All articles tagged with #precious metals
Barron's technical analysis suggests silver could bottom around $60, with an entry near $61, before a potential rally toward $97.40 later in the year. The view comes after a drop from the mid-$80s to the mid-$60s and a 10-month monthly uptrend, with bearish RSI signals and high volatility keeping risk in check. If investors have conviction, volatility may present an entry point, per the analysis.
Gold futures rose briefly on Friday but were on track for their third straight weekly decline, pressured by higher energy costs, hawkish signals from the Federal Reserve, and a stronger U.S. dollar that makes non-yielding bullion less attractive.
Gold fell more than 1% in thin liquidity as a firmer dollar supported non-dollar priced bullion, with spot gold around $4,976/oz and US futures near $4,997/oz. Silver dropped about 2% and platinum/palladium also slid, as traders weighed mixed US data and expectations for Fed policy amid holiday closures in the US and Lunar New Year in Asia.
The newsletter describes the Fed’s shift from shrinking reserves to a gradual balance-sheet expansion (starting with about $40B/month and a baseline of $20–$25B/month) to maintain ample reserves and control rates, a milder form of stimulus that could mildly support asset prices. It explains the difference between QE and reserve-management purchases, outlines possible 2026 scenarios and shocks, analyzes Japan’s rising yields and potential yield-curve actions, and notes a volatile but enduring precious-metals trade alongside portfolio updates. Overall, policy is expected to be modestly supportive for assets while emphasizing valuations and diversification.
After a January spike—gold topping $5,300/oz and silver near $120—prices have stabilized in February, but local coin shops are feeling the squeeze as refinery backlogs slow processing and reduce cash flow; shops are limiting daily buys to manage risk while continuing to serve customers.
Gold remains firm after Friday’s historic metals sell-off, with many observers still expecting upside for gold; silver may experience more volatility. UBS cautions that the move reflects normal volatility within a continuing structural uptrend, not the end of the bull market.
Silver extended its volatility, sliding about 11% to around $78.3 per ounce as New York futures fell roughly 8% after a brief rebound; the move follows a near-30% drop last Friday and a record rally earlier in 2025. Analysts say speculative flows, leveraged positions and options-driven trading drove the swings rather than physical demand, with higher margin requirements amplifying the unwinds, while gold also declined about 2%.
On Friday’s 46-year gold plunge, options traders bet the metal could reach $20,000 per ounce by year-end, per SocGen, with open interest rising as investors positioned for extreme outcomes; analysts say the move reflects positioning and ETF flows rather than fundamentals, and SocGen remains bullish on gold, viewing the correction as healthy.
Gold and silver cooled after their meteoric rise, with gold dipping below $4,500 an ounce and silver falling more than 31% on Friday—the largest one-day drop since 2013—before rebounding to about $4,779 and $81 by late morning. The slide followed a stronger dollar and expectations that Fed policy could stay tight under nominee Kevin Warsh, along with margin calls that forced leveraged investors to sell. Analysts are divided on the near-term path, with some predicting a bounce and others warning the rally may have been inflated.
Gold, silver and other precious metals have swung from near-record highs to declines, underscoring volatility in the market. Experts warn sellers to do due diligence, obtain multiple valuations, and consider that value comes from metal as well as stones, design, and ownership terms. Selling to cover debt can help short-term needs but may remove a future asset, so explore different selling routes and remember trends in jewelry preferences (e.g., a shift toward brighter yellow gold).
JPMorgan says central-bank and investor demand could push gold to about $6,300 per ounce by year-end, with 800 tonnes of central-bank buying projected for 2026; gold has slipped to around $4,677/oz after a peak near $5,595, while silver remains near $80/oz and the bank flags a higher floor for silver relative to gold.
Spot gold fell about 6% to $4,565.79/oz and spot silver dropped roughly 12% to $74.48/oz as CME Group raised margin requirements on precious metals after last week’s slide triggered by Kevin Warsh’s nomination for Fed chair, fueling forced liquidations and selling amid higher capital costs; the move wiped out more than $1,000 from gold’s record peak, though some analysts like JPMorgan remain bullish on gold’s medium-term prospects.
Robin J. Brooks argues the debasement trade remains intact despite Friday’s sharp declines in silver and gold. He attributes this to high and rising public debt, political pressure on the Fed to cut rates, and market expectations that the Warsh nomination will be dovish, all of which keep demand for safe havens and potential debt monetization intact even after the metal correction.
Asia-Pacific stocks fell Monday, led by Korea’s Kospi with futures plunging up to 5%, while Hang Seng and CSI 300 also declined. Gold and silver extended Friday’s declines as investors eyed China’s January PMI, which showed manufacturing expanding at 50.3—the strongest reading in months. Bitcoin slipped back under $80,000 and U.S. stock futures edged lower, signaling a cautious session ahead.
Silver’s surge to roughly $120/oz followed by a historic Friday drop to $85 highlighted extreme volatility, but Barron’s argues that silver-miner stocks could offer attractive upside as supply tightens, demand remains robust, and margins expand; key producers like Fresnillo, Hecla, Coeur, Pan American Silver and First Majestic, along with streaming firm Wheaton Precious Metals, provide varied risk/return profiles, while ETFs such as Global X Silver Miners and Sprott Silver Miners & Physical Silver offer diversification—yet investors should brace for continued volatility and potential supply responses.