Silver Falls Sharply as Iran Conflict Fuels Dollar, Rate Fears
Silver prices plunged nearly 5% to $71 per ounce on Thursday, dragged down by a rising US dollar and oil prices after President Donald Trump vowed to escalate attacks on Iran, fueling inflation concerns and shifting market expectations from pre-war rate cut hopes to the likelihood of unchanged Federal Reserve policy in 2026. While Trump claimed US forces had "nearly accomplished" their military goals, he offered no exit strategy for the month-long war, instead pledging to strike Iran "extremely hard" over the next "two to three weeks." Tehran, on the other hand, denied Trump’s claim that it had requested a ceasefire, insisting the Strait of Hormuz remains under IRGC control. The dollar’s safe-haven surge pressured precious metals, with silver already down more than 20% since the conflict erupted on February 28.