Silver breaks $80 as year-end metal rally squeezes manufacturers and fuels 2026 rate-cut bets
Silver broke above $80 an ounce in early Asian trading Monday, its highest level ever, while gold hit a record $4,549 an ounce Friday. Both metals have soared in 2025, fueled by China’s looming silver export restrictions and bets on U.S. interest-rate cuts. Silver settled at $79.25 and gold at $4,534.16. Silver is up about 145% this year; gold has gained nearly 71%.