After being overshadowed by gold early in the year, silver has been in the spotlight in recent weeks.
The white metal broke through the US$37 per ounce mark on Tuesday (June 17) for the first time since May 2011.
Recent economic and geopolitical events have raised analysts’ expectations of a September rate cut from the US Federal Reserve, helping to fuel safe-haven buying of silver and gold.
The central bank has held its benchmark rate at 4.25 to 4.5 percent since November 2024.
Silver price, June 10 to June 17, 2025.
CME Group’s (NASDAQ:CME) FedWatch tool shows more than half of market respondents predict a 0.25 percent cut at the Fed’s September meeting, while just 8 percent are expecting the Fed to make a deeper 0.5 percent cut.
The central bank is widely expected to leave rates unchanged at its June and July meetings.
Silver’s price surge also comes amid escalating tensions between Israel and Iran. The two countries have come closer to war in recent days, with Israel striking nuclear and military targets deep in Iran.
On Monday (June 16), US President Trump took to Truth Social to urge a complete evacuation of Tehran ahead of planned strikes on targets in the city. He also urged Iran to abandon its nuclear ambitions.
On the economic front, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics released its May consumer price index figures on June 11. The data shows inflationary growth, with the all-items index ticking up to 2.4 percent from 2.3 percent in June.
Growth was tempered mainly by falling prices at the pumps. Additionally, retail prices have yet to feel the full impact of US tariffs as retailers continue to work through stockpiles acquired earlier in the year.
Elsewhere, gold and equity markets weren’t faring as well on Tuesday.
Gold was flat, trading at US$3,385 per ounce. It has surged more than 25 percent this year, setting a slew of new price records, and has continued to trade in elevated territory, fueled by the same conditions as silver’s recent run. However, silver benefits from a lower entry point for investors looking for more affordable safe-haven investments.
The S&P 500 (INDEXSP: INX) was down on Tuesday, recording a 0.78 percent decline to 5,986. The Nasdaq-100 (INDEXNASDAQ: NDX) was also down, falling 0.89 percent to 21,744, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDEXDJX: .DJI) slipped 0.68 percent to 42,222.
Securities Disclosure: I, Dean Belder, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.