Silver fell toward $75 an ounce on Friday and was on track for a weekly loss of nearly 7%, as escalating tensions between the US and Iran over the Strait of Hormuz pushed energy prices higher and stoked inflation concerns. Both countries have maintained blockades of the key shipping corridor, while peace talks have shown little progress.
On Thursday, President Donald Trump said in a social media post that he had ordered the US Navy to “shoot and kill” vessels laying mines in the strait. US forces also boarded a supertanker carrying Iranian oil in the Indian Ocean.
At the same time, the US-Iran ceasefire has been extended indefinitely as Washington awaits a new formal proposal from Tehran, and the truce between Israel and Lebanon has been prolonged by three weeks. Elevated energy prices have increased inflation risks and strengthened expectations of potential central bank rate hikes, undermining the appeal of non-yielding precious metals such as silver.
