Gold and Silver Industry & Investing News

Nvidia has become the first company to hit a $4 trillion market cap, riding the AI wave and sustained demand for its cutting-edge chips. Shares hit a record high Wednesday and continued climbing Thursday, as investors remain bullish on the company’s dominance in AI hardware and software. Major tech firms like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft are pouring billions into Nvidia’s chips to build out massive AI data centers. Despite a $4.5 billion loss from U.S. export bans to China — and more to come — Nvidia continues to grow, bolstered by sovereign AI contracts and the upcoming release of its...

Copper traders are racing against time as President Trump’s 50% tariff on imports is set to take effect August 1. With U.S. copper futures trading at a 25% premium to global prices, the rush is on to complete shipments and lock in profits before the tariff hits. To speed things up, cargoes are being diverted to faster U.S. entry points like Hawaii and Puerto Rico, while inventories surge at hubs like New Orleans and Panama City. Some traders are even paying $400 per ton above London prices to secure qualifying copper. But major questions remain: Will the tariff apply to...

Japan is preparing for a major bond auction this week, and markets are on edge. A sale of 20-year government bonds on Thursday comes as investors worry about rising yields and the country’s growing debt. Those concerns are being fueled by politics—Japan’s ruling party is promising cash giveaways to win votes, while opposition leaders push for tax cuts. With elections just around the corner, big institutional investors are expected to sit on the sidelines, waiting to see how the government handles spending after July 20. Even though Japan has trimmed how many long-term bonds it plans to sell, yields are...

Tensions are rising between Brazil and the United States after President Trump announced a steep 50% tariff on Brazilian imports, set to take effect August 1. In response, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva vowed to retaliate with equivalent countermeasures, invoking a newly passed law that permits proportional responses to foreign economic actions. Trump’s tariff announcement cited both economic grievances and political motivations, including Brazil’s prosecution of former President Jair Bolsonaro, a Trump ally. The letter Trump sent to Lula accused Brazil of undermining free speech and digital trade, though his claims conflict with U.S. government trade data showing...

Metal markets are booming—led by copper joining gold, silver, and platinum in a broad rally. Since the start of the year, gold and silver are each up about 26%, platinum has soared 49%, and copper has jumped nearly 12% following a new 50% import tariff announced by President Trump. But what’s driving this surge, and what does it mean? Three key thoughts emerge: – Metals are rallying even without high inflation, suggesting markets are anticipating something not reflected in official CPI figures. – The new copper tariffs aim to boost domestic production, but could ironically raise costs for U.S. manufacturing...

Gold prices climbed Thursday, driven by a weaker U.S. dollar and expectations of future interest rate cuts. Spot gold rose 0.4% to $3,327.42 per ounce, while U.S. gold futures gained 0.5%. The dollar’s pullback made gold more attractive to international buyers, and analysts suggest that Trump’s recent trade moves—like a 50% tariff on copper and new tariff notices to seven countries—are contributing to “dollar-negative” sentiment. Markets reacted calmly to the new tariffs, with global stocks rising, indicating investor fatigue over trade headlines. Meanwhile, the Fed minutes showed most officials are cautious about cutting rates soon due to inflation concerns, though...

Oil prices slipped Wednesday, but the energy market remains on edge. A deadly attack in the Red Sea, lower U.S. output forecasts, and new copper tariffs from President Trump are all influencing prices. Brent and WTI both fell slightly as traders weighed the risks. There’s a lot happening at once: OPEC+ is adding more oil to the market, but inventories haven’t climbed, showing strong demand. Meanwhile, U.S. travel surged over the July 4 weekend, giving short-term support to fuel prices. The big question now is how rising global tensions and shifting trade policies will shape energy markets going forward.

A growing gap between two key consumer confidence measures is flashing a warning sign for the U.S. economy—and the stock market. The unusually wide spread between the Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) and the University of Michigan’s Consumer Sentiment Index (UMI) has historically signaled an increased risk of recession. Right now, that spread is in the top 10% of its historical range, a level associated with a tripled chance of recession within 12 months. The disconnect suggests Americans are generally optimistic about the economy—but more worried about their personal financial situations. This divergence has preceded weaker performance in stocks,...