Daily Reckoningยท2025-09-30 14:31Core Insights - The precious metals market has experienced significant gains in 2025, with gold, silver, and platinum prices rising substantially, indicating a strong trend in hard assets [4][22]. Precious Metals Performance - Gold started the year at $2,645 per ounce and has risen to over $3,850, marking a gain of over 47% [4]. - Silver began at $29.60 per ounce and is now over $47, reflecting a gain of about 58% [4]. - Platinum started at $995 per ounce and is currently in the $1,600 range, achieving a gain of 60% [4]. Investment Considerations - The increase in precious metal prices is attributed to the declining value of the dollar, a trend that has been ongoing since the U.S. left the gold standard in 1971 [7][22]. - Investors are advised to hold physical metals rather than selling them, as they represent real money and are not subject to the liabilities associated with financial instruments [10][12]. Mining and Royalty Companies - The rise in precious metal prices has positively impacted mining and royalty companies, leading to significant stock price increases for several key players: - Franco Nevada Corp. (FNV) rose from $125 to $225 [15]. - Royal Gold, Inc. (RGLD) increased from $134 to $198 [15]. - Osisko Royalties (OR) went from $18 to over $39 [15]. - Wheaton Precious Metals (WPM) climbed from $56 to $110 [15]. - Major mining companies also saw substantial gains: - Barrick Mining (B) increased from $14 to $33 [18]. - Newmont Mining (NEM) rose from $38 to $84 [18]. - Agnico Eagle Mines (AEM) moved from $83 to $166 [19]. - Kinross Gold (KGC) increased from $9.50 to over $24 [19]. Market Outlook - The ongoing trend suggests that as long as precious metal prices continue to rise, royalty plays and mining companies will benefit from increased cash flow and profitability [16][24]. - The potential for a global recovery in faith in the dollar could impact precious metal prices, but such a scenario seems unlikely given current government spending trends [17][22].