Gold and Silver Industry & Investing News

Federal Reserve Bank of New York President John Williams reassured markets on Friday that inflation expectations remain stable, with “no sign of inflation expectations becoming unmoored at any forecast horizon relative to the pre-pandemic period.” Speaking at the U.S. Monetary Policy Forum in New York, Williams highlighted that these expectations have fully returned to levels observed between mid-2013 and mid-2016, before they declined during the pre-pandemic period of persistently low inflation. This stability comes despite concerns that the Trump administration’s proposed substantial tariffs could increase price pressures, as most economists anticipate these import taxes—largely paid by Americans—will push inflation higher....

February saw global gold ETFs attract $9.4 billion—their strongest month since March 2022 and third consecutive month of growth. North American funds dominated with $6.8 billion in new investments, their best February ever and largest monthly inflow since July 2020. This surge was fueled by physical gold shipments into COMEX vaults, falling Treasury rates, a weaker dollar, and growing stagflation concerns. Asian investors added $2.3 billion, with China leading despite strong equity markets, as evidenced by gold-related searches hitting their highest level since 2013. Indian inflows remained healthy but below January’s record, while Japanese funds saw their fifth straight month...

VanEck portfolio manager Imaru Casanova forecasts gold could reach $3,250 per ounce by late 2025, extending its 43% rise over the past year. This bull run is driven by central banks dramatically increasing gold purchases—roughly 1,000 tonnes annually since 2022, double their pre-Ukraine invasion levels—as they seek protection against geopolitical risks and economic uncertainty. Despite gold’s surge, gold mining stocks have underperformed, creating potential investment opportunities as miners’ profit margins have more than doubled from $591 to $1,204 per ounce despite rising production costs.

Russia has begun piloting a blockchain-based digital gold system for international settlements, with the goal of reducing its reliance on the dollar and circumventing sanctions. These digital assets are tokens backed by physical gold stored in vaults, with values pegged to international gold prices. The initial test involves purchasing these digital gold assets with rubles, with repayment scheduled for May 2025. Capital Lab partner Evgeny Shatov emphasized that this initiative represents the first application of digital gold assets for settling international payments, potentially opening new avenues for trade. The strategic move aims to serve dual purposes: helping Russia reduce its...

Global antimony supplies face increasing pressure as the US and Europe seek to replenish munitions stockpiles depleted by Ukraine’s war effort. With prices almost quadrupling in the past year, China’s export restrictions have created a severe supply crunch in this critical metal used in bullet cores and explosives. Larvotto Resources is preparing to open a rare Western-owned antimony mine in Australia next year, but the current global production of 80,000 tons falls far short of the 120,000 tons needed annually. Though military applications represent a small portion of demand, growing defense spending in Europe could further strain the market.

Early indicators suggest the U.S. job market may be weakening ahead of February’s employment report, with analysts expecting 170,000 new payrolls compared to January’s 143,000. Trump’s economic policies, including tariff threats and federal job cuts through Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), are creating uncertainty. Recent data shows February job cuts reached their highest level since mid-2020, while ADP reported only 77,000 private sector jobs added last month—far below the 148,000 forecast. Meanwhile, major retailers warn they’ll likely pass tariff costs to consumers, adding to economic concerns.

President Trump’s rapid and inconsistent implementation of tariffs during his first six weeks in office has created widespread confusion among trading partners and businesses. His administration has repeatedly announced sweeping tariffs only to reverse course with exemptions and deferrals, particularly regarding Canada, Mexico, and China. This chaotic approach has occurred while key trade positions remained unfilled, leaving decisions largely to protectionist advisor Peter Navarro. The uncertainty has contributed to stock market declines and eroding consumer confidence, despite White House claims that the strategy reflects Trump’s urgency to address trade inequities.

Gold prices rose 0.3% to $2,918.65 an ounce on Friday, heading toward its best weekly performance in six months with gains exceeding 2% since Monday. Three main factors are driving this rally: concerns about President Trump’s unpredictable tariff policies, the U.S. dollar’s worst weekly slide since November (which makes gold more affordable for international buyers), and weak economic data, particularly slowing private payroll growth. Investors are now focused on Friday’s crucial U.S. jobs report and Fed Chair Powell’s upcoming economic speech. Although the Federal Reserve has kept interest rates unchanged after cutting them three times last year, markets expect rate...

Australia sent an unprecedented A$4.6 billion ($2.9 billion) worth of gold to the United States in January, marking the highest export volume since records began in 1995. Though Australia typically ships gold to closer Asian markets, traders redirected supplies to capitalize on extreme price differences between key markets. This disruption occurred as fears of potential Trump tariffs caused Comex futures prices to surge over London spot prices, creating persistent premiums that incentivized US imports. While this price dislocation has recently decreased as physical market tightness eases, New York exchange warehouses now hold record gold volumes. The market remains uncertain about...