Silver Rises Over 120% YTD 
Daily News Nuggets | Today’s top stories for gold and silver investors
February 13th, 2026 | Brandon Sauerwein, Editor
Inflation Report Complicates Fed’s Next Move
The gold price and inflation outlook are once again driving market volatility. January’s Consumer Price Index (CPI), the government’s primary measure of inflation, showed price growth slowing to an annual rate of 2.4%, undershooting forecasts for 2.5%. Core inflation — which excludes food and energy — held at 2.5%, matching expectations. Some goods categories showed moderation, but not enough to suggest a decisive cooling trend.
Economists caution that inflation is not slowing quickly enough to justify an aggressive shift toward rate cuts. The Federal Reserve may be nearing the end of its hiking cycle, but the case for imminent easing remains fragile.
Markets responded cautiously. Treasury yields moved higher, equities wavered, and gold held support. The reaction reflects lingering concern that inflation could remain sticky while growth begins to soften.
The report does not signal a renewed hawkish pivot. However, it complicates the Fed’s ability to ease policy in the near term. If rate cuts are delayed while inflation stays elevated, real yields remain restrictive — a backdrop that often pressures risk assets.
Stay Ahead with Gold & Silver News The most important market insights, Fed updates, and global trends — everything investors need to make smarter, safer decisions.
Fed Policy May Be Tighter Than It Looks
Despite the broad assumption that rate hikes are over, financial conditions may remain more restrictive than markets appreciate. Real interest rates are still elevated, and liquidity indicators suggest the system has not fully normalized.
At the same time, fiscal deficits remain substantial. Treasury issuance continues at a rapid pace. Tight monetary policy layered over heavy debt supply creates ongoing tension in the bond market.
Fed Governor Stephen Miran reinforced this dynamic on Thursday as he again laid out the case for additional interest-rate cuts. His comments reflect growing concern that policy may already be restrictive enough to slow the economy.
The key point is this: policy does not need further hikes to remain tight. Elevated real rates alone can weigh on credit formation and business investment. Markets appear focused on the timing of the first cut, but may be underestimating how long restrictive conditions can persist.
If growth begins to soften while inflation remains sticky, the Fed faces a difficult tradeoff. That policy tension tends to unsettle risk assets and lift demand for hard assets.
Gold Pauses Sell-Off as Buyers Step Back In
Gold prices have stabilized after a sharp sell-off that rattled markets in recent sessions. The metal is up 1.5% today, trading near $4,998 per ounce, at the time of this writing.
The earlier drop was amplified by margin calls and algorithmic trading. Weakness in U.S. equities spilled into commodities, forcing some investors to liquidate positions to cover losses. The selling appeared mechanical rather than fundamentally driven.
Despite the volatility, bullion found support near key technical levels. Buyers stepped in quickly, suggesting the move reflected forced unwinds more than a shift in long-term demand.
Importantly, the macro backdrop has not materially changed. Inflation remains elevated, and policy uncertainty persists. Yet markets often treat sharp pullbacks as evidence the gold thesis is weakening.
The recent rebound highlights how closely the gold price and inflation outlook are intertwined, especially as investors reassess rate-cut expectations.
Investing in Physical Metals Made Easy
China Warns on Gold Volatility as Retail Demand Surges
Chinese regulators this week cautioned investors about heightened volatility in gold-linked ETFs, as retail demand continues to spike. Trading volumes in leveraged gold products have surged alongside record local gold prices.
China has been a steady source of physical gold demand. Households continue to buy, and the central bank remains active. However, officials now worry that speculative activity may be outpacing underlying fundamentals in some products.
Retail enthusiasm often reflects more than price momentum. It can signal deeper concern about domestic growth, currency stability, or financial markets. In China’s case, strong gold buying may point to rising anxiety beneath the surface.
Chinese demand has been one of gold’s key pillars in recent years. Markets often focus on U.S. policy and ETF flows, but Asia’s physical demand can be just as influential. Any acceleration — or sudden slowdown — in Chinese buying could ripple through global prices.
Lundin Gold Commits $100 Million to Ecuador Exploration
Canadian miner Lundin Gold will invest $100 million in 2026 exploration around its Fruta del Norte mine in Ecuador. The program includes roughly 133,000 meters of drilling, both underground and across surface concessions in Zamora-Chinchipe.
The goal is to extend the mine’s life beyond its original ~12-year plan and grow resource bases by identifying new deposits and expanding known zones. Fruta del Norte remains one of the world’s higher-grade underground gold operations, making reserve expansion economically attractive at current price levels.
The commitment signals confidence in the durability of elevated gold prices. Exploration spending tends to follow strong price cycles, as higher margins justify deeper drilling and longer mine plans.
Still, expanding supply is neither immediate nor guaranteed. Even with aggressive drilling, new ounces take years to bring online. In a market supported by resilient demand, incremental supply growth may do little to alter the broader balance.
