Silver Rises Over 120% YTD 
The COMEX May gold contract is showing unprecedented activity, with 6,712 new contracts written since first notice day—far above the historical mean of 1,525 and previous record of 4,150. Cumulative deliveries have reached nearly 16,000 contracts, surpassing the record set by the March contract. However, this activity is primarily driven by bank house accounts and JP Morgan customer accounts, with Bank of Montreal being the largest buyer at 658,000 ounces. For silver, the May contract is also setting records with JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs customer accounts driving purchases, while banks overall have sold a net 15.8 million ounces to non-banks—the third-highest net sale by banks for a specific contract in history.
Articles
How Margin Hikes Increase Gold and Silver Volatility
Margin hikes can dramatically increase gold and silver volatility — not because fundamentals change, but because leveraged traders are forced to unwind positions. When exchanges like the CME raise margin requirements, cascading liquidations can accelerate corrections and intensify price swings. Understanding how leverage works in futures markets — and how it differs from owning physical metal — is essential for navigating today’s precious metals market.
February 16, 2026
