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Reddit Joins Crypto Club New IPO Filing Reveals Treasury Exposure To Bitcoin Ether and MATIC

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Reddit Joins Crypto Club, New IPO Filing Reveals Treasury Exposure To Bitcoin, Ether, and MATIC

By Brenda Ngari – February 23, 2024

Social media platform Reddit has made headlines with its decision to invest part of its excess cash in Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH), as revealed in a Feb. 22 S-1 filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The crypto investments make Reddit one of the few companies that hold crypto assets in their balance sheets alongside the likes of Elon Musk’s EV maker, Tesla, and Michael Saylor’s MicroStrategy.

Crypto Exposure

Reddit has officially filed to go public on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker RDDT.

In a filing for an initial public offering (IPO), the firm disclosed that it has invested its excess cash reserves in crypto assets, including Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH), and has also acquired Polygon’s MATIC to pay for virtual goods. The social media giant said it may continue this strategy in the future.

Reddit indicated that BTC and ETH were the only cryptocurrencies held in the company’s treasury as of Dec. 31, 2023. It did not reveal how many tokens it holds but said the amounts are “immaterial.”

“The net carrying value of our cryptocurrencies, which consisted primarily of Bitcoin and Ether, as well as all related cryptocurrency activity, was immaterial for the periods presented,” Reddit wrote.

Moreover, the firm said it holds these cryptocurrencies so that its engineering and product teams can use them for specific applications.

Reddit’s Blockchain Experimentation

In the S-1 filing, Reddit said it has been “experiment[ing] with blockchain technology”.

The firm also said it sees some huge potential in cryptocurrencies and blockchain-based technologies but isn’t sure whether adoption by businesses and users will continue:

“While we believe cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology have significant potential, the popularity and prevalence of cryptocurrencies is a relatively recent trend, and whether cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology will continue to be adopted by consumers and businesses in the long term is uncertain.”

Reddit has cozied up to the crypto asset space in the past: In 2020, the platform launched Moons and Bricks — tokens running on Ethereum’s blockchain. Those who contributed to the cryptocurrency section of the social media site could receive Moons or Bricks as rewards and spend them for specific benefits. But Reddit pulled the plug on the blockchain-based reward service in November, citing problems with scalability and regulation.

While the social community platform reported roughly $804 million in sales in 2023, a decent 20.5% year-on-year increase, profitability remains somewhat of a pipe dream with a net loss of $91 million. The San Francisco-headquartered firm expects to commence trading on the NYSE in March.

DISCLAIMER

The views expressed in the article are wholly those of the author and do not represent those of, nor should they be attributed to, ZyCrypto. This article is not meant to give financial advice. Please carry out your own research before investing in any of the various cryptocurrencies available.

The original article written by Brenda Ngari and posted on ZyCrypto.com.

Article reposted on Markethive by Jeffrey Sloe

** Loans, secure funding for business projects in the USA and around the world. Learn more about USA & International Financing at Commercial Funding International. **

Tim Moseley

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Gold silver weaker as US stock markets post good gains

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Gold, silver weaker as U.S. stock markets post good gains

Gold and silver prices are modestly down and near their session lows in midday U.S. trading Thursday. Solid gains in the U.S. stock indexes and a risk-on trading day today are negatives for the safe-haven metals. Chart-based selling is also featured in gold and silver today as the near-term technical postures for both metals tilt slightly toward the bears. April gold was last down $4.30 at $2,030.30. March silver was last down $0.114 at $22.77.

Early mild gains in gold were erased when the U.S. dollar index rebounded from its overnight losses and moved above unchanged on the day.

Asian and European stock markets were mixed but mostly firmer in overnight trading. Japan’s Nikkei stock index Thursday hit a record high for the first time in 34 years. U.S. stock index futures are higher and near the daily highs, with the S&P 500 futures and Dow Jones Industrial average hitting new record highs.

 

The key outside markets today see the U.S. dollar index slightly up. Nymex crude oil prices are higher and trading around $78.75 a barrel. The yield on the benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury note is presently fetching 4.325%.

Technically, April gold futures bears have the slight overall near-term technical advantage. Prices are in a 2.5-month-old downtrend on the daily bar chart. Bulls’ next upside price objective is to produce a close above solid resistance at the February high of $2,083.20. Bears' next near-term downside price objective is pushing futures prices below solid technical support at the November low of $1,975.10. First resistance is seen at today’s high of $2,045.50 and then at $2,050.00. First support is seen at this week’s low of $2,023.90 and then at $2,007.60. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 4.5.

March silver futures bears have the slight overall near-term technical advantage. However, a nine-week-old downtrend on the daily bar chart has been negated to suggest a market bottom is in place. Silver bulls' next upside price objective is closing prices above solid technical resistance at $24.50. The next downside price objective for the bears is closing prices below solid support at the February low of $21.975. First resistance is seen at today’s high of $23.20 and then at last week’s high of $23.56. Next support is seen at $22.50 and then at $22.25. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 4.5.

March N.Y. copper closed up 135 points at 388.85 cents today. Prices closed nearer the session high today. The copper bulls have the slight overall near-term technical advantage and have momentum. Copper bulls' next upside price objective is pushing and closing prices above solid

technical resistance at the January high of 394.70 cents. The next downside price objective for the bears is closing prices below solid technical support at the February low of 365.50 cents. First resistance is seen at this week’s high of 390.85 cents and then at 394.70 cents. First support is seen at Wednesday’s low of 385.15 cents and then at this week’s low of 380.00 cents. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 5.0.
 

Kitco Media

Jim Wyckoff

Time to Buy Gold and Silver

Tim Moseley

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Cardano’s Charles Hoskinson Warns of Centralization Risks in the Crypto Industry

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Cardano’s Charles Hoskinson Warns of Centralization Risks in the Crypto Industry

By Newton Gitonga – February 22, 2024

Charles Hoskinson, the founder of Cardano, has issued a stark warning about the dangers of centralization in the cryptocurrency industry.

Speaking during a live broadcast titled “Legacy is Eating Crypto” on Monday, Hoskinson cautioned that the growing influence of a small number of powerful actors could undermine the core principles of cryptocurrency, such as decentralization, privacy, and equality.

Notably, the pundit highlighted the rapid growth of stablecoins, such as Tether (USDT) and USD Coin (USDC), which now account for approximately 70% of all on-chain transaction volume. According to Hoskinson, these stablecoins, backed by traditional assets, are subject to the regulations of their jurisdictions and central issuers, creating potential vulnerabilities and centralization risks.

“USDT and USDC…are asset backed which means that there’s a central issuer. There is a company who is regulated in a jurisdiction subject to that jurisdiction’s rules and regulations, and whatever that jurisdiction wants to put upon that company, permissive or otherwise, they are subject to it cannot get out of it,” said Hoskinson.

In contrast, Hoskinson advocated for algorithmic stablecoins, which are not backed by traditional assets and operate decentralised. Notably, algorithmic stablecoins, such as DAI, maintain their value through algorithms and smart contracts without relying on a central issuer or traditional assets. However, the crypto market has been cautious since the TerraUSD (UST) de-pegging incident in May 2022, which raised concerns about their safety and caused a ripple effect on the broader crypto market.

Despite the risks, algorithmic stablecoins offer advantages such as decentralization, autonomy, and potentially higher yields. Developers have thus been improving their design and functionality, positioning them as a potentially significant force in the cryptocurrency market.

Hoskinson also criticized the increasing power of a small number of Legacy actors, including centralized exchanges, regulated institutions, and ETF holders like BlackRock, who control a significant portion of the value flow in the cryptocurrency market. He argued that these entities have the power to decide the future of cryptocurrency projects, as they can influence listings, liquidity, and regulatory compliance.

“As more of these Legacy actors come in, they’ll acquire more and more of the supply. They already have a fifth of what Satoshi has,” Hoskinson added. “10 Legacy regulated institutions control the vast majority of your value flow and also get to decide the future of all of these projects.”

That said, Hoskinson emphasized the importance of preserving the core values of cryptocurrency, including freedom of association, commerce, and expression, and the need to resist the encroachment of legacy actors in the industry. He further urged the community to remain vigilant and to consider the long-term consequences of centralization and the potential erosion of the core values of the cryptocurrency movement.

Notably, Hoskinson has consistently advocated for decentralization, even as Cardano continues to receive improvements aimed at promoting security, scalability, and sustainability while empowering users and developers with greater control and autonomy.

DISCLAIMER

The views expressed in the article are wholly those of the author and do not represent those of, nor should they be attributed to, ZyCrypto. This article is not meant to give financial advice. Please carry out your own research before investing in any of the various cryptocurrencies available.

The original article written by Newton Gitonga and posted on ZyCrypto.com.

Article reposted on Markethive by Jeffrey Sloe

** Loans, secure funding for business projects in the USA and around the world. Learn more about USA & International Financing at Commercial Funding International. **

Tim Moseley

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Gold Price News: Gold Prices Gain As US Dollar Dips

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Gold Price News: Gold Prices Gain As US Dollar Dips

Gold prices made further gains on Monday and Tuesday to rise above $2,030 an ounce for the first time since February 9.

The US dollar fell against other major currencies on Tuesday, adding further to a downward move that’s continued since February 14. A weaker dollar tends to drive dollar-denominated assets like gold and silver higher as it makes the precious metals cheaper for buyers in other currencies. US Treasury yields also fell on Tuesday, adding to the bullish picture for gold prices.

The latest moves came against a background of heightened geopolitical risk, after news reports on Sunday said Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen had attacked another ship in the Gulf of Aden. The Houthis have said their attacks are a response to the Israeli state’s military actions in Gaza.

The ongoing hostilities against ships are a concern for the markets as they threaten deliveries in a key commercial waterway, and the uncertainty they pose tends to drive investment away from riskier assets toward safe havens like gold.

The markets were also looking ahead to Wednesday’s US Fed FOMC minutes and expected comments from Fed officials to gain insight into the timing of any interest rate cuts in the coming months. Recent figures suggest the market is now split on whether the first cuts are likely to come in May, June or July, while in January, most bets were on a May cut.

A prolonged period of very low interest rates, coupled with massive quantitative easing by central banks, was a key factor in gold’s dramatic price increase since the global financial crisis of 2008-2009. The rate-hiking cycle seen over the last two years has contributed to halting the price increase for gold, and any eventual cutting of interest rates could once again provide a stimulus for precious metals prices.

Frank’s experience covering the commodities markets spans 22 years, with a particular specialism in metals, carbon and energy markets. He has worked as a senior editor for S&P Global Commodity Insights (formerly Platts) and before this, at ICIS-LOR, a part of Reed Business Information (Reed Elsevier), where he covered the petrochemicals markets from 2003 to 2005.

Time to Buy Gold and Silver

Tim Moseley

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Bitcoin Bulls Rejoice: Pundit Names 3 Key Reasons Why BTC Price Will Tap 150000 This Year

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Bitcoin Bulls Rejoice: Pundit Names 3 Key Reasons Why BTC Price Will Tap $150,000 This Year

By Brenda Ngari – February 21, 2024

Bitcoin recently crossed the $50,000 mark, regaining the $1 trillion market capitalization for the first time since Dec. 2021. The big question now is, when will BTC hit a new all-time high?

Tom Lee, a prominent figure in the crypto community, has identified three major factors he believes will drive Bitcoin to the coveted $150,000 price tag in 2024.

BTC Rocket Fuel: Three Catalysts To Propel Bitcoin Higher

Tom Lee, renowned for his optimistic outlook on Bitcoin, has confidently posited that BTC is primed to hit six figures this year. In an interview with CNBC’s Squawk Box, Lee highlighted three catalysts he thinks will propel BTC to $150,000.

The first one is already here: spot BTC exchange-traded funds (ETFs). These investment vehicles allow investors to gain exposure to Bitcoin without the need to purchase or store the crypto asset directly. After a decade of denials, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) finally approved nearly a dozen spot BTC ETFs in a historic move.

According to Lee, spot ETFs will gobble up Bitcoins from the market, bringing a steady inflow of non-speculative investment for the first time in Bitcoin’s history. Demand for these new products will light a fire under the industry’s flagship cryptocurrency’s bulls.

The second catalyst is the impending Bitcoin halving in April. The quadrennial event effectively halves the new supply of BTC entering the market each day. Theoretically, fewer Bitcoins in circulation means that the value of the cryptocurrency will soar with demand amid a supply shock.

The final important factor likely to propel Bitcoin prices higher is the benchmark interest rates. There is a growing consensus that U.S. Federal Reserve officials will start cutting rates in 2024. Lower interest rates are a boon to risk assets like Bitcoin, Lee elaborated, contributing to a potential rally.

Lee’s prognostication comes days after “Rich Dad Poor Dad” author Robert Kiyosaki made a similar super bullish forecast on the price of Bitcoin. As reported by ZyCrypto, Kiyosaki said he anticipates Bitcoin to hit $100,000 by June 2024 — which is just two months after the miner rewards halving.

DISCLAIMER

The views expressed in the article are wholly those of the author and do not represent those of, nor should they be attributed to, ZyCrypto. This article is not meant to give financial advice. Please carry out your own research before investing in any of the various cryptocurrencies available.

The original article written by Brenda Ngari and posted on ZyCrypto.com.

Article reposted on Markethive by Jeffrey Sloe

** Loans, secure funding for business projects in the USA and around the world. Learn more about USA & International Financing at Commercial Funding International. **

Tim Moseley

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Finding Your Way Into a Mindset That Is Prepared For Change

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Finding Your Way Into a Mindset That Is Prepared For Change

Finding Your Way Into a Mindset That Is Prepared For Change

Finding Your Way Into a Mindset That Is Prepared For Change

Changes, regardless of how insignificant they may seem, may be an enormously challenging aspect of life. However, if you are aware that changes are on the horizon (which is always the case), there are methods in which you may modify your thinking in order to better prepare yourself for these changes.

FIRST, LET GO OF THE PAST. FINDING YOUR WAY INTO A MINDSET

When you hold onto something from your past, it’s hard to embrace the future. You should get into the habit of letting go of things that consistently have a negative impact on your life. This way, you’ll be better prepared for change when it happens.

REMAIN INQUISITIVE

Never let fear prevent you from asking questions, and remember to keep an open mind when you receive answers. When you question the things that are going on around you, you are engaging your critical thinking skills, which may be essential when you are making a major shift. One of the most effective ways to maintain your curiosity is to ask “what-if” questions about any situation that you might find yourself in.

ecosystem for entrepreneurs

HAVE CONTINGENCY PLANS READY.

It’s often misunderstood that having a backup plan means you don’t trust yourself. But that’s not completely true. Even though you hope to never use your backup plans, it’s important to have them. Thinking about possible situations where things could go wrong requires the same smart thinking as before. Having these critical thinking skills will help you anticipate problems, making it easier for you to adapt to changes.

SEEK OUT SOURCES OF MOTIVATION FINDING YOUR WAY INTO A MINDSET

In your daily life, if you’re just doing things without thinking, any unexpected change will surprise you and leave you unsure how to handle it. But if you’re always expecting your life to change, you’ll be better prepared to deal with whatever happens, even if it’s not what you expected. By regularly seeking change, you’ll be ready for anything. You can find inspiration by reflecting on yourself during meditation or visualization. This is a powerful way to find inspiration.

You need to be in the right mindset now to be ready for any change that may come your way. Leave the past behind, stay curious, seek inspiration, and have backup plans. Doing these things will help you clear your mind and prepare your critical thinking abilities to conquer the unknown.

Source: https://rtateblogspot.com/

Tim Moseley

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Gold Price News: Gold Ends Higher to Pare Weekly Losses

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Gold Price News: Gold Ends Higher to Pare Weekly Losses

Gold prices were marginally higher on Friday, ending the week in an upward trend, and partly regaining ground lost earlier in the week.

Prices spent most of the morning at around $2,005 an ounce, and barring a brief drop to $1,995 an ounce, prices held their ground to trade at $2,005 to $2,010 by late afternoon.

The modest gains followed a strong day on Thursday when gold rebounded from Wednesday’s intra-week low of $1,985 an ounce.

US producer prices were released Friday showing an increase of 0.3% in January, larger than the market’s expected 0.1% rise. And core PPI figures, which exclude food and energy, which tend to be volatile, showed a larger rise of 0.5%, versus market expectations of a 0.1% increase. Inflation figures matter because they add pressure on central banks to maintain higher rates for longer, a negative factor for non-interest-bearing assets like gold.

Gold’s sudden drop below $2,000 coincided with the release of the US stats in the early afternoon, although prices quickly rebounded to end marginally higher day-on-day.

Looking ahead, Tuesday will see the release of monthly inflation data from Canada, while eyes will also be on Wednesday’s US Fed FOMC minutes for further clues about potential interest rate trajectories. The Fed’s next meetings are scheduled for March 20 and May 1. Data from interest rate traders points to a roughly 35% probability of a 25-basis point cut in rates at the May meeting.

Frank’s experience covering the commodities markets spans 22 years, with a particular specialism in metals, carbon and energy markets. He has worked as a senior editor for S&P Global Commodity Insights (formerly Platts) and before this, at ICIS-LOR, a part of Reed Business Information (Reed Elsevier), where he covered the petrochemicals markets from 2003 to 2005.

Time to Buy Gold and Silver

Tim Moseley

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MicroStrategy’s Bitcoin Profit Surges to 357 Billion as BTC Price Soars

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MicroStrategy’s Bitcoin Profit Surges to $3.57 Billion as BTC Price Soars

By Newton Gitonga – February 20, 2024

MicroStrategy has seen its Bitcoin profit surge to almost $4 billion as the price of the cryptocurrency soars.

The company, which has been actively acquiring Bitcoin since August 2020, is currently the world’s largest publicly traded corporate holder of digital assets, with a staggering 190,000 BTC in its treasury. MicroStrategy’s latest Bitcoin acquisition was in January of this year when the firm bought 850 Bitcoins for $37.5 million.

According to data from Saylor Tracker, a reliable service monitoring MicroStrategy’s Bitcoin acquisitions, the recent surge in Bitcoin’s price to $50,000 has propelled the value of MicroStrategy’s holdings to a staggering $9.48 billion. Remarkably, with Bitcoin’s current price at $49,650, MicroStrategy’s cost basis for its Bitcoin holdings is $31,464.74 per coin. This means the firm is currently sitting on an unrealized profit of a staggering $3.505 billion.

Michael Saylor, MicroStrategy’s co-founder and Executive Chairperson, has shown no signs of abating with his Bitcoin purchases. In an interview with CNBC on Monday, Saylor stated that there is “10 years of pent-up demand” for Bitcoin ETFs and that the emergence of these ETFs has driven up demand for the digital asset.

Saylor also stated that Bitcoin’s unique characteristics, such as being digital, global, and uncorrelated to traditional risk assets, make it a natural addition to investment portfolios. He added that there is a significant supply-demand imbalance in the market, with ten times as much demand coming through the ETFs as there is supply from natural sellers, such as miners.

MicroStrategy’s success with Bitcoin has led the company to rebrand itself as a “Bitcoin development company.” According to Saylor, this decision was a natural one, given the company’s success with Bitcoin and its unique status as the largest corporate holder of the digital asset.

“It makes for us to call ourselves a Bitcoin development company in the same way you see a real estate development company or petroleum development company…,” said Saylor.

That said, with Bitcoin’s price continuing to soar, the company’s position as the world’s single largest corporate holder of digital assets could continue unchallenged despite the emergence of various spot ETF issuers, even as it plans to acquire more coins.

“We are going to develop software, generate cash flow [and] leverage the capital markets, all in order to accumulate more Bitcoin for our shareholders and to promote the growth of the bitcoin network given the fact that the majority of enterprise value is now based upon those bitcoin related activities.” He added.

Meanwhile, El Salvador’s Bitcoin holdings have also performed well amidst the recent price upsurge. At press time, the country’s stash of 2,833 BTC was valued at $140,383,025, generating unrealized profits of $20,119,365, as per data from Nayibtracker.

DISCLAIMER: None Of The Information You Read On ZyCrypto Should Be Regarded As Investment Advice. Cryptocurrencies Are Highly Volatile, Conduct Your Own Research Before Making Any Investment Decisions.

The original article written by Newton Gitonga and posted on ZyCrypto.com.

Article reposted on Markethive by Jeffrey Sloe

** Loans, secure funding for business projects in the USA and around the world. Learn more about USA & International Financing at Commercial Funding International. **

Tim Moseley

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XRP Solana Cardano Shiba Inu Making Up for Lost Time as Big Whale Transaction Spikes Pop Up

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XRP, Solana, Cardano, Shiba Inu Making Up for Lost Time as Big Whale Transaction Spikes Pop Up

By Brian Njuguna – February 19, 2024

As the crypto market continues to enjoy notable bullish momentum, altcoins are riding on this wave thanks to heightened whale transactions.

Taking on X (formerly Twitter), leading on-chain metrics provider Santiment acknowledged, “While Bitcoin profits are being distributed to various altcoins, several are showing signs of drawing whale interest.”

Therefore, Injective (INJ) and Basic Attention Token (BAT) have led the altcoin race as whales show soaring interest on the foundation of factors like their notable use cases.

For instance, INJ is revolutionizing the decentralized finance (DeFi) sector by enabling Web3 members to stake for rewards and approve proposals for protocol upgrades, among others.

Are Altcoins Eyeing Hype Cycles?

With Bitcoin recently breaching the $52,000 level, altcoins are eyeing this bullish run after several weeks of retracement.

Leading crypto analyst Rekt Capital acknowledged, “With the Bitcoin rally in progress, it’s a matter of time before that money flows into Altcoins. Altcoins are getting ready.”


Source: RektCapital

Therefore, this analysis suggests that altcoins might be gearing up for hype cycles that could increase prices.

Some top altcoins, such as Ethereum (ETH), have been leading the altcoin rally, given that the second-largest cryptocurrency based on market value is edging closer to the psychological price of $3,000.

ETH was up by 12.5% in the past week to hit $2,935 at the time of writing, according to CoinGecko data.

Therefore, altcoin bulls are not relenting on their quest to scale heights, with Solana (SOL), XRP, Shiba Inu (SHIB) and Cardano (ADA) recently recording massive gains after making a major U-turn.

DISCLAIMER

The views expressed in the article are wholly those of the author and do not represent those of, nor should they be attributed to, ZyCrypto. This article is not meant to give financial advice. Please carry out your own research before investing in any of the various cryptocurrencies available.

The original article written by Brian Njuguna and posted on ZyCrypto.com.

Article reposted on Markethive by Jeffrey Sloe

** Loans, secure funding for business projects in the USA and around the world. Learn more about USA & International Financing at Commercial Funding International. **

Tim Moseley

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Inflation fears force hedge funds to ditch gold increase bearish bets in silver

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Inflation fears force hedge funds to ditch gold, increase bearish bets in silver

Gold and silver continue to defy the odds as the precious metals hold critical support even as inflation fears prompted hedge funds to liquidate their bullish positionings and increase their speculative bets, according to the latest trade data from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

Commodity analysts at Société Générale noted that the gold market led speculative outflows in the commodity space last week as $6.9 billion fled the precious metal.

The CFTC's disaggregated Commitments of Traders report for the week ending Feb. 13 showed money managers decreased their speculative gross long positions in Comex gold futures by 13,674 contracts to 100,642. At the same time, short positions increased by 20,219 contracts to 66,466 contracts.

The gold market is now net long by only 34,176 contracts as bullish speculative positioning falls to its lowest level since Oct. 16. Although bullish interest in gold continues to weaken, the price continues to hold critical support at $2,000.

Bearish momentum in gold picked up last week after the U.S. Labor Department said that its Consumer Price Index rose more than expected, increasing 3.1% in the 12 months to January. Inflation was hotter than expected, as economists were expecting the annual CPI to rise 2.9%.

Renewed inflation fears caused markets to push back the timing of a potential rate cut from the Federal Reserve. A March rate cut has been pretty much priced out of the market and there is less than 50% chance of easing in May.

Although gold prices have room to move lower, analysts see a relatively solid floor in the market as the Federal Reserve is expected to eventually ease its monetary policy.

"We have highlighted on several occasions in recent months that both [gold and silver] are likely to remain stuck until we get a better understanding about the delivery of future U.S. rate cuts. Until the first cut is delivered, the market may at times run ahead of itself, in the process building up rate cut expectations to levels that leave prices vulnerable to a correction," said Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank, in a comment to Kitco News Friday.

At the same time, while lackluster Western investment demand keeps a lid on prices, Hansen noted that the market continues to be supported by robust Asian demand.

“Gold will likely struggle in the short term, but as the rate cut expectations are being dialed back, but overall, I look forward to seeing how Chinese investors respond to slightly lower prices next week. I believe the physical demand from central banks and retail investors, not least in China, will continue to provide a soft floor under the market,” he said.

Commodity analyst at TD Securities said that the gold market is building momentum for a potential short squeeze as macro traders are under-positioned for the Federal Reserve’s easing cycle.

“This highlights a set-up for the yellow metal that is ripe with asymmetry and prone to a material short squeeze as Fed officials contemplate the start of a cutting cycle. In this sense, algorithmic selling exhaustion has already morphed into buying activity, adding pressure on macro trader shorts,” the analysts said.

Along with gold, silver has also struggled as potentially higher for longer interest rates pushes the market into bearish positioning.

The disaggregated report showed that money-managed speculative gross long positions in Comex silver futures rose by 903 contracts to 33,004. At the same time, short positions rose by 5,287 contracts to 41,987 contracts.

Sentiment in the silver market pushed further into bearish territory by 8,983 contracts. Speculative short positioning has risen to its highest level since early March 2023.

Despite the bearish sentiment, silver prices held critical support at $22 an ounce. The precious metal bounced off a three-month low to end last week with nearly a 7% gain.

Although interest rate expectations are weighing on silver, some analysts have said that silver is a more attractive inflation hedge than gold and could start to outperform the yellow metal.

Kitco Media

Neils Christensen

Time to Buy Gold and Silver

Tim Moseley

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