Editor Mark O’Byrne
Safe haven silver to outperform gold in Q4 and 2018
Expect silver to eventually outperform gold sayMetals Focus
2017 YTD, silver has underperformed gold, climbing by 5% versus 11%
Silver undervalued versus gold and especially stocks, bonds and many property markets
Will follow gold’s reactions to macroeconomic & geopolitical factors and should outperformgold
Special report on India shows it accounts for just 16% of global silver demand
Silver a safe haven at times during which gold failed to be according toacademic research
Since the beginning of 2017 the silver price has disappointed many investors. With a5% gain so far in 2017, it has failed to match gold’s 11% gains this year. Both precious metals have ultimately performed below expectations given thepositive macroeconomic and geopolitical backdrop.
However, things are starting to look up for the industrial precious metal as industry observers believe it willoutperform gold this quarter and into 2018.
In a recentMetals Focusreport, the precious metalsconsultancy concluded that‘we do expect silver to eventually outperform gold.’
Whilstdemand for silver coins in the US has been weak,there are some indicators that suggest this physical demand is beginning to pick up, alongside industrial demand. For example, there has been robust silver ETF demand and in September there was significant uptick in those takingimmediate delivery on COMEX.
This year has also taken many market participants by surprise assilver demand has fallen in a number of areas. One of which is India.
TheMetals Focusreport for theSilver Institutebelieves that Indian demand in 2017 has not matched the decades’ unprecedented silver demand due to higher prices and a clampdown by Indian government on unbanked money in the drive to thecashless society.
However, incomes and the economy and both growing which leads the reportto conclude that demand will come back to the country with a bang.
Gold-Silver ratio shows silver undervalued
In June, silverhit alow of $15.60/oz,since then it has recovered somewhat. Thegold-silver ratio is also higher than expected, given gold’s performance of late. Earlier this year it fell to as low as 68, but has recently been stuck between 74 and 80.
Themodern historical average is around 40 to 1. Thelong term historical average is 15 to 1.
Not only issilver undervalued relative to gold but also to increasingly over valued stocks, bonds and property markets.
Given silver’s industrial role and the fact that geologically there are just 15 particles of silver to every one particle of gold, it is likely that the gold/silver ratio will gradually return to below the 100 year average of 40 to 1.
At the current depressed gold price this would put silver at nearly $32/oz.
India’s love for silver
Love for gold in the world’s seventh largest economy is well-documented but few are aware of its feelings towards silver.
In 2016 India’s demand for silver accounted for just 16% of global demand. Thereport summarises the all important context for this:
India is one of the world’s largest silver markets, with a very traditional core in a diverse market. To put this into perspective, India consumed 160.6Moz (4,996t) last year, which accounted for a noteworthy 16% of global silver demand. It is not only the scale of Indian demand that matters; the country’s dependence on imported metal means that changes in Indian offtake can impact those countries that supply bullion to India.
The sheer scale of the Indian silver market resonates across much ofthe country, from physical investment, through to day-to-day activities.
It is also integral to India’s cultural and belief systems. It is therefore not surprising that silver is an important part of Indian festivities and weddings.
For example, it is considered auspiciou