March 28, 2024

Gold and Silver Prices Gain on Week

As measured by the London PM Fix price, gold and silver prices gained on the week after declining approximately 1% each in the previous week.  Gold gained $8.50 per ounce on the week to $1,420.00.  Silver was the stand out gainer on the week with a 3% or $1.05 per ounce gain.   As the situation in Japan and Libya stabilized somewhat, the recent panic selling in financial markets subsided as bargain hunters moved in, although in late trading, stocks gave up much of their gains.  Gold and silver also pulled back slightly in New York trading with gold at $1417.80 and silver at $35.10.

As market analysts worried about the potential for slower economic growth due to the disaster in Japan, classic industrial metals saw further price erosion after significant losses in the prior week.  Platinum fell by $57 on  the week and palladium dropped by $27.  Over the past two weeks, platinum has declined by $108 or over 6% while palladium was off $84 for over a 10% loss.

Precious Metals Prices
Fri PM Fix Since Last Recap
Gold $1,420.00 +8.50 (+0.60%)
Silver $35.15 +1.05 (+3.08%)
Platinum $1,720.00 -57.00 (-3.21%)
Palladium $727.00 -27.00 (-3.58%

As discussed last week , the fundamental forces propelling gold higher remain intact.  The devastation in Japan will require massive amounts of additional borrowing by a government already reaching the limits of its borrowing ability.  Expect Japan to follow the policy of the Federal Reserve with massive amounts of quantitative easing.   The currencies of Japan, Europe and the United States all face a loss of real purchasing value as governments engage in money printing to meet spending and borrowing needs that have spiraled out of control.

The toxic combination of  low economic growth, weak personal incomes and public resistance to additional tax increases have left governments with no other choice than to engage in massive expansion of the public debt.  As constraints on governments’ borrowing ability have grown, the last resort option of money printing will continue to result in the debasement  of currencies.  Increases in the price of precious metals have no upside limit under this scenario.

Silver remains the primary investment choice of many as the metal reasserts itself in relationship to the price of gold.  If the very long term historical gold silver ratio reasserts itself as many expect, the price of silver could easily close in on the $100 per ounce level.

SLV - Courtesy yahoo finance

Comments

  1. When most anti silver and gold investors complain about the volatility factor of precious metals, I cringe.. Its ridiculous that silver is so volatile but yet during times of economic downturn, silver seems to be one of the few stable commodities out there…

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