Silver Posts Monthly Loss as Rate Hike Expectations Weigh
2026-07-31 14:53
By
Joana Ferreira
1 min. read
Silver fell more than 2% to around $57.5 an ounce on Friday, ending July down over 1% as the US dollar rebounded from a more than one-month low and expectations for tighter Federal Reserve policy outweighed support from softer US inflation data and unchanged interest rates.
Markets currently see about a 65% chance of a Fed rate hike in September, with another increase expected by June 2027.
While Fed Chair Kevin Warsh reaffirmed the central bank's commitment to lowering inflation without signaling an imminent hike, the three policymakers who dissented at this week's meeting reiterated on Friday that further tightening is needed.
Meanwhile, renewed US strikes on Iranian targets in response to Tehran's attacks on American assets reduced hopes for a diplomatic breakthrough.
Since the conflict erupted in late February, higher oil prices have fueled inflation concerns and reinforced expectations for higher interest rates, weighing on precious metals.