Silver fell to around $21 per ounce, the lowest in over six months, pressured by the interest rate jitters, surging bond yields, and a stronger dollar. In its latest meeting, the Fed signaled one more hike for 2023 and a slower monetary easing in 2024, which confirmed the interest rates would have to stay elevated longer, raising the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding bullion. Additionally, the ISM Manufacturing PMI rose well above market expectations to 49 in September, supporting the case for the regulator's hawkish tone. Still, silver prices remained underpinned by tight supply, the development of solar panel technologies with higher conduction needs, and hopes for an economic recovery in China after the country's manufacturing activity returned to expansion for the first time in six months.
Silver futures and options contracts are used by mining companies, fabricators of finished products, and users of silver-content industrial materials to manage their price risk. As a precious metal, silver also plays a role in investment portfolios. The largest industrial users of silver are the photographic, jewelry, and electronic industries. The biggest producers of silver are Mexico, Peru, and China followed by Australia, Chile, Bolivia, United States, Poland, and Russia.
If you like it, hit the like button and share your charts in the comments section.
Thank you.