UBS Raises Targets: Platinum Up $300, Palladium $100 After Multi-Year Highs Surge

Posted on December 29, 2025 by Olumide Adesina

UBS revised its price projections for palladium and platinum following a significant increase in both metals. Platinum prices have risen by almost $500 per ounce over the last four weeks, reaching a 17-year high, in part due to investor excitement over the European Commission’s proposal to relax its 2035 ban on combustion engine vehicles.

According to UBS strategists Giovanni Staunovo and Wayne Gordon, the action, along with slower-than-anticipated adoption of electric vehicles, has raised expectations that demand for platinum in autocatalysts may be sustained for longer.

Citing “higher investment demand and a tighter market,” they increased their platinum projections by $300 per ounce.

The team adopted a more circumspect stance regarding the longevity of platinum’s superior performance. They noted that demand for gasoline vehicle catalysts is more likely to cause palladium as platinum becomes more costly. “We will probably see the car if platinum continues to be significantly more expensive than palladium.”

Palladium has also increased significantly, hitting levels not seen in nearly three years.UBS raised its palladium price projections by $100 per ounce. According to Staunovo and Gordon, supply-side frictions and investment demand have tightened the palladium market more than anticipated. They cited remarks from Russian manufacturer Nornickel stated high lease rates have forced some glass and chemical companies to switch from leasing to direct purchases, further restricting availability. The bank cautioned that short-term volatility could be caused by policy uncertainty.

The results of the US Critical Minerals Section 232 investigation and a related antidumping petition are being closely monitored by investors. UBS noted that platinum and palladium bars shipped to the US may be re-exported to Europe if tariffs are not in place. Such flows could ease supply pressures in key hubs like London and Zurich.

Silver’s Historic Breach of $80 Turns Chaotic as China’s Clampdown Sparks Bubble Debate

Posted on December 29, 2025 by Olumide Adesina

Silver surged after breaking above $80 per ounce for the first time amid a historic rally driven by speculative trading and a persistent mismatch between supply and demand. Copper jumped over 6% to reach a record on the London Metal Exchange, while gold declined after hitting a new high in the previous session.

Increased central bank purchases, inflows into exchange-traded funds, and three consecutive rate cuts by the Federal Reserve have made precious metals hot in recent months.

The value of China’s only pure-play silver fund dropped by its daily maximum of 10%, ending a wild bull run that led the fund’s manager to issue rare warnings. The sudden decline in the UBS SDIC Silver Futures Fund LOF follows weeks of gains driven by increasing global interest in precious metals, which the manager called “unsustainable.” Spot silver is on track for its best annual performance since 1979 after reaching a record high of $72.70 per ounce on Wednesday.

UBS SDIC Fund Management Co. announced new restrictions after three consecutive days this week of exceeding the 10% upward limit. Starting in December, there will be a cap on new Class C share subscriptions, typically the best option for short-term investors, decreasing from 500 yuan to 26-100 yuan ($14.25), according to a statement on the fund manager’s website. Strong investor interest in precious metals has focused on silver, with a historic short squeeze in October fueling the notable global spot price rally.

Palladium, gold, and platinum have all surged, and other Chinese funds linked to these metals have also seen significant gains, as investors caution. This year, the silver fund has surged by nearly 220%, while Shanghai-traded silver futures have risen about 128%. The premium over the underlying asset jumped from 7% at the start of the month to nearly 62% by Wednesday. As the fund’s value declined and futures rose, this premium is expected to decrease on Thursday.

Commodities that do not pay interest benefit significantly from lower borrowing costs, with traders betting on additional rate reductions in 2026. Physical premiums have hit extreme levels due to relentless industrial demand from solar panels, EVs, AI data centers, and electronics, pushing against dwindling inventories. Elon Musk’s weekend remarks highlighting the growing investor frenzy around precious metals triggered Monday’s early momentum.

“This is not good,” Musk said on X in response to a tweet about Chinese export restrictions.

Many industrial processes rely on silver. The US’s blockade of oil tankers in Venezuela and Washington’s actions against the Islamic State in Nigeria over the past week have increased the appeal of these metals as safe havens. Silver inventories are at their lowest point ever, raising the risk of supply shortages that could impact several industries.

Bitcoin Breaks $90K Barrier in Post-Christmas Surge

Posted on December 29, 2025 by Olumide Adesina

Bitcoin increased in London trading to over $90,000, suggesting a possible breakout after missing out on a Santa rally that sent stocks to all-time highs. According to data gathered by Bloomberg, the original cryptocurrency increased as much as 3.1 percent to over $90,200 on Monday.

Other cryptocurrencies surged as well; Ether surpassed $3,000 by up to 4%. In the run-up to Christmas, the S&P 500 reached a record close while Bitcoin remained mostly unchanged. Monday’s increase “appears somewhat driven by short-term retail traders taking on growing positions in futures.”

The entire cryptocurrency market has yet to recover from a weeks-long selloff that started in October with the liquidation of roughly $19 billion worth of leveraged positions. a cryptocurrency treasury company.

One important indicator of cryptocurrency sentiment, the Bitcoin funding rate, is at its highest point since October. 18, indicating rising demand for b, according to CryptoQuant data. The token hit a record of $126,251 on October 6.

Bitcoin is down roughly 4% in 2025 despite growing institutional adoption and several policy victories under pro-crypto US President Donald Trump. Open interest in futures positions for Bitcoin has also recovered from recent lows, but is well below recent peaks that coincided with Bitcoin’s recent highs in October.

China Moves to Quell Silver Frenzy: Fund Plunges After Three-Day Limit-Up Streak

Posted on December 28, 2025December 29, 2025 by Olumide Adesina

The value of China’s only pure-play silver fund dropped by its daily maximum of 10%, ending a wild bull run that led the fund’s manager to issue rare warnings.

The sudden decline in the UBS SDIC Silver Futures Fund LOF follows weeks of gains driven by increasing global interest in precious metals, which the manager called “unsustainable.” Spot silver is on track for its best annual performance since 1979 after reaching a record high of $72.70 per ounce on Wednesday.

The premium over the underlying asset jumped from 7% at the start of the month to nearly 62% by Wednesday. As the fund’s value declined and futures rose, this premium is expected to decrease on Thursday.

Silver Hits All-Time High Above $77 – Is $80 Next Before 2025 Ends?

Posted on December 27, 2025 by Olumide Adesina

Silver crossed the $77 threshold for the first time, and gold and platinum reached all-time highs thanks to anticipated rate cuts by the Federal Reserve and geopolitical unrest that increased demand for safe havens.

After reaching an all-time high of $77.4, spot silver jumped 7.5 percent to $77.3 per ounce, marking a 167 percent year-to-date surge fueled by supply shortages, its classification as a US critical mineral, and robust investment inflows. After reaching a record $4,549.71 earlier, spot gold was up 1.2 percent at $4,531.41 per ounce.

A weak dollar, heightened geopolitical tensions, and expectations of additional Fed easing in 2026 are causing volatility in thin markets. Gold futures for February delivery settled 1.1 percent higher at $4,553.

The trend remains strong, even though some profits may be taken before the year is out. In 2026, markets expect two rate cuts.

The first is expected in the middle of the year, amid rumors that US President Donald Trump may appoint a dovish Fed chair, raising hopes for a more accommodative monetary policy.

The US dollar index is expected to drop weekly, making dollar-priced gold more appealing to foreign buyers. In terms of geopolitics, Trump stated on Thursday that the US had conducted airstrikes against Islamic State militants in northwest Nigeria.

By year’s end, $80 in silver is within reach. The next target for gold is $4,686.61, with $5,000 likely in the first half of the following year. Supported by Fed policy easing, central bank purchases, ETF inflows, and ongoing de-dollarization trends, gold remains on track for its biggest yearly gain since 1979. On the physical demand front, gold discounts in China shrank significantly from last week’s five-year highs, while in India they widened to their highest level in over six months this week as a relentless price rally restrained retail purchases.

Palm Oil Extends Rally Driven by Robust Malaysian Shipments

Posted on December 26, 2025 by Olumide Adesina

Palm oil continued to rise for a fourth consecutive session because of increased demand for Malaysian goods, reaching its highest level in two weeks.

Intertek Testing Services reports that during the first 25 days of December, exports from Malaysia, the second-largest grower, increased by 1.6% month over month.

India was the largest buyer, a 66 percent increase over the same period last month, with 279,550 tons imported. “As the festival season’s demand catches up, exports are bound to rise now,” stated Gnanasekar Thiagarajan, Kaleesuwari Intercontinental’s head of trading and hedging strategies.

Prices are anticipated to rise in February 2026 due to demand before the Lunar New Year and Ramadan. He did, however, add that a stronger ringgit might limit gains. After strengthening for a third day, the Malaysian ringgit is poised to reach a four-and-a-half-year high, making the tropical commodity less appealing to foreign buyers.

Silver Run Halted: 10% Plunge in China Fund Following Risk Alerts

Posted on December 26, 2025December 29, 2025 by Olumide Adesina

The value of China’s only pure-play silver fund dropped by its daily maximum of 10%, ending a wild bull run that led the fund’s manager to issue rare warnings.

UBS SDIC Fund Management Co. announced new restrictions after three consecutive days this week of exceeding the 10% upward limit

.Starting in December, there will be a cap on new Class C share subscriptions, typically the best option for short-term investors, decreasing from 500 yuan to 26-100 yuan ($14.25), according to a statement on the fund manager’s website. Strong investor interest in precious metals has focused on silver, with a historic short squeeze in October fueling the notable global spot price rally.

Gold Steady After Hitting $4,500 Peak Amid Year-End Profit Booking

Posted on December 25, 2025 by Olumide Adesina

The bullion asset saw little change after a three-day surge that raised the price of the precious metal to an all-time high above $4,500 an ounce. Platinum also retreated from an all-time high reached overnight, falling more than 6%.

Some traders are beginning to take profits following a fierce run in the precious metal market as the year comes to an end, with gold up nearly 70% in 2025.

The price of platinum has more than doubled. The selling pressure was supported by the 14-day relative strength index for gold, which was in overbought territory, indicating that a pause or decline in price may be imminent.

The appeal of gold as a haven amid growing tensions in Venezuela, where the US has blockaded oil tankers, has fueled the metal’s recent surge.

Additionally, traders are speculating that the Federal Reserve will further reduce borrowing costs in the upcoming year, which would benefit non-yielding precious metals. Both gold and silver are expected to have their best yearly results since 1979.

Elevated central bank purchases and inflows into exchange-traded funds have supported the precious metals rally. World Gold Council data shows that total holdings in gold-backed ETFs have increased each month this year, except May.

Goldman Sachs has predicted that prices will continue to rise in 2026. The base-case scenario is $4,900, with upside risks. While fiscal drift attracted retail buyers and dollar diversification kept central banks in a strong position, easier global monetary policy has helped precious metals. More generally, a banner year in metals was made possible by a combination of tight supply, tariffs, and geopolitical tensions. This week, silver saw its first price above $70 per ounce.

Speculative inflows and persistent supply disruptions across major trading hubs have driven the metal’s most recent surge, following a historic short squeeze in October, which has been even more pronounced than gold’s. Since then, London’s vaults have seen substantial inflows, but a large portion of the world’s silver supply remains in New York, as traders await the conclusion of a US Commerce Department investigation into whether imports of vital minerals pose a threat to national security.

Intel Shares Fall Amid Reports of Nvidia Scrapping 18A Chip Test

Posted on December 25, 2025 by Olumide Adesina

Intel’s stock dropped after a report claimed that Nvidia Corp. stopped a test to produce advanced chips using Intel’s manufacturing process. According to Reuters, which cited two unnamed people with knowledge of the situation, Nvidia tested the so-called 18A process recently but decided not to proceed.

Requests for comment from Nvidia and Intel representatives were not immediately answered. Reuters was informed by an Intel representative that the company’s 18A manufacturing technologies are “progressing well.”. “Intel recently opened Fab 52, a new factory at its Ocotillo, Arizona, location, which is the first to use the 18A technique in mass production.

According to the company, it is the most advanced production technology created and used in the United States. In an effort to take on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., the industry leader, Intel is pushing to produce cutting-edge chips domestically. and reaffirm American dominance in the sector. NVIDIA decided to invest $5 billion in Intel after the US government acquired about 10% of the company.

The investment by the most valuable company and a major chip designer for the artificial intelligence boom was viewed as a boost for Intel, which has been struggling to control losses and catch up with rivals that have outperformed it in recent years. But Intel did not commit to producing Nvidia chips as part of the agreement.

18A is an attempt to resume producing Intel’s top products internally. According to Intel, the technology has two new features that are revolutionary for the sector. The first concerns transistors, the tiny switches that enable semiconductors to function. Tens of billions of transistors are crammed into a tiny space on modern chips. The ability to turn these transistors on and off becomes crucial for increasing chip efficiency and reducing energy consumption.

BlackRock XRP Stealth Mode: Massive Hidden Buys Could Fuel the Ultimate Wealth Explosion

Posted on December 25, 2025 by Olumide Adesina

Maxwell Stein, the Director of Digital Assets at BlackRock, caused a stir in the crypto market.

“Trillions of dollars are poised to enter the blockchain ecosystem, but in the short term, we need to demonstrate the technology’s utility,” stated Maxwell Stein. Meanwhile, Adena Friedman, President and CEO of NASDAQ, elaborated on how banks have begun tokenizing bonds, fixed income assets, and stablecoins, particularly Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs).

Ripple’s annual Swell conference is one of the most anticipated events in the cryptocurrency community. However, renowned analyst Digital Asset Investor recently noted that while the Swell conference may not directly impact prices, an announcement regarding an XRP exchange-traded fund (ETF) backed by BlackRock could have a significantly different effect. This comment reignited discussions about the factors that truly influence XRP’s market fluctuations and whether Swell WAS a meaningful price catalyst.

The consensus among digital asset investors is clear: the Swell conference typically does not lead to immediate changes in XRP’s value. The conference mainly focuses on cross-border payment innovations, blockchain integration, and industry collaboration—topics that support long-term fundamentals but rarely trigger short-term price spikes. Conversely, the analyst suggested that a formal XRP ETF, especially one backed by a major international investment firm like BlackRock, would dramatically transform the market landscape. Such an event would signify institutional support and regulatory recognition, potentially attracting significant capital inflows and influencing the token’s price.

Reactions on X varied among users. While some see potential, one user noted that the current market trend indicates weakness and consolidation, suggesting that broader declines may overshadow any positive developments. They also mentioned that retail traders might react emotionally in the short term.

The overarching conclusion is that traders differentiate between significant financial advancements and mere symbolic events. Although Swell’s global reach and institutional partnerships are noteworthy, they rarely generate headlines that impact the market. In contrast, the possibility of a BlackRock XRP ETF would have much larger implications for investor accessibility, liquidity, and long-term valuation.

Market participants will likely continue to look for signs of progress in institutional integration as Ripple’s Swell 2025 conference in New York approaches. However, until an ETF or regulatory milestone is officially announced, expectations for substantial price movements remain low.