Will There Be Another “Christmas Surge” for Precious Metals This Year?

We’ve mentioned a few times in our updates that while gold might seem stuck, being within reach of $2,000 an ounce isn’t a bad place to be. What makes gold particularly intriguing as an investment, even in this sideways movement, is that it has hit this significant milestone at a time when many Western investors have turned away from the market.

Adding to this, gold is stepping into its prime seasonal period. Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank, highlighted in his recent gold report that over the last six years, December has seen an average 4% return for gold prices and an average 7.25% return for silver prices.

While there’s a fair amount of positivity in the market, there are potential risks to consider, such as the cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, which could reduce the safe-haven appeal of gold. Ultimately, the precious metals’ fate remains tied to the decisions of the Federal Reserve.

This past week, the minutes from the November monetary policy meeting revealed the central bank’s steadfast commitment to combatting inflation. The Federal Reserve signaled its intent to uphold its restrictive monetary policy for the foreseeable future.

Many economists believe that investors won’t feel confident about reentering the gold market until there’s a clear signal that the Federal Reserve is ready to ease interest rates.

While gold might seem like a stagnant trade, other commodities are experiencing significant momentum. Uranium, in particular, has gained attention as prices soar to $80 an ounce.

The surge in uranium has propelled the Sprott Physical Uranium Trust (TSX: U.UN, U.U) to a notable milestone, surpassing $5 billion in assets under management (AUM). John Ciampaglia, Chief Executive Officer of Sprott Asset Management, highlighted that there’s still substantial potential for this “other yellow metal.”

He emphasized that prices need to rise further to incentivize enough supply to meet future demand, estimating a requirement of 1.5 billion pounds of uranium to fulfill market needs.

For those looking closer to home, platinum is a metal worth keeping an eye on. According to the World Platinum Investment Council’s third-quarter trends report, demand is expected to drive a nearly 1.1-million-ounce market deficit.

The report noted that platinum witnessed record industrial demand in the third quarter, particularly in fiberglass manufacturing. The wind power sector, utilizing platinum-based glass fibers for lighter and more efficient rotor blades, contributed significantly to this demand surge.

Despite struggling through much of 2023, platinum is anticipated to find solid support due to the growing demand generating a market deficit this year and the next, according to the WPIC.

Article generated from corporate media reports.