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Why has the price of silver hit a record high?
The price of silver has hit a record high ahead of an expected US Federal Reserve interest rate cut and as demand from the technology industry for the precious metal remains high.
Silver crossed $60 (£45.10) an ounce on the spot market, where the precious metal is bought and sold for immediate delivery, for the first time on Tuesday.
Gold, which hit record highs earlier this year as concerns grew about the impact of US tariffs and the global economic outlook, also made gains this week.
Investors tend to move money into precious metals like gold and silver as interest rates come down and the US dollar weakens.
The US central bank is widely expected to cut its main interest rate by a quarter of a percentage point on Wednesday.
When interest rates are cut, traders typically buy assets like silver because the benefits of keeping cash in the bank or buying short-term bonds falls, said Yeow Hee Chua from the Nanyang Technological University.
“That naturally shifts demand toward assets viewed as stores of value, including silver,” he said.
The move into so-called “safe-haven” assets was also a key reason for gold hitting new record highs in recent months, as it crossed $4,000 an ounce for the first time.
Silver’s rally could also be seen a “spillover effect” from the jump in the value of gold as investors look for cheaper alternatives, said OCBC bank analyst Christopher Wong.
Gold has gained more than 50% this year, partly due to major purchases by central banks. The price of platinum and palladium have also climbed this year.
Experts say the value of silver was also pushed up as strong demand from the technology industry outstripped supplies.
That has helped more than double the value of silver this year as it outperformed other precious metals, including gold.
“Silver is not only an investment asset but also a physical resource,” and more manufacturers are finding a need for the material, said Kosmas Marinakis from the Singapore Management University.
The precious metal, which conducts electricity better than gold or copper, is used to produce goods like electric vehicles (EVs) and solar panels.
Experts predict that rising sales of EVs will further push up demand for silver, while advanced batteries for the cars will require even more of the metal.
But it is difficult to quickly increase silver supplies as the majority of global output is a by-product from mines that mainly extract other metals like lead, copper or gold.
The price of silver is also being boosted by concerns that the US may impose tariffs on it as part of President Donald Trump’s trade policies.
Fears of potential tariffs have also led to stockpiling of silver in the US, resulting in shortages elsewhere in the world.
The US imports about two-thirds of its silver, which is used for manufacturing as well as jewellery and investment.
Manufacturers have been racing to secure supplies to ensure their operations are not interrupted by shortages, which has helped to push up prices on global markets, said Prof Marinakis.
He added that he expects the price of silver to remain high in the coming months.
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Hetero rolls out generic semaglutide exports to over 75 countries – The Times of India
Hyderabad: Pharma player Hetero on Friday said it has rolled out exports of its generic semaglutide injection portfolio as part of a multi-year plan to widen access to treatments for type 2 diabetes and obesity in more than 75 countries.The Hyderabad-based pharmaceutical company said initial rollouts are under way in Africa, Asia and the Middle East, with additional launches planned in other markets subject to regulatory approvals.The injectable therapies will be sold under the brand names Truglyx, Rolmodl and Moto G. Semaglutide belongs to the GLP-1 class of medicines, which are used in diabetes care and weight management.Hetero said the export launch is part of its broader strategy to improve access to advanced cardio-metabolic therapies, particularly in emerging markets.The company said the products will be offered in multi-dose disposable pen devices designed in line with innovator formats and will be available in several strengths, including 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, 1 mg, 2 mg, 1.7 mg and 2.4 mg, allowing dosing flexibility for both diabetes and obesity treatment.Hetero said it is also awaiting approval from India’s Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) after completing clinical trials in type 2 diabetes and obesity and plans an India launch after regulatory clearance.Hetero managing director Dr Vamsi Krishna Bandi said the company aims to provide high-quality, affordable generic semaglutide through a single global product platform backed by its manufacturing and development capabilities.He said Hetero would use its commercial networks across Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America to support supply and access. The Hyderabad-headquartered Hetero operates in more than 145 countries and employs over 30,000 people.
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India-US trade deal update: Piyush Goyal meets USTR Jamieson Greer, discusses next steps in BTA talks – The Times of India
Commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal on Friday met US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and reviewed the next steps in negotiations for the proposed India-US bilateral trade agreement (BTA).The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 14th ministerial conference (MC14) of the World Trade Organisation in Yaounde, Cameroon, where both sides also exchanged views on issues related to the WTO agenda.“Had a very productive discussion with @USTradeRep Jamieson Greer on the sidelines of the WTO Ministerial Conference. Exchanged views on the #WTOMC14 agenda, next steps in the India-US BTA negotiations and explored ways to further deepen our economic cooperation and bilateral trade ties,” Goyal said in a social media post.The development comes amid ongoing efforts by both countries to finalise an interim trade pact. Last month, India and the US announced that they had finalised a framework for the first phase of the agreement, though it is yet to be signed.The two sides had earlier announced a trade deal on February 2, followed by a joint statement on February 7 outlining the contours of the agreement.As part of the framework, the US had agreed to reduce tariffs on Indian goods to 18%. However, the tariff structure has since undergone changes after the US Supreme Court struck down sweeping tariffs imposed under earlier measures.Following the ruling, US President Donald Trump introduced a 10% tariff on all countries for a period of 150 days starting February 24.In view of these developments, a planned meeting between chief negotiators of India and the US — aimed at finalising the legal text of the agreement — has been postponed. The pact was earlier expected to be signed this month.An official had earlier said that the interim trade agreement would be signed once the new global tariff framework of the US is fully in place.
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