserve, during a news conference following a Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting in Washington, DC, US, on Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026. As expected, the U.S. Federal Reserve left its key interest rate steady in a range between 3.5%-3.75%. But what investors were really keeping their eyes peeled for were signs of political fingerprints on the independent central bank. Meanwhile, gold prices surged past $5,500 to hit another record high — but one analyst thinks the precious metals markets is "broken." With Apple next in line to report earnings, investors have plenty, still, to monitor.