– Increased efforts in green energy and advanced technology set to boosts silver’s demand
– Four-year supply deficit set to increase due to fewer mine openings and discoveries
– Bank manipulation may be why silver underperforming
– TD Securities and the Bank of Montreal expect silver to be best performing precious metal in 2018
– Growing industrial demand combined with monetary safe haven makes silver an excellent diversifier
The beauty of silver is its dual role. It is both a monetary metal and an industrial metal. Because of this investors can look to a positive few years as the metal’s fundamentals will thrive due to strong demand in major growth areas.
Over 50% of silver’s annual demand comes from industry. This is set to continue to grow as high-growth industries such as self-driving cars, green energy, and healthcare drive demand for the precious metal.
The majority of industries are looking at improving products with technology and boosting energy efficiency. Many solutions call for silver, a tricky solution given the ongoing supply deficit.
Along with silver’s growing importance in the world of manufacturing, we should also remember its importance when it comes to its role as a monetary metal. Government and central bank policies will continue to increase budget deficits and drive inflation which is positive for both gold and silver.
The tables look set to turn for a precious metal that is able to serve us both in our portfolios and our day-to-day lives.
Go silver to go green
“To go green, to do all the things we want to do as the human race gets off oil and gas, we need a ton of silver,” Keith Neumeyer, CEO of First Majestic Silver Corp
Silver has enormous potential in the field of technology. It is the most electrically conductive known material other than gold. Unsurprisingly gold is far too expensive to use in the majority of areas where silver makes for a viable alternative. As we find more solutions to solve energy and technology issues we will inevitably require more and more silver. Right now there is no obvious substitute for it.
Consider the drive for technological solutions in increasing populous and economically developing areas. For example, even the poorest cities have high smart-phone concentrations. So much of a smartphone’s workings are thanks to silver. This demand is not set to go anywhere but up. Silver is a very limited commodity, mined as a by-product more often than not. As the world goes crazy to stay online, demand for silver will also go crazy.
