Silver Jumps After Soft US Payrolls
Silver rose over 1.5% to above $78.2 per ounce on Friday as weaker US job creation reinforced expectations for Fed rate cuts, triggering renewed demand for precious metals after index driven selling pressure eased. December nonfarm payrolls rose by just 50,000, well below forecasts, while the unemployment rate fell to 4.4%, confirming a low hiring, low firing labor market that aligns with an outlook for lower interest rates rather than renewed tightening. That shift reduced real yield pressure and encouraged fresh long positioning and short covering in silver futures once mechanical selling linked to annual commodity index rebalancing began to subside. Geopolitical risks around Venezuela and East Asia provided secondary support, but the rebound was chiefly driven by the repricing of US rates, with thin liquidity amplifying the upside move after two sessions of sharp liquidation.