Article
Silver wears two hats — a precious metal with a monetary history and an industrial workhorse driven by solar power and electronics. That dual demand makes it uniquely volatile.
Silver (symbol Ag, from the Latin argentum; atomic number 47) is the most reflective and the most electrically conductive of all metals. It has been coinage and treasure for thousands of years, yet today its story is increasingly an industrial one.
Unlike gold, where investment and jewellery dominate, silver is consumed in vast quantities by industry. This split personality — half precious metal, half industrial commodity — is why silver's price can swing far more sharply than gold's.
Photovoltaic cells are now one of the largest sources of demand: nearly every solar panel relies on a silver paste to carry current. Add electronics, electric vehicles, brazing alloys and medicine, and industrial uses account for the majority of annual silver consumption.
Investors hold silver for many of the same reasons as gold, but should expect a rougher ride. Its smaller market and heavy industrial exposure mean it often amplifies gold's moves — rising faster in good times and falling harder in bad.
This article is general information, not investment advice.
