Silver mining investors in complete denial

January 2026 has been a fairy tale turning into a nightmare for long silver speculators. There had been a December 29 'rehearsal' of a silver smack down, but the rally resumed in the new year, with the metal promptly surpassing the $100 psychological limit. Targets morphed into unrealistic predictions. Then came Friday January 30, with the largest single day drop of the silver price.

The acquisition hunger of First Majestic Silver

Silver mining investors won't have missed the news that First Majestic Silver will acquire Gatos Silver as soon as shareholders will have given their consent. With a 'friendly takeover': agreed by the boards of both miners, there is little doubt that the acquisition will run its course.

Are the summer doldrums a thing of the past?

Gold first broke above $2400/Oz on 17 May 2024. Staying above that threshold was not evident. It lasted for three trading days.

Diverging price trends of 'white' precious metals

There is a lot of complaining going on about 'white precious metals'. In some cases producers are struggling to remain profitable, let alone to stay afloat. In other cases industrial consumers are trying to find ways to reduce the amount needed of those expensive metals having even multiplied in price.

Remarkable silver miner resilience

Silver investors haven't recovered from the plunge of the white metal after the Corona pandemic caused a global crash of financial markets. In this perspective silver miners have proved remarkably resilient.

Platinum scalp at the shorter's belt

White precious metals lagging gold

Despite gold selling off last few weeks, the damage among "white precious metals" has been worse.

The gold sell-off was discussed last week, as the yellow metal was nearing its December 2017 low, which it eventually equalled on July 2nd.

Sluggish East-Asian economies keep the lid on precious metals

From September until the end of the year is repeated over and over to be the seasonally strongest period of the year for precious metals. Such statistics however are averages and calculated standard errors are considerable. Yet we now face the fifth consecutive year with precious metals unable to uphold any gain during autumn. A worsening economic outlook for East-Asian economies keeps the lid on precious metals.

Metals not equally precious in their slide

From September until the end of the year is repeated over and over to be the seasonally strongest period of the year for precious metals. Such statistics however are averages and calculated standard errors are considerable. Yet we now face the fourth consecutive year with gold selling off during autumn. Could we do any better investing in any other precious metal ?

Metals not equally precious investments ...

While speculators are focusing on price changes of the metal of their choice to set up a trade, the long term investor is better off studying the price changes over the long haul and the relative price changes of one precious metal to another. It is most common to compare gold to any other precious metal through e.g. a Gold-to-Silver, or Gold-to-Platinum ratio. This tells you how many ounces of the second precious metal one ounce of gold would buy.

Who is talking silver down?

From its 2012 bottom level to the $35 attained intraday, silver has rallied over 32%. This is almost the double of the mere 17% gold rallied from its $1537.5 bottom (LME fix) to an intraday close to $1800. Yet in a different perspective, gold is currently quoting at less than 10% below its all time high, while silver needs another 30% rally before coming close to its April 2011 peak level.

But again, in this kind of game, it's not long term trends that count and even less fundamentals. For short term gain, only short term moves are of any importance. On two consecutive occasions, Daniela Cambone of Kitco News, hints at rumors on an imminent correction for silver.

About the origin of the silver dollar

The Maria Theresa Thaler is probably one of the most famous and well known coins of the world. See also following links:
http://www.theresia.name/en/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Theresa_thaler

Maria Theresia thaler, 1780 Restrike