US Stocks plunged on Friday, as investors reacted to a weak July jobs report and a fresh round of tariffs announced by President Trump. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq fell 1.6% and 2.2%, their steepest drops since April, while the Dow lost 542 points. Payrolls rose by just 73,000 in July, far below expectations, with sharp downward revisions to prior months signaling deeper labor market weakness. Treasury yields fell and the odds of a September Fed rate cut rose above 80%. Sentiment worsened after new tariffs of 10% to 41% were imposed on imports from key partners including Canada, India, and...
UBS expects silver prices to climb in 2025, buoyed by lower U.S. real yields and stronger global industrial production, even as the metal struggles to match gold's central bank-driven gains. Silver prices rose over 20% in 2024 but recently lost momentum due to higher U.S. yields, a strong dollar, and growth concerns outside the U.S. The metal is trading near its 200-day moving average, with speculative short positions growing and ETF holdings stabilizing after significant outflows earlier this year. Despite these headwinds, UBS remains bullish, maintaining a target of $36-$38 per ounce for...
Silver eased to below the $29 per ounce mark, the lowest level since September, amid the outlook of a hawkish Fed and uncertain demand for silver's industrial utility. Concerns of stubborn inflation drove the FOMC to project fewer rate cuts for the upcoming year, driving markets to trim their exposure to non-yielding bullion assets. While the earlier rate cuts by the Fed supported bullion enough to raise silver prices by 23% this year, pessimistic demand for silver as an industrial input drove the metal to sharply underperform gold in the period. Overcapacity in China's solar panel...
Gold prices dipped in thin trade on Monday as traders awaited fresh catalysts, including next week's U.S. economic data that could influence the Federal Reserve's 2025 interest-rate outlook, as well as policies from incoming President Donald Trump. Spot gold fell 0.7% to $2,602.67 per ounce. U.S. gold futures were down 0.7% at $2,615.70. I think it's just the holiday thin trade. Perhaps some squaring of the books before year-end," said Peter Grant, vice president and senior metals strategist at Zaner Metals. Geopolitical tensions are expected to remain high into next year, with central...
Gold (XAU/USD) prices fell near a weekly low of $2,600 in the North American session on Monday. The precious metal faced selling pressure as the US Dollar (USD) recovered intraday losses and turned positive, with the US Dollar Index (DXY) back above 108.00. A higher US Dollar makes Gold prices an expensive bet for market participants. The 10-year US Treasury yield plunged to 4.55% on Monday. Lower yields on interest-bearing assets generally weigh on non-yielding assets, such as Gold, by increasing their opportunity cost. However, the relationship appeared positive on Monday. The outlook...
Silver (XAG/USD) prices traded cautiously near Friday's lows around $29.50 in thin volumes before the New Year on Monday. The white metal was broadly under pressure as the US Dollar (USD) outlook remained firm on expectations that a moderate policy easing cycle by the Federal Reserve (Fed) in 2025 would keep US Treasury yields elevated. The 10-year US Treasury yield fell 0.5% in the European session on Monday but is still almost 15% higher this calendar year near 4.60%. The US Dollar Index (DXY), which tracks the Greenback against a basket of six major currencies, edged lower but remained...