Expert investors are currently optimistic about silver at its current prices.
MarketWatch said, "Silver has been a lackluster performer this year, but as investors’ appetite for gold improves, silver might share in the yellow metal’s prosperity."
Global investment in silver rose last year and its market is close to balanced.
All of these factors are pointing to silver as a good investment in 2019.
How does silver fit into your portfolio? What role should it play?
Seeking Alpha says it's a great addition to your investment portfolio and recommends keeping it at about 1%. This is because silver has spiked dramatically a few times in the past.
"You can see 'Silver Thursday' in March 1980, the result of Bunker Hunt attempting to corner the silver market. And you can see the freak-out in 2011. So you might come to the conclusion that an asset that goes bananas every once in a while could be a good asset to hold."
Gold prices are rebounding.
CNBC reported, "Gold prices rebounded on Monday from a near four-month trough hit in the previous session as investors resumed trading after the Easter holiday, with the bullion gaining further traction on higher crude rates."
The price of gold is often linked to oil prices and the U.S. dollar.
How are solar panels related to silver? Silver is an important material in manufacturing the panels.
Mining.com said, "Given that it has the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of all metals, commercial solar panels incorporate about 20g of silver per unit. According to the experts at Kent, this means that the metal is responsible for around 6.1% of the total cost of building each panel."
Since the demand for solar panels is rising, the demand for silver is likely to rise as well.
There have been a lot of merges causing a stir lately in the mining industry. However, Mining.com argues that they should now focus on innovation. They said, "In this scenario, bigger isn’t always better. The aspiration for a new era of profitability must be met with sustained investment in innovation that delivers on both radical improvement and transformation."
Focusing on innovation and technology could create possibilities for these companies to scale sustainably. After mergers, sometimes businesses can grow more quickly than they can handle. We will see what happens!
Why are mining stocks surging?
The Street reported, "A likely rebounding Chinese economy should help boost demand for metals and materials, which in turn should help further lift the mining stocks, such as those held in the iShares MSCI Global Metals & Mining Producers exchange-traded fund."
Metals like copper, steel, and ore are projected to be in higher demand. Coal is also expected to be used more due to the rebounding Chinese economy and subsequent trade with the US.
The former Interior Secretary, Ryan Zinke, is now working in the gold industry.
CBS News reported, "Zinke told The Associated Press on Tuesday that his work for Nevada-based U.S. Gold Corp., which focuses on mining exploration and development, would not constitute lobbying. But that company's CEO cited Zinke's 'excellent relationship' with the Bureau of Land Management and the Interior Department in explaining his hiring."
Zinke holds a degree in geology.
What does Brexit have to do with gold? Some investors are actually holding off until they see what happens.
Kitco said, "The gold market in the U.K. has people waiting out the Brexit uncertainty without making any sudden moves, Carrasco told Kitco News in an interview."
The best outcomes for gold would probably be hard Brexit or the potential outcome of no Brexit at all. Some experts say this could lead to gold at $1,500 an ounce.
The latest news in copper is that the market is tight.
Mining Weekly reported, "Giant mines currently under construction will turn out an additional one-million tons of copper through 2023, but that gap won't be enough to fully close an expected gap between supply and demand in the next few years."
Copper was at a high point in 2017, creating an opportunity for mining projects to start construction. Click the link for more information on the current status of the copper industry!
Gold mining stocks are expected to rise over the next year.
Mining.com said, "A panel of 22 gold analysts surveyed by FocusEconomics in March sees a gentle rise for gold in 2019 to average around $1,350 an ounce this time next year."
Looking back all the way to 1942 helped experts come to this conclusion. Looking at the chart, bull markets tend to end with a significant upswing. Often, the stock doubled as a result of this upswing.
