Gold and Silver Industry & Investing News

The US economy faces mounting challenges as job growth slows dramatically and inflation remains stubbornly above target. July’s employment report showed just 73,000 jobs added, well below expectations, while the unemployment rate ticked up to 4.2%. Despite wage gains, inflation concerns persist with tariff-induced price pressures expected to push inflation toward 3.1% by year-end. The Federal Reserve faces a difficult balancing act between fighting inflation and supporting employment, with economists projecting GDP growth to slow to just 1% in the second half of 2025 as consumer spending weakens and businesses pull back on hiring.

The Trump administration has expanded its 50% steel and aluminum tariffs to include 407 additional product categories, effective Monday. The new tariffs now cover everyday items containing steel or aluminum, including auto parts, fire extinguishers, machinery, construction materials, plastics, and specialty chemicals. Experts estimate these tariffs now affect at least $320 billion of imports, up from $190 billion, potentially adding more inflationary pressure to rising prices.

President Trump’s demands for the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates by three percentage points have raised investor concerns about “fiscal dominance”—a scenario where keeping government borrowing costs low takes priority over fighting inflation. With a recent budget bill adding trillions to US debt and Trump arguing rate cuts could save $1 trillion annually in interest costs, markets fear a return to an era of politically influenced monetary policy. The dollar has already fallen 10% this year while Treasury yields remain elevated, signaling investor worries about inflation risks. Historical precedents from Germany’s 1920s hyperinflation and Argentina’s economic crises serve as...

Gold prices are holding steady around $3,320-$3,350 per ounce as investors await two key developments: US-led diplomatic efforts to end the Ukraine war and the Federal Reserve’s Jackson Hole symposium starting Friday. Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s keynote speech is expected to provide hints about potential interest rate cuts in September, with markets pricing in an 83% probability of a 25-basis-point reduction. Lower rates typically benefit gold as a non-yielding asset.

Gold prices increased by 0.4% to $3,329.89 per ounce on Wednesday, though they continue to hover near their lowest levels in three weeks. The precious metal is trading sideways as investors await two key events: the release of the Federal Reserve’s July meeting minutes and Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s speech at the Jackson Hole central banking conference on Friday. Market analysts suggest gold needs the Fed to resume rate cuts to move higher, while the strong U.S. dollar is creating additional headwinds. Gold traditionally performs well during periods of low interest rates and economic uncertainty. Other precious metals showed mixed...

Throughout history, the dominant world currency has belonged to the leading global power — Rome, Britain, and now the U.S. Since breaking from gold in 1971, the U.S. dollar has remained unrivaled thanks to America’s financial depth, military strength, and global trade role. But growing distrust in U.S. policy, coupled with sanctions and protectionism, has revived gold’s role as a safe haven. Attempts to create alternatives, like China’s yuan, the euro, or a BRICS currency, have faltered. With no credible replacement for the dollar yet, gold’s surge reflects both protection against U.S. unpredictability and a slow shift toward a multipolar...

The SMO Physical Gold ETC (BARS), marketed by Tabula and managed by Zipa Investment Management, has collapsed from over $1 billion to just $5.6 million in assets after abrupt redemptions this month. The ESG-linked gold fund initially attracted strong interest with its “responsibly sourced” pitch, but the sudden exodus—potentially tied to one large investor—has left it nearly empty. Unlike BARS, rival gold ETCs are still seeing inflows, suggesting this is a product-specific issue rather than a market-wide trend.

Gold has outshined every major asset in 2025, climbing 28% so far and reaching $3,337 per ounce in mid-August. UBS forecasts the metal to hit $3,500 by December and keep rising into 2026. Driving factors include central banks’ steady buying, the strongest ETF inflows since 2010, and rising global demand—the highest since 2011. UBS points to U.S. fiscal concerns, geopolitical tensions, and a weaker dollar as further support. While higher Fed rates remain a risk, the bank says gold remains a key hedge and portfolio diversifier.

Gold is often dismissed as outdated, but the numbers tell another story. Adding just 10% gold to an equity-heavy portfolio barely reduced returns yet significantly cut risk and improved downside protection. In nearly every major downturn over the past decade, gold buffered losses—helping investors stay the course when markets were at their worst. Despite lacking yield, gold remains a crisis-tested store of value trusted worldwide, making it an obvious choice for portfolio resilience.