Silver prices traded relatively flat on Thursday, gaining 12 cents. However, due to the uncertain global economy stemming from the Eurozone crisis, many analysts have cut their forecasts for the year.
Safe haven demand has left the precious metals market and headed over to the US dollar and Treasurys as Eurozone economic woes are expected to further strengthen the greenback. But, the US is itself still embroiled in a financial crisis. How much longer can the greenback remain king?
As investors look for save havens in precious metals amidst fears of currency inflation across the globe, a bullish outlook is projected for silver as a more affordable alternative to gold, though some analysts warn that even if they have been following similar recent price trends, the two metals should be viewed as unique and separate assets.
When precious metals prices got a boost from the dollar’s losses Monday, silver shot up nearly 3 percent while gold barely moved up less than a quarter percent from Friday. Silver’s industrial side is partly responsible for its continued outperformance of gold in the precious metals market.
Silver is showing it’s still very much tied to gold, tracking the yellow metal down on price chopping news out of China, the oil trade and the currency markets.
Friday, January 20, 2012