Trifecta of drivers supporting silver Trifecta of drivers supporting silver Trifecta of drivers supporting silver

Trifecta of drivers supporting silver

Commodities 5 minutes to read
Ole Hansen

Head of Commodity Strategy

Summary:  Gold and silver trade a tad higher today after spending the past week consolidating around $1800 and $19. Its raising the question whether they are getting ready to continue their journey higher? With the dollar punching at major support, U.S.-China tensions on the rise and real yields moving deeper into negative territory, the foundation for a move higher is there.


What is our trading focus?

XAUUSD - Spot gold
XAGUSD - Spot silver
XAUXAG - Gold-Silver ratio
GDX:xlon - VanEck Vectors Gold Miners UCITS ETF 
IGLN:xlon - iShares Physical Gold ETC 
ISLN:xlon - iShares Physical Silver ETC 

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Gold and silver trade a tad higher today after spending the past week consolidating around $1800 and $19. Its raising the question whether they are getting ready to continue their journey higher? Despite the potential headwind from optimism over a coronavirus vaccine, the foundation for a move higher is there. Not least due to a dollar punching at major support, U.S.-China tensions on the rise and real yields moving deeper into negative territory.

In our June 9 market update we highlighted the reasons why the potential introduction of yield-curve control by the U.S. Federal Reserve could end up being gold’s best friend. Yesterday Federal Reserve Governor Lael Brainard, an influential “dove” on the Fed’s board, warned that the U.S. economy appears to be slowing. While the Fed would need to carry out more analysis she gave a strong signal that yield-curve control was coming.

Some of the major moves in gold during the past decade often started with developments in the bond market. The real yield is the return an investor get on holding a bond position once the nominal yield has been reduced by the expected inflation during the life of the bond. Rising inflation expectations would normally increase the nominal yield as investors would want to be compensated for the lower real return.

Yield-curve control locks the nominal yield at a certain maturity at a certain level above which the central bank steps in and buy whatever bonds are on offer in order to prevent yields from rising any further. Such a development would make fixed income investments utter useless as a safe haven asset, especially into a period where inflation is expected to make a comeback. Not only due to the massive amount of liquidity that central banks have provided but also due to unprecedented government stimulus creating the political need for higher inflation to support rising debt levels.

The U.S. bond market has since April behaved as if yield-curve control was already in operation. While the yield on U.S. ten-year Notes (above chart) have been anchored within a relatively tight range between 70 and 80 bp, the real yield and breakeven have moved in opposite directions. A development supporting the fundamental investment case for holding precious metals in a balanced portfolio.

Following another shallow correction gold is once again testing the upside. The chart highlights a market in need of a deeper correction and a longer period of consolidation. So far however, the underlying investment demand has been strong enough to prevent this from happening. Demand for bullion-backed ETF’s remain firm with total holdings continuing to reach fresh record highs.

Following the March collapse, silver has now completed a dramatic V-shaped recovery to take aim at the next level of resistance at $19.65, the 2019 high. In the process the gold-silver ratio has dropped to 93.7 (ounces of silver to one ounce of gold), the lowest since February. The current triple support from rising gold, rising industrial metals and a weaker dollar could see silver attempt to further reduce its cheapness to gold, currently some 16% below the five-year average.

Disclaimer

The Saxo Bank Group entities each provide execution-only service and access to Analysis permitting a person to view and/or use content available on or via the website. This content is not intended to and does not change or expand on the execution-only service. Such access and use are at all times subject to (i) The Terms of Use; (ii) Full Disclaimer; (iii) The Risk Warning; (iv) the Rules of Engagement and (v) Notices applying to Saxo News & Research and/or its content in addition (where relevant) to the terms governing the use of hyperlinks on the website of a member of the Saxo Bank Group by which access to Saxo News & Research is gained. Such content is therefore provided as no more than information. In particular no advice is intended to be provided or to be relied on as provided nor endorsed by any Saxo Bank Group entity; nor is it to be construed as solicitation or an incentive provided to subscribe for or sell or purchase any financial instrument. All trading or investments you make must be pursuant to your own unprompted and informed self-directed decision. As such no Saxo Bank Group entity will have or be liable for any losses that you may sustain as a result of any investment decision made in reliance on information which is available on Saxo News & Research or as a result of the use of the Saxo News & Research. Orders given and trades effected are deemed intended to be given or effected for the account of the customer with the Saxo Bank Group entity operating in the jurisdiction in which the customer resides and/or with whom the customer opened and maintains his/her trading account. Saxo News & Research does not contain (and should not be construed as containing) financial, investment, tax or trading advice or advice of any sort offered, recommended or endorsed by Saxo Bank Group and should not be construed as a record of our trading prices, or as an offer, incentive or solicitation for the subscription, sale or purchase in any financial instrument. To the extent that any content is construed as investment research, you must note and accept that the content was not intended to and has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such, would be considered as a marketing communication under relevant laws.

Please read our disclaimers:
- Notification on Non-Independent Investment Research (https://www.home.saxo/legal/niird/notification)
- Full disclaimer (https://www.home.saxo/en-gb/legal/disclaimer/saxo-disclaimer)

Saxo Markets
40 Bank Street, 26th floor
E14 5DA
London
United Kingdom

Contact Saxo

Select region

United Kingdom
United Kingdom

Trade Responsibly
All trading carries risk. To help you understand the risks involved we have put together a series of Key Information Documents (KIDs) highlighting the risks and rewards related to each product. Read more
Additional Key Information Documents are available in our trading platform.

Saxo Markets is a registered Trading Name of Saxo Capital Markets UK Ltd (‘SCML’). SCML is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, Firm Reference Number 551422. Registered address: 26th Floor, 40 Bank Street, Canary Wharf, London E14 5DA. Company number 7413871. Registered in England & Wales.

This website, including the information and materials contained in it, are not directed at, or intended for distribution to or use by, any person or entity who is a citizen or resident of or located in the United States, Belgium or any other jurisdiction where such distribution, publication, availability or use would be contrary to applicable law or regulation.

It is important that you understand that with investments, your capital is at risk. Past performance is not a guide to future performance. It is your responsibility to ensure that you make an informed decision about whether or not to invest with us. If you are still unsure if investing is right for you, please seek independent advice. Saxo Markets assumes no liability for any loss sustained from trading in accordance with a recommendation.

Apple, iPad and iPhone are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc. Android is a trademark of Google Inc.

©   since 1992