Overview
- Spot silver jumped more than 4% to a record, briefly touching about $75.14 an ounce in thin Asia trading.
- Gold traded above $4,500 and printed fresh peaks around $4,503–$4,539, as U.S. and Japanese stock benchmarks also stand at records late in the year.
- Year to date, gold is up roughly 70% and silver more than 150%, putting both on pace for their strongest annual gains since 1979.
- The advance is supported by three Federal Reserve rate cuts, a softer dollar and safe‑haven demand linked to U.S. pressure on Venezuela.
- Central‑bank accumulation and investor buying have lifted ETF holdings—including a gain of over 20% in SPDR Gold Trust assets—while silver’s supply remains tight after October’s short squeeze and traders await a U.S. Commerce Department imports probe.