Core Insights - Precious metals, traditionally seen as safe havens, are experiencing significant price movements, with gold recently surpassing $5,000 per ounce and silver exceeding $100 per ounce, indicating a shift in investor sentiment towards these assets [2][4]. Investment Trends - Retail interest in silver has surged, with a record inflow of $171 million into the iShares Silver Trust on January 26, marking the largest single-day purchase in history, nearly doubling the previous record from 2021 [3]. - The iShares Silver Trust has seen a remarkable increase of nearly 265% over the past year, reflecting a strong retail demand and speculative interest in silver [2]. Market Conditions - Current economic conditions, including extreme inflation, geopolitical tensions, and concerns about the U.S. economy, have created a favorable environment for precious metals to rally [5]. - The U.S. government's mounting debt and extensive money printing have raised fears regarding the dollar's value, further driving interest in precious metals as a hedge [5]. Silver's Unique Position - Silver's industrial applications, particularly in solar panels and electronics, position it favorably compared to gold, which does not have such uses [6]. - A noted shortage of silver has been recognized, with the U.S. Department of the Interior designating it as a critical mineral, which may enhance its investment appeal [6]. Market Reactions - Analysts and market strategists have been surprised by the intensity of silver's price movements, which have been significantly influenced by retail investor interest [7].

South Korean investors are snapping up gold-pegged stablecoins amid soaring precious metals prices, as part of a bid to avoid hefty tax bills. Crypto trading is not yet subject to any form of taxation in South Korea, unlike gold, which is subject to a 10% value-added tax on physical gold bars and jewelry, as well as trading platforms’ commission fees of around 5%. Those who choose to trade gold via the Korea Exchange, meanwhile, often have to pay 22% capital gains tax. Gold traders must pay over 15% inc ...

Leading cryptocurrencies fell alongside stocks on Tuesday as President Donald Trump’s tariff threats threw risk-on markets into a tailspin.CryptocurrencyGains +/-Price (Recorded at 8:20 p.m. ET)Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC)-3.95%$88,951.35Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH)               -6.76%$2,965.89XRP (CRYPTO: XRP)                         -3.42%$1.91Solana (CRYPTO: SOL)                         -4.57%$127.45Dogecoin (CRYPTO: DOGE)             -2.23%$0.1254Crypto Market Goes Into ‘Extreme Fear’Bitcoin plunged below $88,000, ...

Core Viewpoint - The dollar has declined as investors seek safe-haven currencies like the Swiss franc due to U.S. President Trump's tariff threats against Europe, particularly regarding Greenland [1][2]. Group 1: Market Reactions - European leaders are working to prevent a trade war and have agreed to enhance efforts to dissuade Trump from imposing tariffs while preparing retaliatory measures [2]. - The euro increased by 0.3% to $1.163, and the pound rose by 0.27% to $1.3415 amid the dollar's decline [3]. - The Swiss franc is experiencing its largest daily rise against the dollar in a month, reflecting a shift towards safe-haven assets [2]. Group 2: Analyst Insights - Analysts note that typically, tariff threats would weaken the euro, but heightened policy uncertainty from the U.S. has led to dollar weakness instead [4]. - Despite some capital movement away from the dollar, analysts caution that the dollar's safe-haven status remains intact, and further escalation could lead investors back to U.S. currency [5]. - The size of the U.S. market ensures that it retains some safe-haven value, even if non-U.S. investors consider moving their capital [6]. Group 3: Currency Performance - The dollar fell by 0.5% to 0.7984 Swiss francs and slightly decreased against the Japanese yen, which is also considered a safe-haven currency [7].

Jan 19 (Reuters) - Investors headed for safe havens while Europe prepared to push back on Monday after U.S President Donald Trump threatened escalating tariffs on allies in the way of his ambition to buy ​the Danish arctic territory of Greenland. Trump said additional 10% tariffs would take effect on February 1 on goods ‌from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Finland and Great Britain, rising to 25% on June 1 unless some sort of Greenland deal is ‌struck. Precious metals and bon ...

Gold and silver surged during the Asian market open, while Bitcoin struggled to maintain momentum amid escalating tensions between the Federal Reserve (Fed) and the Trump administration, triggering a flight to traditional safe havens. The divergence intensified after the Department of Justice’s actions against Fed Chair Jerome Powell sparked concerns about central bank independence, with gold climbing 1.72% and silver soaring over 4.5% in 24 hours, while Bitcoin retreated sharply from $92,000 to $90,000. ...

Listen on the go! A daily podcast of Wall Street Breakfast will be available by 8:00 a.m. on Seeking Alpha, iTunes, Spotify.Getty Images Good morning! Here is the latest in trending:Rate resistance: Credit card and issuer stocks plunge as major banking groups oppose a call for a one-year cap on interest rates.Nationwide unrest: As protests deepen in Iran, President Trump is weighing options, while the Islamic Republic warned of retaliation against any military action.Aerial drop-offs: Walmart (WMT) is expa ...

BANGKOK (AP) — Oil prices fell back Monday while the prices of precious metals surged as markets registered a mild and mixed reaction to the U.S. capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in a weekend raid. Asian shares rallied on heavy buying of tech-related stocks and U.S. futures were flat after small gains Friday on Wall Street. “While the capture of Venezuelan president Maduro by American forces has dominated headlines, financial markets seem unperturbed,” Thomas Mathews of Capital Economics s ...

Core Insights - Gold and silver mining ETFs have shown exceptional performance in 2025, driven by macroeconomic factors that are expected to persist into 2026 [1][2] - Spot gold and silver prices reached all-time highs, trading near $4,500 and $70 per ounce respectively, which has positively impacted mining companies [2][3] - Central banks have been purchasing gold at historically high levels due to ongoing global uncertainties, including geopolitical tensions and economic pressures [3][4] ETF Performance - The top-performing ETFs in 2025 include: - iShares MSCI Global Silver and Metals Miners ETF (SLVP) up 200% - Amplify Junior Silver Miners ETF (SILJ) up 186% - Global X Gold Explorers ETF (GOEX) up 182% - Sprott Junior Gold Miners ETF (SGDJ) up 175% - VanEck Junior Gold Miners ETF (GDXJ) up 175% [6] Market Dynamics - The volatility of gold and silver mining stocks can lead to spectacular gains during strong market years, but they may also experience long periods of stagnation or losses [2] - Ongoing global conflicts and economic instability are likely to sustain investor interest in gold as a safe haven asset [3][4]

Core Insights - The stock market is experiencing a downturn, with the S&P 500 index down 2.61% over the last three trading days, indicating a broad sell-off in risk assets [2]. Sector Performance - The S&P 500 energy sector has lost 0.22%, while the utilities sector is down 0.55%, showing that these sectors are performing better than the overall market and the other nine sectors [2]. - Despite the losses, energy and utilities are highlighted as the top performers in the current market environment, suggesting they are seen as safe havens compared to growth-focused sectors like technology [2].