Overview
- Silver traded as high as $75.15 per ounce on Friday, its first move above $75, while gold reached a record $4,531.
- Market commentators say risk aversion has funneled investors into precious metals viewed as defensive assets.
- Since January, gold has risen nearly 70% and silver more than 150%, marking the steepest annual gains since 1979.
- Silver’s rally also reflects persistent industrial demand for semiconductor chips used in AI and data centers.
- Some coverage links U.S. political tensions—including President Trump’s criticism of the Federal Reserve and a 43‑day government shutdown—to weaker confidence in Treasuries and the dollar, with reports of some investors shifting toward cryptocurrencies.