The silver price surged on Tuesday (September 2), breaking US$40 per ounce to rise as high as US$40.93.
Silver was last above US$40 in 2011, peaking that year at US$47.94 in April.
Many of the same factors that drove the silver price to that level in 2011 are present in today’s market, including significant uncertainty around the economy, a global debt crisis and a dovish US Federal Reserve policy.
Silver price chart, June 1 to September 2, 2025.
Alongside silver’s move, the gold price reached a fresh all-time high on Tuesday as expectations rose that the Fed will cut interest rates when it meets next from September 16 to 17.
Although inflation has been moving further from the Fed’s 2 percent target, there has been greater uncertainty in the labor force. July’s nonfarm payroll report indicated slowing growth in the jobs market and featured a downward revision of 258,000 fewer jobs in May and June combined. The next report, due on Friday (September 5), has analysts predicting further weakness in the US jobs market, with expectations of 73,000 jobs being added to the economy.
A weak jobs market has been fueled by uncertainty within the economy since the start of the year amid an ever-changing tariff policy under President Donald Trump. On August 29, a federal appeals court struck down the majority of Trump’s tariffs in a seven-to-four ruling, deeming the levies to be unconstitutional.
The tariffs will remain in place until October 14, giving the White House time to mount an appeal of the decision with the Supreme Court of the US. The order adds another level of uncertainty to an already chaotic market, pushing 10 and 30 year bond yields up and driving a selloff in equity markets. Investors are spooked that the ruling may require the government to repay tariffs that have already been collected, adding to the ballooning US federal debt.
The silver price is also benefiting from the high gold price, as some investors look for safe-haven assets at lower entry points. Additionally, silver has increasing industrial applications, which have driven a structural supply deficit in the market, providing underlying fundamental support for investors.
Securities Disclosure: I, Dean Belder, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.