Advertisement
Advertisement

Silver Prices Forecast: Bullish Outlook for XAG/USD as Geopolitics and Fed Policy Intersect

By:
James Hyerczyk
Published: Oct 20, 2023, 06:44 GMT+00:00

Silver traders eye bullish horizons amid geopolitical unrest, while bets on a rising XAG/USD gather momentum in the backdrop of a cautious Fed.

Silver Prices Forecast

In this article:

Highlights

  • Middle East conflict boosts silver as safe haven.
  • Powell’s comments subdue rate hike fears.
  • Short-term outlook for silver remains bullish.

Overview

Silver (XAG/USD) prices, influenced by heightened geopolitical tensions and monetary policy speculations, are on track to record their second weekly gain. Investor sentiment has been significantly impacted by the Middle East conflict and the Federal Reserve’s ambiguous stance on future rate hikes.

Geopolitical Influence

The Israeli Defense Minister’s statements on the escalating Middle East conflict have fueled investor concerns over a broader regional crisis. These geopolitical uncertainties have propelled silver, a traditional safe haven, to gain 0.68% this week.

Federal Reserve Factors

Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s recent comments have eased market fears about immediate rate hikes. Though he highlighted the central bank’s commitment to its 2% inflation target, Powell sidestepped making concrete policy predictions, leading to subdued rate hike expectations for the remainder of the year.

Economic Indicators

Notably, Powell acknowledged the declining pace of inflation and a tight labor market, but remained noncommittal on future policy direction. Market data suggests slowing inflation and robust job creation, giving the Fed room for deliberation on its next move.

Short-Term Outlook

Given the Fed’s cautious stance and ongoing geopolitical risks, silver is likely to remain a bullish asset in the short term, particularly as higher interest rates increase the opportunity cost of holding the metal.

By aligning market expectations and geopolitical events, silver’s current trajectory seems resilient against potential downturns, keeping the short-term outlook bullish.

Technical Analysis

Daily Silver (XAG/USD)The current daily price of Silver (XAG/USD) at $22.95 is slightly above its 50-day moving average of $22.92, indicating a potential for short-term bullish momentum. However, it remains below the 200-day moving average of $23.32, suggesting a longer-term bearish outlook.

The asset is trading within a narrow range defined by trend line support at $22.23 and resistance at $24.24. Breaking either of these could trigger an acceleration in the respective direction.

Additionally, the market is hovering near minor resistance at $22.55, which could serve as a crucial pivot point. Based on these technical indicators, the market sentiment appears cautiously bullish in the short term but requires breaking above key resistance levels for confirmation.

About the Author

James is a Florida-based technical analyst, market researcher, educator and trader with 35+ years of experience. He is an expert in the area of patterns, price and time analysis as it applies to futures, Forex, and stocks.

Advertisement