Gold futures settled 1.4% lower on the Comex exchange, marking a decline in two of the past three trading sessions, as investors turned their attention to an upcoming Federal Reserve interest rate decision. Silver futures also fell, dropping 2.5% and registering losses in three of the past four sessions. The simultaneous weakness in both precious metals reflects cautious market sentiment ahead of the Fed's policy announcement, which traders closely monitor for signals on borrowing costs and monetary direction. Rate decisions by the Federal Reserve are a key driver of precious metals prices, as higher interest rates tend to increase the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding assets such as gold and silver. No additional breakdown of intraday trading ranges or settlement prices were provided in the primary source at the time of publication.