Silver Price Forecast: XAG/USD posts monthly highs above $32.50 due to safe-haven demand
- Silver price advances due to rising safe-haven demand amid growing US fiscal concerns.
- The safe-haven demand increases amid rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
- Ukraine will ask the European Union to seize Russian assets after President Trump pulled back from tightening sanctions.
Silver price (XAG/USD) rises to near $32.60 per troy ounce during the Asian trading hours on Thursday, gaining ground for the third successive session. Precious metals, including Silver, attract buyers amid rising safe-haven demand over growing fiscal concerns in the United States (US).
Moody’s downgraded the US credit rating from Aaa to Aa1, following similar downgrades by Fitch Ratings in 2023 and Standard & Poor’s in 2011. Moody’s also predicted that US federal debt is expected to climb to around 134% of GDP by 2035, up from 98% in 2023, with the budget deficit expected to widen to nearly 9% of GDP. This deterioration is attributed to rising debt-servicing costs, expanding entitlement programs, and falling tax revenues.
Additionally, the ongoing geopolitical unrest in the Middle East dampens the risk sentiment and drives investors toward safe-haven assets like Silver. However, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel would charge ahead with a military campaign to gain total control of Gaza, in the event of, failure of the return of hostages. Reuters cited the Israeli military as saying to let 100 aid trucks into the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, as UN officials reported that distribution issues had meant that no aid had so far reached people in need.
Next week, Ukraine is set to ask the European Union (EU) to seize Russian assets and put sanctions on some buyers of Russian Oil. As President Trump backed off from tightening sanctions, Ukraine will present an unreported white paper to the EU, asking 27-member countries to take an independent position on sanctions.
Silver FAQs
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.