Gold (GC=F) and silver (SI=F) are among this year’s biggest winners, with momentum driving prices to record highs and setting up their best year since 1979.
Gold traded above $4,500 per troy ounce on Wednesday before paring gains as it notched another milestone in a year packed with more than 50 record highs.
Silver has had an even stronger year, soaring 150% on robust industrial demand and physical shortages. The metal topped $70 on Wednesday, while futures climbed past $72 an ounce.
Meanwhile, copper (HG=F) also participated in the metals rally, reaching all-time highs on supply concerns before trimming gains.
The rally in the metals space has come as investor focus in 2025 has spread across nearly every risk asset — from cryptocurrencies and the AI trade to European stocks.
But gold and silver are increasingly standing out as the trades of the year.
“In the new paradigm, gold is being viewed as a currency rather than a commodity,” Shree Kargutkar, senior portfolio manager at Sprott Asset Management, told Yahoo Finance.
Strategists point to a shake-up in the traditional 60% stocks and 40% bonds portfolio.
Read more: Thinking of buying gold? Here’s what investors should watch for.
“Investors are just getting smarter,” Blue Line Futures chief market strategist Phil Streible told Yahoo Finance. “They’re realizing they need to add strategic commodities such as gold, silver, and copper to their portfolios for diversification.”
In the case of gold, central bank hoarding, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) purchases, a weaker dollar, and falling interest rates have served as major tailwinds. Few of these are expected to ease in the year ahead.
President Trump is expected to soon announce his pick to replace Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, whose term ends in May, raising expectations that a dovish Fed and “run-it-hot” policy could further boost prices.
Read more: How to invest in gold in 4 steps
Some Wall Street analysts also see more room to run as central banks continue to be “sticky” net buyers for gold. Goldman Sachs reaffirmed its “structurally bullish” outlook with a price target of $4,900 by the end of 2026, with an upside risk if underallocated private investors add to their portfolios.
The World Gold Council suggests more fiscal spending, central bank demand, and lower rates could buoy prices another 5%-15% next year.
“If economic growth slows and interest rates continue to fall, gold could see moderate gains,” Joe Cavatoni, senior market strategist at World Gold Council, told Yahoo Finance on Monday. “In a more severe downturn marked by rising global risks, gold could perform strongly.”
