Silver Tops $41 on Fed Cut Bets

Silver traded around $70 per ounce on Wednesday and was up about 3% so far this week, as investors awaited the signing of a US-Iran peace agreement that is expected to restore oil flows through the Persian Gulf, helping ease concerns over inflation and interest rates. The two countries are scheduled to sign an interim deal in Switzerland on Friday, offering Tehran broad economic incentives, including the immediate resumption of its oil exports. Market participants also turned their attention to the Federal Reserve’s upcoming policy decision, where officials are widely expected to leave interest rates unchanged. The meeting will be the first chaired by Kevin Warsh, though he is not expected to submit a "dot" to the FOMC’s quarterly rate projections. Earlier this week, the Reserve Bank of Australia left its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 4.35%, while the Bank of Japan raised its policy rate by 25 basis points to 1%.

Silver traded near $70 an ounce on Tuesday after rising almost 3% in the previous session, as expectations that a US-Iran peace agreement would reopen the Strait of Hormuz eased fears of an energy-driven inflation shock that had fueled interest rate hike expectations. The interim accord is expected to be signed by both sides in Switzerland on Friday, with President Donald Trump saying the free flow of oil from the Persian Gulf would resume once the deal takes effect. However, neither Washington nor Tehran has released the text of the memorandum of understanding, leaving investors cautious. Markets also looked ahead to a series of central bank policy decisions this week, with the Federal Reserve set to hold its first meeting under new chair Kevin Warsh and widely expected to leave interest rates unchanged.

Silver jumped toward $71 an ounce on Monday, advancing for a third consecutive session after the US and Iran reached a peace agreement that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Oil prices declined to a two-month low following the announcement, easing concerns over rising inflation and the prospect of interest rate hikes that have weighed on precious metals. The agreement is set to be signed in Switzerland on June 19 and reportedly includes the lifting of blockades, sanctions relief for Iran, and the dismantling of Tehran’s nuclear program. Meanwhile, the US Federal Reserve will hold its first policy meeting this week under new chair Kevin Warsh and is widely expected to keep interest rates unchanged. The Reserve Bank of Australia is also expected to leave policy steady, while the Bank of Japan is likely to raise rates in support of its currency.