Silver price (XAG/USD) recovers its recent losses, trading around $30.80 per troy ounce during the Asian trading session on Friday. The demand for non-interest-bearing Silver rises following comments made by US President Donald Trump late Thursday.
Trump expressed his desire for the US Federal Reserve (Fed) to lower interest rates without delay. “With Oil prices falling, I’ll demand that interest rates be cut immediately, and they should be reduced worldwide,” he said during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
Additionally, industrial demand for Silver may have strengthened following US President Donald Trump's comments about his preference to avoid tariffs on China, the world's largest consumer of metals and a manufacturing hub. Trump expressed optimism about reaching a deal with China after a conversation with President Xi Jinping on Thursday, suggesting potential progress in US-China trade negotiations.
Traders are likely to continue turning to safe-haven assets like Silver, remaining cautious amid uncertainty surrounding the impact of Trump’s proposed tariffs and immigration policies. On Tuesday, Trump also announced plans to impose a 25% tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico, along with duties on the European Union.
The US Dollar Index (DXY), which measures the US Dollar's performance against six major currencies, continues to decline as US Treasury yields depreciate amid improved risk sentiment. The DXY has fallen below 107.00, with the 2-year and 10-year US Treasury yields standing at 4.26% and 4.63%, respectively, at the time of writing. This shift could be contributing to the uptrend in non-yielding metals like Silver, which are seeing increased appeal.
Silver is a precious metal highly traded among investors. It has been historically used as a store of value and a medium of exchange. Although less popular than Gold, traders may turn to Silver to diversify their investment portfolio, for its intrinsic value or as a potential hedge during high-inflation periods. Investors can buy physical Silver, in coins or in bars, or trade it through vehicles such as Exchange Traded Funds, which track its price on international markets.
Silver prices can move due to a wide range of factors. Geopolitical instability or fears of a deep recession can make Silver price escalate due to its safe-haven status, although to a lesser extent than Gold's. As a yieldless asset, Silver tends to rise with lower interest rates. Its moves also depend on how the US Dollar (USD) behaves as the asset is priced in dollars (XAG/USD). A strong Dollar tends to keep the price of Silver at bay, whereas a weaker Dollar is likely to propel prices up. Other factors such as investment demand, mining supply – Silver is much more abundant than Gold – and recycling rates can also affect prices.
Silver is widely used in industry, particularly in sectors such as electronics or solar energy, as it has one of the highest electric conductivity of all metals – more than Copper and Gold. A surge in demand can increase prices, while a decline tends to lower them. Dynamics in the US, Chinese and Indian economies can also contribute to price swings: for the US and particularly China, their big industrial sectors use Silver in various processes; in India, consumers’ demand for the precious metal for jewellery also plays a key role in setting prices.
Silver prices tend to follow Gold's moves. When Gold prices rise, Silver typically follows suit, as their status as safe-haven assets is similar. The Gold/Silver ratio, which shows the number of ounces of Silver needed to equal the value of one ounce of Gold, may help to determine the relative valuation between both metals. Some investors may consider a high ratio as an indicator that Silver is undervalued, or Gold is overvalued. On the contrary, a low ratio might suggest that Gold is undervalued relative to Silver.
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