Silver (XAG/USD) correction found support at the mid-range of 47.00 on Tuesday and bounced up strongly on Wednesday, with precious metals buoyed by risk aversion amid political woes in Japan and France and the US government shutdown.
The US political impasse entered its second week with Senate Democrats and Republicans unable to find a way to restore government funding. Traders are starting to come to terms with a prolonged shutdown and are seeking shelter in safe-haven assets, such as precious metals.
Technical analysis: Resistance at $49.25 might challenge bulls
The technical picture shows the pair trading higher within an ascending channel from mid-September lows. The 4-Hour RSI reflects a bearish divergence, but the supportive fundamental context is keeping downside attempts limited for now.
To the upside, the next target is the 161.8% Fibonacci extension of the September 17 to September 24 rally, ahead of the top of the mentioned channel, at $49.65 and the $50.00 psychological level.
Supports are at Tuesday’s low of $47.50 and trendline support, at $47.10. Furhrer down, the September 30 and October 2 low, at the $45.90-$46.00 area would come into focus.
Silver FAQs
Silver is a precious metal highly traded among investors. It has been historically used as a store of value and a medium of exchange. Although less popular than Gold, traders may turn to Silver to diversify their investment portfolio, for its intrinsic value or as a potential hedge during high-inflation periods. Investors can buy physical Silver, in coins or in bars, or trade it through vehicles such as Exchange Traded Funds, which track its price on international markets.
Silver prices can move due to a wide range of factors. Geopolitical instability or fears of a deep recession can make Silver price escalate due to its safe-haven status, although to a lesser extent than Gold’s. As a yieldless asset, Silver tends to rise with lower interest rates. Its moves also depend on how the US Dollar (USD) behaves as the asset is priced in dollars (XAG/USD). A strong Dollar tends to keep the price of Silver at bay, whereas a weaker Dollar is likely to propel prices up. Other factors such as investment demand, mining supply – Silver is much more abundant than Gold – and recycling rates can also affect prices.
Silver is widely used in industry, particularly in sectors such as electronics or solar energy, as it has one of the highest electric conductivity of all metals – more than Copper and Gold. A surge in demand can increase prices, while a decline tends to lower them. Dynamics in the US, Chinese and Indian economies can also contribute to price swings: for the US and particularly China, their big industrial sectors use Silver in various processes; in India, consumers’ demand for the precious metal for jewellery also plays a key role in setting prices.
Silver prices tend to follow Gold’s moves. When Gold prices rise, Silver typically follows suit, as their status as safe-haven assets is similar. The Gold/Silver ratio, which shows the number of ounces of Silver needed to equal the value of one ounce of Gold, may help to determine the relative valuation between both metals. Some investors may consider a high ratio as an indicator that Silver is undervalued, or Gold is overvalued. On the contrary, a low ratio might suggest that Gold is undervalued relative to Silver.
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