Silver price shines on inflation prospects

Singapore (Sept 29)  The silver market was shining Friday after a long dull period. Though gold, platinum, and copper futures closed higher on Friday too, only the “blue metal” blew over the highs of the past 30 days, drawing the attention of investors and near-panic buying from short-term speculators.

Both groups are expecting inflation to surface or even ignite as our massive deficit, political uncertainties, and cycle of tariffs could all contribute to renewed inflation. Silver holds the distinction of being relatively cheap while benefiting both from inflationary expectations and industrial demand during economic expansion.

As of midday Friday, silver traded for $14.70 per ounce.

Oil rises as OPEC holds pat

Oil prices rose this week after the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) decided to leave production levels steady. Global supplies had been falling as Iran begins to feel the pinch of U.S. sanctions, which are restricting its ability to export oil. Many had hoped that OPEC would increase production quotas to replace the missing Iranian oil and halt rising prices.

However, when the cartel left levels steady, that sparked concerns that the nations may already be near maximum capacity, which encouraged investors to swoop into the oil market. As of midday Friday, November crude oil futures traded for $73.40 per barrel, an 11-week high.

ColumbiaDailyTribune