Silver price (XAG/USD) edges lower after reaching $39.39, the highest since September 2011, and currently trading around $39.20 per troy ounce during the Asian session on Wednesday. The price of Silver comes under pressure due to dampened safe-haven demand, driven by a wave of trade deals.
United States (US) President Donald Trump announced a trade deal with Japan that includes a 15% tariff on Japanese exports to the US. As part of the agreement, Japan will invest $550 billion in the US and open its markets to key American products.
President Trump said during a meeting with the Philippines President Bongbong Marcos on Tuesday that “I think we will get a trade deal; we're close to a trade deal.” I don't mind if the Philippines gets along with China, he added.
On Tuesday, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that American and Chinese officials will meet in Stockholm next week for a third round of high-level talks. The meeting follows his recent in-person discussions with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in Geneva and London, as both sides work toward extending the current pause in trade tensions beyond mid-August.
The European Union (EU) continues to seek a trade pact with the United States. However, the bloc is preparing retaliatory measures as Trump’s hardline stance heightens the risk of a no-deal outcome. The European Central Bank (ECB) is expected to hold interest rates steady at 2.0% on Thursday after a series of rate cuts.
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.