Silver Rises Over 120% YTD 
Daily News Nuggets | Today’s top stories for gold and silver investors
February 4th, 2026 | Brandon Sauerwein, Editor
Gold Over $5,000, Silver Surges After Deep Sell-Off
Gold futures reclaimed the $5,000/oz mark Wednesday, rebounding after last week’s historic plunge. Prices rose about 3% to roughly $5,070/oz, while silver surged 8–10% toward the $90/oz level. The bounce followed one of the sharpest precious-metals sell-offs in decades, with gold down more than 13% and silver nearly 30% earlier this week.
Traders point to dip-buying and forced liquidations running their course as key drivers of the rebound. After crowded trades unwound, selling pressure eased. Many now view the drop as a technical reset, not a breakdown in underlying demand. Still, volatility remains elevated. Measures like the gold ETF volatility index jumped, signaling markets may stay unsettled.
For investors, the move is a reminder that gold and silver often reassert their role during uncertainty. Inflation remains sticky, rate expectations are shifting, and confidence in policy clarity is fragile. In that backdrop, precious metals continue to draw interest as portfolio stabilizers — even after violent swings.
Some analysts argue this wasn’t a collapse at all, but a reset clearing the way for a steadier advance.
Stay Ahead with Gold & Silver News The most important market insights, Fed updates, and global trends — everything investors need to make smarter, safer decisions.
ING: Gold & Silver Corrected, Not Collapse
Gold and silver have recovered part of their losses after one of the sharpest corrections in years. ING says the move reflects a reset in positioning, not a break in the long-term uptrend. Prices fell after a rapid, speculative rally as crowded trades unwound and a stronger U.S. dollar triggered forced selling.
As selling pressure faded and the dollar eased, buyers returned. That rebound highlights the persistent inverse relationship between precious metals and the greenback. ING notes silver’s outsized swings stem from its smaller market and dual role as an industrial and monetary metal. Gold, by contrast, remains supported by central-bank buying and safe-haven demand.
ING expects metals to advance at a slower, more stable pace going forward. Prices will remain sensitive to dollar moves and rate expectations. Still, structural drivers remain intact. That steadier outlook matters as markets appear complacent about policy risks and growing uncertainty around the Federal Reserve’s future.
Warsh’s Confirmation in Jeopardy Amid Fed Independence Fight
President Trump’s pick for Federal Reserve chair, Kevin Warsh, is facing resistance in Congress. Warsh, a former Fed governor, was initially welcomed by Wall Street as a stabilizing choice. That optimism faded after Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) said he will block the nomination until the Justice Department completes its investigation into current Chair Jerome Powell.
Tillis, a member of the Senate Banking Committee, says unresolved legal pressure threatens the Fed’s independence. He has praised Warsh’s monetary credentials but insists the probe must conclude first. Democrats have also raised concerns about political influence at the central bank, creating a rare bipartisan clash over what is usually a routine confirmation.
With the committee narrowly divided, a Tillis hold could stall the process and delay a full Senate vote. That uncertainty leaves the Fed’s leadership transition unresolved at a sensitive moment for markets.
At the same time, new economic data is testing how much tightening the economy can absorb.
U.S. Hiring Slows Sharply: ADP Shows Tepid Job Gains
U.S. private-sector hiring slowed sharply in January. Payroll processor ADP reported just 22,000 new jobs, well below the roughly 45,000 economists expected. Most gains came from healthcare, restaurants, and hospitality. Hiring in manufacturing and professional services was flat or negative.
The weak report extends a broader trend of cooling labor demand. Employers appear more cautious as growth slows and financing costs stay high. That shift complicates the Federal Reserve’s outlook on wages, inflation, and future rate decisions.
With the official government jobs report delayed by a shutdown, ADP’s data carries extra weight. Markets are watching closely for signs the labor market is bending, not breaking. So far, investors appear relaxed. But persistent softness could force a reassessment of how resilient the economy really is.
And while stocks focus on earnings, other risks may be building beneath the surface.
Burry Warns Bitcoin Slump Could Ripple Through Markets
Michael Burry — the investor famed for The Big Short — warned that Bitcoin’s recent plunge could trigger wider market stress, including knock-on effects for other assets. In a new Substack post, he argued Bitcoin’s slide of roughly 40% from its peak reflects its failure to act as a hedge like gold or silver, and suggested losses may have forced institutional liquidations in precious metals as well.
Burry highlighted the potential for “cascading effects” if Bitcoin continues lower, with certain corporate holders facing steep unrealized losses that could lead to broader risk-off positioning.
His comments underscore lingering debate over crypto’s role in diversified portfolios and raise questions about how digital assets interact with traditional safe havens.
