- Silver price recovers strongly from $30.50 after US ADP Employment Change data misses estimates by a slight margin.
- Investors await Fed Powell’s speech for fresh guidance about the likely interest rate path.
- Traders expect the Fed to cut interest rates by 25 bps to 4.25%-4.50% on December 18.
Silver price (XAG/USD) recovers in a V-shape manner from the key support of $30.50 in Wednesday’s North American session and refreshes an intraday high near $31.20 after the release of the United States (US) ADP Employment Change data for November. The agency reported that the private sector hired fresh 146K workers, marginally missed estimates of 150K but was significantly lower from the former release of 184K, downwardly revised from 233K.
However, the private sector employment data has not weighed much on the US Dollar (USD). The US Dollar Index (DXY), which tracks the Greenback’s value against six major currencies, surrenders nominal gains but holds the key support of 106.50. 10-year US Treasury yields hold onto gains near 4.27%.
Historically, higher yields on interest-bearing assets increase the opportunity cost of holding an investment in non-yielding assets, such as Silver. But it doesn’t appear in this case, suggesting that geopolitical tensions continue to maintain safe-haven demand.
According to Reuters, the Hamas internal statement has reported that the group has information that Israel intends to carry out a hostage rescue operation similar to Israel's June nuseirat operation in Gaza, a move that could derail the ceasefire between Iran and Israel. The appeal of the Silver price strengthens in a heightened geopolitical environment.
Going forward, investors will focus on Federal Reserve (Fed) Chair Jerome Powell’s speech at the New York Times DealBook Summit for fresh guidance on interest rates. The probability for the Fed to cut interest rates by 25 basis points (bps) to 4.25%-4.50% is 74%, while the rest favors leaving them unchanged at their current levels, according to the CME FedWatch tool.
Silver technical analysis
Silver price strives to extend recovery above the 20-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA), which trades around $31.30.
The 14-day Relative Strength Index (RSI) oscillates in the 40.00-60.00 range, suggesting a sideways trend.
Looking down, the upward-sloping trendline around $29.50, which is plotted from the February 29 low of $22.30 on a daily timeframe, would act as key support for the Silver price. On the upside, the horizontal support plotted from the May 21 high of $32.50 would be the resistance zone.
Silver daily chart
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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