Silver and Platinum Soar Together! Are Gold's "Little Brothers" Booming Simultaneously?

After a clear upward breakout in technical patterns, the precious metals market witnessed a spectacular scene of "silver and platinum soaring together" on Thursday...

On one hand, spot silver prices surged by 4.5% during Thursday's trading session, reaching a high of $36.06 per ounce, the highest level since February 2012. On the other hand, spot platinum prices soared by 4.8% overnight and further refreshed their highest level since March 2022 at $1,152 per ounce during the Asian session on Friday. It can be said that these two precious metal commodities, which were unremarkable during the gold rally earlier this year, now seem to be simultaneously embarking on a catch-up rally...

In response, industry insiders stated that the simultaneous surge in silver and platinum appears to reflect investors' growing demand for precious metals used in industrial applications. Meanwhile, with gold prices already hovering near a high of $3,400, other precious metal varieties that had lagged behind in gains are now coming more into the sight of physical buyers and investors.

Nicky Shiels, Head of Metal Strategy at MKS PAMP SA, pointed out in Thursday's report that the enhanced technical momentum and improved fundamentals across the precious metals sector have provided a boost to these metals. Strong physical silver demand from India and the recovery of platinum demand in China have further strengthened the upward trend.

Silver—and sometimes platinum as well—often moves in tandem with gold, which has long been regarded as a timeless safe haven during periods of geopolitical turmoil. Over the past 12 months, spot gold prices have surged by more than 40%, as the escalation of tariff wars initiated by the US has enhanced its safe-haven appeal, and central banks around the world have continued to make substantial purchases.

The gains in silver and platinum over the past year have actually fallen far short of those in gold—up 19% and 13% respectively as of Thursday. This scenario is naturally related to their far weaker safe-haven attributes compared to gold. However, in the industrial sector, they are not without value to explore. Silver is a key material for solar panels, while platinum is used in automotive catalytic converters and laboratory equipment. After years of undersupply, both metals markets will still face a supply deficit this year.

Catch-up rally begins

MKS PAMP's Shiels stated that maintaining silver prices above $35 would be a "critical turning point," and if sustained, it should reignite the interest of retail investors who have been on the sidelines.

She further added that given the high leasing rates indicating a tightening market,a potential recovery in demand for platinum ETFs could trigger a speculative rally.

According to industry-compiled data, the open interest in platinum ETFs is currently showing signs of a rebound, having increased by more than 3% since mid-May. Meanwhile, inflows into silver ETFs have also been growing continuously since February, with cumulative open interest climbing by nearly 8%.

Alexander Zumpfe, a senior trader at Germany's gold refiner Heraeus Group, stated that the recent rally in silver may be driven by a combination of technical momentum, improved fundamentals, and rising investor interest. He pointed out, "After lagging behind gold for several weeks, silver is now catching up, indicating that momentum-driven investors have reignited their interest in silver."

Maria Smirnova, senior portfolio manager and chief investment officer at Sprott Asset Management, also noted, "This breakout in silver has been brewing for some time. Silver has made multiple attempts to breach the $35 mark in recent months, making this breakout significant. If changes in technical factors further drive physical investors to buy in the coming days, silver prices could rise rapidly and substantially."

Investors are also currently focusing on the US May non-farm payrolls report, which will be released on Friday evening.The poor performance of the US ADP employment data and initial jobless claims on Wednesday and Thursday has strengthened market expectations that the US Fed will cut interest rates at least twice this year. A decline in borrowing costs typically benefits the performance of these precious metals.