As we shut out 2024, silver has confirmed itself the standout performer in treasured metals.
Beginning the 12 months at roughly $23 per ounce, it surged to just about $35 in October earlier than settling round $30-$32 with two weeks left to go within the 12 months – a exceptional run that left most market predictions within the mud.
Let’s have a look at how the specialists’ forecasts measured up towards actuality.
Silver Outperforms Most Main Forecasts
Most analysts considerably underestimated silver’s potential, with the metallic reaching their $30 goal earlier than June.
What drove this spectacular run? Past the Federal Reserve’s Q3 rate of interest cuts that lifted all treasured metals, silver benefited from three highly effective drivers:
1. Industrial Demand Hits New Heights
Industrial demand for silver reached an unprecedented 700 million ounces in 2024. This milestone was primarily pushed by inexperienced financial system purposes, notably within the photovoltaic sector.
2. Photo voltaic’s Rising Silver Urge for food
Silver’s use in photo voltaic panels has greater than doubled prior to now 5 years. The photovoltaic business consumed an estimated 232 million ounces in 2024 – a 20% enhance from 2023. India’s speedy photo voltaic capability enlargement performed a big position on this development.
3. Electrical Autos: Silver’s New Frontier
Keep in mind whenever you hardly ever noticed an EV on the highway? Now they’re in all places – and each is a small however vital silver story. Fashionable electrical automobiles use as much as 50 grams of silver every, greater than twice what conventional vehicles require. With EV manufacturing accelerating, automotive silver demand is rising to 90 million ounces by 2025.
Silver Demand Outpaces Provide
Including to those demand components, 2024 marked the fourth consecutive 12 months of bodily provide deficit, with a shortfall of round 182 million ounces. This persistent deficit continues to assist costs and creates what seems to be a bullish setup for 2025.
Silver’s Subsequent Chapter
Wish to know what’s in retailer for silver in 2025? We have simply printed our complete evaluation inspecting provide constraints, industrial demand forecasts, and financial components that might affect costs within the 12 months forward.
Learn the Full 2025 Silver Evaluation
Keep tuned for extra market insights,
Brandon S. EditorGoldSilver