Gold hits 7-week high, silver nears record amid rate cut expectations

• Gold prices reached a seven-week high, and silver neared its all-time record, primarily driven by expectations of future interest rate cuts from the US Federal Reserve.
• Silver's strong performance is further supported by robust industrial demand, shrinking inventories, and its inclusion on the US critical minerals list.
• Both gold and silver are set for significant weekly gains, with gold up 1.8% and silver up 9.2%, also benefiting from a weakening dollar.
• Analysts maintain a positive outlook for bullion in 2025-2026, citing strong global fundamentals, safe-haven demand, and increasing industrial and central bank purchases.

Why It Matters: Rate cuts & demand fuel gold/silver surge, impacting your investments.