On this October 16th, 2025 episode of The Gentle Ledger, markets trembled under the weight of renewed banking stress. The Dow and S&P 500 slipped as regional banks like Zions and Western Alliance reignited credit concerns, while gold climbed to a record $4,241 per ounce, drawing refuge from the storm. Treasury yields fell below 4 percent, oil softened, and Bitcoin drifted near $108,000 amid risk aversion. Through soft, reflective narration, this episode traces the quiet tension beneath the week’s movements — a day when fear whispered through the markets, and gold became its echo.