Silver Holds Steady Ahead of US Data

Silver traded just below $44 per ounce on Thursday, hovering near a 14-year high as investors awaited key US jobs and inflation data to shape the Federal Reserve’s policy outlook. Weekly jobless claims are due later today, followed by Friday’s PCE price index release. Recent Fed commentary has muddied expectations for further easing, with traders no longer fully pricing in a rate cut next month. Markets currently expect 43 basis points of cuts across the Fed’s final two meetings this year. Fed Chair Jerome Powell also noted this week that tariff-driven inflation has so far been on the lower end of forecasts, allowing scope for a less restrictive stance. On the industrial side, silver remains supported by strong fundamentals, with constrained supply and resilient demand from solar, electric vehicle and electronics manufacturers underpinning prices.