Gold, silver poised to hold firm as dollar volatility, trade tensions support safe-haven demand

Corrections are healthy and offer fresh buying opportunities
Mathur sees pullbacks in precious metals as temporary, not as warnings for investors holding long positions.
Mark

So why are gold and silver holding up so well right now? It seems like every time there's uncertainty, people reach for them.

Mimi

Exactly. You've got the US-China tariff tensions, a government shutdown, political chaos in France and Japan—all of that pushes money toward safe assets. And the dollar is swinging wildly, which actually helps gold because gold is priced in dollars globally.

Mark

The dollar is up 1.28% for the week though. Shouldn't that hurt gold?

Mimi

It should, but the safe-haven demand is stronger. And Mathur expects the dollar to stay volatile, bouncing between 96-97 and 99-100. That kind of chop keeps investors nervous.

Luke

Wait—he says the dollar index touched 99.56 but then eased to 98.92. That's not really "up 1.28% week-on-week" in the way that sounds. Is he measuring from a specific point?

Mimi

Fair point. The week-on-week figure is what he's citing, so that's the comparison he's using. But you're right that the intraweek movement is more volatile than that single number suggests.

Mark

What about silver? That seems like the more dramatic story—breaking 2011 highs.

Mimi

Silver's got a supply problem. Global production has been running at a deficit for four to five years. London Metal Exchange inventories have nearly halved since the start of 2025. That's real scarcity.

Luke

But is that scarcity being driven by industrial demand, investment demand, or both? The article doesn't separate those out.

Mimi

True. We know safe-haven demand and ETF inflows are part of it, and central banks are buying. But the industrial side isn't detailed.

Mark

So the recommendation is to buy on dips. How much room is there for a dip before you hit the support levels?

Mimi

For gold, current price is around Rs 1,23,700, support is at Rs 1,21,200. That's about 1.8% down. For silver, current is Rs 1,52,000, support at Rs 1,50,000. That's about 1.3% down.

Luke

Those are pretty tight bands. Are these support levels based on technical analysis, or is there a fundamental reason they hold?

Mimi

Mathur doesn't specify. They sound technical—round numbers, previous resistance levels maybe. But without knowing his methodology, it's hard to say how reliable they are.

Mark

What happens if the dollar actually breaks 100?

Mimi

Mathur says that seems unlikely this week, but if it did, it would probably pressure gold. But he's betting the rupee stays stable around 87-88, which would help domestic prices regardless.

  • A confluence of forces — US-China tariff friction, a looming government shutdown, and political instability in France and Japan — is keeping global markets on edge and pushing investors toward precious metals.
  • Silver has broken through its 2011 peak, crossing $50 per ounce internationally, while LME inventories have nearly halved since early 2025, tightening supply in ways that amplify price pressure.
  • The dollar index swung to a three-month high before retreating, and the RBI is actively managing the rupee within a narrow Rs 87.50–88.50 band, providing a degree of stability for Indian buyers of gold and silver.
  • Short-term profit-taking is expected to trigger corrections in both metals, but analysts view these dips not as reversals but as entry points within a broader, structurally supported uptrend.
  • Experts are recommending a buy-on-dips strategy, with specific MCX contract levels for gold near Rs 1,23,500 and silver near Rs 1,51,000, underpinned by targets that reflect continued bullish momentum.

In times of geopolitical fracture and currency turbulence, humanity has long reached for gold and silver as anchors of value — and the present moment is no different. Amid US-China trade tensions, a threatened government shutdown, and political upheaval in France and Japan, precious metals are drawing investors seeking shelter from uncertainty. Silver, having surpassed its 2011 highs on the back of years of supply deficits, and gold, buoyed by central bank buying and safe-haven flows, are both positioned to hold their strength even as short-term corrections remind markets that no rally rises without pause.

The precious metals market is preparing for sustained strength as geopolitical tensions and currency volatility drive investors toward gold and silver. Naveen Mathur of Anand Rathi recently outlined the key dynamics: the dollar index climbed to a three-month high of 99.56 before pulling back, buffeted by a weakening euro following political turmoil in France and a dovish shift in Japan that pressured the yen. Mathur expects the index to oscillate between 96–97 on the downside and 99–100 on the upside, with a break above 100 unlikely in the near term.

Layered atop currency volatility is a US government shutdown and renewed trade friction with China — a combination keeping markets unsettled. The Reserve Bank of India, meanwhile, appears to be actively anchoring the rupee near 87–88 per dollar, with Mathur projecting a narrow trading band of Rs 87.50–88.50. That managed stability is meaningful for Indian buyers, whose precious metals costs are denominated in rupees.

Both metals have posted strong gains this year. Gold continues to benefit from tariff uncertainty and safe-haven demand, while silver has crossed its 2011 highs — reaching $50 per ounce internationally and approximately Rs 1,53,400 per kilogram domestically. The supply picture gives silver particular momentum: global production has run at a deficit for four to five consecutive years, and LME inventories have nearly halved since the start of 2025.

Mathur acknowledges that profit-taking will produce short-term corrections, but frames these pullbacks as healthy rather than alarming. His recommended strategy is to buy on dips — targeting gold near Rs 1,23,500 and silver near Rs 1,51,000 on MCX December contracts, with defined stop losses and upside targets. The longer-term view remains firmly constructive: as long as geopolitical risk, currency instability, and supply tightness persist, corrections are less a warning than an invitation to position for the next leg higher.

The precious metals market is bracing for sustained strength as global tensions and currency swings create the kind of uncertainty that sends investors toward gold and silver. Naveen Mathur, who directs commodities and currencies trading at Anand Rathi, laid out the mechanics in a recent conversation: the dollar index hit a three-month peak of 99.56 on October 9 before settling back to 98.92, but remains up roughly 1.28% for the week. That volatility—driven by a weakening euro following political upheaval in France and a dovish turn from Japan that sent the yen lower—is likely to persist. Mathur expects the dollar index to swing between 96 and 97 on the downside and 99 to 100 on the upside, though breaking through 100 this week seems unlikely.

The backdrop is a US government shutdown layered atop renewed trade tensions with China. Both are keeping markets unsettled and the dollar under pressure even as other major currencies struggle. Political developments in Japan and France have added another layer of complexity. Through it all, the Reserve Bank of India appears to be actively managing the rupee, keeping it anchored around 87 to 88 per dollar. Mathur expects the currency to trade in a narrow band between Rs 87.50 and Rs 88.50, with depreciation beyond 88.50 unlikely in the near term. That stability matters for domestic precious metals prices, which move in rupee terms for Indian buyers.

Gold and silver have both posted strong gains this year, lifted by safe-haven buying and festive season demand. The tariff uncertainty between the United States and China continues to support gold prices, and any further weakening of the dollar would amplify that effect, since gold is priced in dollars globally. Silver has broken through its 2011 highs, crossing $50 per ounce internationally and reaching around Rs 1,53,400 per kilogram in India as of October 9. The supply picture is what gives silver its particular momentum: global production has run at a deficit for four to five years, and inventories at the London Metal Exchange have nearly halved since the start of 2025.

Both metals are drawing support from multiple sources—supply constraints, safe-haven flows, inflows into exchange-traded funds, and central bank purchases. Mathur acknowledges that short-term corrections are likely as traders lock in profits, but he views these pullbacks as healthy and temporary. For those looking to trade, he recommends a buy-on-dips approach. For gold trading on the MCX December contract, he suggests buying near Rs 1,23,500 per 10 grams with a stop loss at Rs 1,23,000 and a target of Rs 1,24,500, with support levels at Rs 1,21,200 and Rs 1,20,000 and resistance at Rs 1,24,600 and Rs 1,25,400. Silver on the same contract should be bought near Rs 1,51,000 per kilogram with a stop loss at Rs 1,50,000 and a target of Rs 1,53,000, supported at Rs 1,50,000 and Rs 1,48,000 with resistance at Rs 1,56,000 and Rs 1,58,000.

The longer view remains constructive. Both metals are in positive long-term trends, and the fundamental drivers—geopolitical risk, currency volatility, supply tightness—show no signs of reversing. Corrections, in this reading, are not warnings but invitations for investors who want to ride the next leg of the rally higher.

I expect high volatility to continue, with the dollar index likely trading between 96–97 on the downside and 99–100 on the upside, though breaching 100 seems unlikely this week
— Naveen Mathur, Director of Commodities and Currencies, Anand Rathi
Both gold and silver have strong fundamental support from supply constraints, safe-haven demand, ETF inflows, and central-bank buying
— Naveen Mathur, Director of Commodities and Currencies, Anand Rathi
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