All articles tagged with #commodities
Spot Silver closed higher for a third straight session, finishing above pivots and the 50-day MA, setting up a breakout from a three-week range. A break through $86.32 could spark a rally toward $92.20 with potential moves into the $92.87–$99.66 retracement zone, aided by momentum while tariff news and Fed cut expectations frame the near term.
Oil prices slipped about 1% as the US and Iran prepared for a third round of nuclear talks in Geneva, easing fears of conflict, while Trump’s tariff hike added growth-uncertainty that weighed on demand. Brent traded around $70.89 a barrel and WTI around $65.63, with analysts noting an Iran risk premium but potential sanctions relief that could boost supply; Goldman Sachs also warned of downside risk to 2026 prices if sanctions relief or other disruptions accelerate supply, though a global surplus is forecast if none materializes.
Gold traded mostly sideways over the past week despite U.S.–Iran tensions, signaling a softer safe-haven bid as the dollar strengthens and risk appetite returns. Prices briefly topped $5,000 but couldn’t sustain the move, with analysts saying the bull run may be losing steam and gold is acting more like a risk asset than a hedge. For gains to resume, gold would likely need to hold above $5,000 or endure a meaningful pullback with a catalyst; central‑bank buying and dollar dynamics continue to shape the outlook.
Oil prices held near six-month highs and were on track for their first weekly gain in three weeks as investors weighed a potential binary outcome in U.S.-Iran talks and Iran’s joint naval drills with Russia that could threaten the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude was around $71.41 a barrel and U.S. WTI about $66.13, with weekly gains near 5%, while markets also priced in a 10–15 day Trump deadline over Iran’s nuclear programme. A drop in U.S. crude inventories reported by the EIA supported prices, though gains were capped by expectations for higher OPEC+ output and by persistent U.S. rate uncertainty.
Gold and silver prices slipped as traders weigh rate expectations ahead of a busy U.S. data week, with spot gold down 0.9% to $4,997.74/oz and April gold futures at $5,019.25/oz, while spot silver fell 1.5% to $76.808/oz and platinum at $2,043.20/oz. The market focus is on the Federal Reserve minutes from the January meeting and December PCE inflation data, along with U.S. trade and industrial production figures, as investors reassess the path of monetary policy and inflation.
Gold fell more than 1% in thin liquidity as a firmer dollar supported non-dollar priced bullion, with spot gold around $4,976/oz and US futures near $4,997/oz. Silver dropped about 2% and platinum/palladium also slid, as traders weighed mixed US data and expectations for Fed policy amid holiday closures in the US and Lunar New Year in Asia.
Gold edged lower as rising risk appetite boosted equities and investors awaited crucial U.S. payrolls and inflation data that could shape Federal Reserve policy; the dollar ticked higher and spot gold traded near $5,055 per ounce with April futures around $5,078.
Silver’s near-term volatility has exceeded 100% with 11 moves of 5% or more since the start of the year; while major banks warn of short-term risks, they say the long-term fundamentals remain supportive.
Silver prices slumped in European trade, with spot silver down about 10% to around $79/oz and March futures near $78.55/oz as a firmer dollar and yield repricing weighed on metal prices. Analysts describe the move as a normalization phase rather than a trend reversal, noting that longer‑term drivers—central‑bank gold demand and silver’s industrial use in solar and grid modernization—remain intact. Traders are eyeing upcoming central‑bank meetings and the US payrolls data, which was delayed to Feb. 11 due to a partial government shutdown.
Gold rose back above $5,000/oz in Asian trading as renewed U.S.–Iran tensions boosted haven demand, with spot gold up about 2.3% to $5,060.28/oz and April futures up 2.9% to $5,078.96/oz. Gains followed reports of U.S. forces shooting down an Iranian drone and Iranian gunboats near a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, even as talks between Tehran and Washington were expected later this week. Analysts say the rally is supported by haven demand, physical buying, and central-bank purchases, keeping gold up about 15% in 2026. Silver rose ~2.8% to around $87.50/oz and platinum ~3% to about $2,286/oz, with OCBC noting the strength could persist and projecting further targets for year-end; some profit-taking after a prior run toward record highs was also noted.
Oil prices fell by about $3 a barrel after signs of de-escalation with Iran and a stronger U.S. dollar, with Brent at around $66.30 and WTI near $62.14 as milder U.S. weather also weighed on forecasts. Iran and the United States plan to resume nuclear talks, and OPEC+ kept output unchanged for March, reflecting expectations of a 2026 global inventory build. Analysts say the easing tensions could cap upside for oil in the near term, while still keeping prices sensitive to dollar moves and regional supply dynamics.
Global shares fell on Monday as a sudden, steep rout in silver spilled into broader risk assets. Silver slid about 7% on the day after Friday’s 30% plunge, and gold dropped around 5%, with pressure amplified by CME margin hikes and volatility in Chinese silver trading. Asian stocks sagged and oil prices declined as traders balanced a busy week of earnings and central-bank meetings, while the dollar firmed and bets on Fed rate cuts remained in focus following Trump’s comments on monetary policy.
U.S. stock futures fell Sunday after bitcoin’s weekend drop and a gold/silver sell-off that spilt into stocks and oil, with Dow futures about 340 points lower (~0.7%), S&P 500 futures down ~1.2%, and Nasdaq-100 futures ~1.5% lower. Gold and silver turned negative after Friday’s wipeout, crude slid over 4%, and the dollar edged higher as traders weigh Fed policy and await the Warsh nomination alongside a busy slate of tech earnings.
Analyst Jeffrey Christian warns silver could drop to about $68/oz (a further ~17%) if three signals materialize: waning trading momentum in silver and related ETFs, rising silver supply from reserves/refineries, and faltering open interest in COMEX futures as delivery nears. While inflation and dollar strength keep some safe-haven demand, these indicators suggest more downside pressure for silver may be ahead.
US stocks declined as the recent gold rally cooled, triggering a sharp slide in metals prices and weighing on commodity-related shares.