Silver Investment Demand Up and Other Silver News
Global silver demand nudged higher in 2019 thanks to a 12% increase in investment demand as retail and institutional investors focused their attention on the long-term investment appeal of the white metal according to a report highlighted in the latest edition of the Silver Institute’s Silver News.
According to the World Silver Survey 2020, total demand inched higher by 0.4% despite the trade war. Investment demand grew to 186 million ounces, the largest annual growth since 2015. Exchange-traded product holdings stood at 728.9 million ounces at year-end, up by 13%, achieving the largest annual rise since 2010.
Meanwhile, silver mine supply fell for the fourth straight with output declining by 1%.
The supply/demand dynamics are bullish for the white metal and silver hasn’t been this cheap in 5,000 years.
The latest edition of Silver News also highlights some fascinating technological developments utilizing the white metal and other interesting news related to silver.
- Relatively little is currently understood about the COVID-19 virus, but access to rapid and accurate diagnostic tools to support quarantine and treatment is critical to prevent the pandemic from spreading further and lasting longer. Silver is playing a role in the development of accurate testing.
- Although silver ions have not been shown to kill the Covid-19 virus, they are still being infused in face masks to keep them bacteria-free and fresh smelling as silver kills many bacteria, including E-coli, which can be harmful to people.
- The next generation of mobile communications technology known as 5G – already rolling out in some countries – is massively increasing download speeds, reducing time lags, and driving progress in many sectors including the ‘Internet of Things,’ which connects household and commercial products, like cars, appliances and medical devices to the internet. The electrical components that make 5G possible rely on silver.
- Scientists know that silver ions can pierce the outer cell walls of microbes, destroying the structure and the germ itself. However, there still is more to learn about the actual mechanism if silver is to become the antibacterial of choice among physicians who are finding it more problematic to prescribe antibiotic drugs which are losing their efficacy through overuse.
- Samsung announces a new silver-powered solid-state battery.
- In an ongoing quest to find electrical-conducting materials that are flexible enough to bend but not break – making them ideal for wearables – researchers at Nanjing Tech University in China are using silver and fish scales to produce biodegradable electronic displays.
