US stocks witnessed a sharp decline on Monday as trade tensions escalated and President Trump openly criticized the Federal Reserve. The major indexes recorded substantial losses, prompting investors to flock to safe-haven assets such as gold. The market turmoil was fueled by apprehensions regarding the Fed’s autonomy and the economic consequences of trade disputes, which in turn led to heightened uncertainty among investors. This uncertainty, in turn, resulted in a weakening US dollar and raised concerns about the possibility of a looming recession.