Gold's record-breaking rally has stalled — and the culprit is not a geopolitical ceasefire or a collapse in investor anxiety.

Precious metals markets weathered significant turbulence this week, ultimately closing near their Monday opening levels after a dramatic mid-week flash crash tested key support levels.

Precious metals experienced sharp declines Thursday morning as a broad-based selloff swept across multiple asset classes, with analysts attributing the move to forced liquidation rather than fundamental factors.