Silver Rises to Over 14-Year High

Silver traded at $67 per ounce on Friday, heading for a fifth consecutive weekly decline, as investors balanced growing optimism over a potential US-Iran peace deal against mounting expectations of higher interest rates. US President Donald Trump suggested a deal could be reached as early as this weekend, though Tehran has yet to confirm a final decision. Since the Iran conflict began, silver has come under pressure amid concerns that surging energy costs could push inflation higher, reinforcing expectations that central banks will keep interest rates elevated. The European Central Bank raised interest rates on Thursday for the first time since 2023 and upwardly revised its inflation forecasts for 2026 and 2027. Additionally, US producer prices climbed 6.5% year-over-year in May, highlighting the inflationary impact of the Middle East energy shock and strengthening expectations of a Federal Reserve rate hike this year.

Silver eased below $67 an ounce on Friday but held most of the gains from the previous session, as growing optimism over an imminent peace deal between the US and Iran eased concerns about persistent inflation and potential interest rate hikes. President Donald Trump said a deal with Iran could be reached as early as this weekend after postponing planned attacks and warning that the US could target the country's oil infrastructure. Iran's semi-official Fars news agency also reported that Tehran was likely to accept the agreement, although no final text has been approved. Meanwhile, the ECB raised interest rates on Thursday for the first time since 2023 and lifted its inflation forecasts for 2026 and 2027. Data also showed US producer prices climbed 6.5% year-on-year in May, highlighting the inflationary effects of the Middle East energy shock and reinforcing expectations of a Federal Reserve rate increase this year.

Silver increased 5.01% to 66.571 USD/t.oz