Zaner Daily Precious Metals Commentary
Friday, October 31, 2025Gold and silver are poised for monthly gains, despite recent corrective action
OUTSIDE MARKET DEVELOPMENTS: The trade continues to digest Powell's hawkish tilt at the end of this week's FOMC meeting. Rate cut expectations were trimmed significantly after Powell said, "A rate cut in December is not a foregone conclusion, far from it."
Fed funds futures put the probability of another 25 bps cut in December at 63%. That's down from 72.8% yesterday and  91.7% a week ago.
Speaking today, Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic, a swing voter, explained that he "eventually" supported the recent 25 bps rate cut but emphasized caution amid economic turbulence, structural changes like immigration and tariffs, and widespread housing affordability complaints, underscoring the challenges of proactive policy in uncertain times. Cleveland Fed President Beth Hammack, a hawkish non-voter, stated she would not have voted for the cut, aligning with a more restrained approach to future easing given persistent inflation risks and the need for clear evidence of cooling before December.
The U.S. tech market shrugged off the prospect of a pause in the Fed's easing campaign, getting a boost from blockbuster Q3 earnings from Amazon and Apple. The NASDAQ hit fresh record highs, while the broader indexes remain within striking distance of all-time highs.
The U.S. government shutdown drags on, now in its 31st day. The Senate adjourned Thursday without a breakthrough and won't reconvene until Monday, potentially tying the record for the longest funding lapse in history at 34 days.
President Trump is urging Republicans to eliminate the Senate filibuster via the "Nuclear Option" to override Democratic opposition, amid escalating impacts like the impending suspension of SNAP food benefits on November 1 and delayed paychecks for federal workers. Meanwhile, unions are dialing up pressure on Senate Democrats to end their filibuster and vote to reopen the government.
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the largest federal employee union, sent a letter to Senate Democrats on October 29 pleading for passage of a clean CR, warning of "catastrophic" impacts on workers and families. Teamsters President Sean O'Brien demanded Democrats "stop playing politics" and reopen the government immediately.
The Wall Street Journal reports that the Trump administration has decided to launch strikes on Venezuelan military installations, including ports, airfields, and naval bases allegedly used by drug cartels tied to President Nicolás Maduro.
The White House has dismissed the reports as unreliable, and President Trump himself denied the claim aboard Air Force One.
Chicago PMI rose 3.2 points to a three-month high of 43.8 in October, above expectations of 42.0, versus 40.6 in September. "The increase was mainly driven by a rebound in New Orders, alongside rises in Production and Order Backlogs," according to the report.
GOLD
OVERNIGHT CHANGE THROUGH 6:00 AM CT: -$17.01 (-0.42%)
5-Day Change: -$86.89 (-2.11%)
YTD Range: $2,607.16 - $4,381.21
52-Week Range: $2,541.42 - $4,381.21
Weighted Alpha: +51.97
Gold is trading in a choppy manner on both sides of $4,000. The yellow metal is poised for its second straight lower weekly close, but will notch a third consecutive higher monthly close.
AI momentum has stocks on the bid, which is weighing on gold's safe-haven interest. Diminished hopes for a December rate cut pushed the dollar index to 13-week highs, providing an additional headwind for gold.
While further tests of the downside can not be ruled out, I continue to view recent losses as corrective within the long-term uptrend. UBS concurs, saying the "decline will prove a pause that resumes later, as demand for gold remains strong."
While gold registered a close above $4,000 on Thursday, another to end the week is needed to bolster the confidence of the bull camp for next week. More important resistance is well defined by the convergence of the 20-day moving average and Fibonacci resistance at $4,075.81/$4,086.53. Today's earlier high at $4,045.01 provides an intervening barrier.
A close below $4,000 would put the intraday low at $3,973.68 in jeopardy. A breach of the latter would highlight chart support at $3,923.46/15.82, with potential back to Tuesday's low at $3,887.03. If these levels give way, potential for a test of the rising 50-day MA at $3,820.94.
SILVER
OVERNIGHT CHANGE THROUGH 6:00 AM CT: +$0.015 (+0.03%)
5-Day Change: +$0.511 (+1.05%)
YTD Range: $28.565 - $54.465
52-Week Range: $28.565 - $54.465
Weighted Alpha: +64.86
Silver needs to close above $48.582 to record a higher weekly close. While the short-term tone is defensive, the nearly 7% rally from Tuesday's low at $45.563 has eased pressure on the downside. The white metal is on track for a more than 4% gain in October, which would be its sixth straight winning month.
Silver is an important component in AI infrastructure, so optimism in that sector is helping to underpin the white metal. However, less dovish Fed expectations and a firmer dollar pose headwinds.
More than 38.2% of the total decline has already been retraced. That's encouraging, but intraday gains faltered ahead of the 20-day moving average at $49.683. A breach of the 20-day would shift focus to the halfway back point of the decline at $50.014.
Today's intraday low at $48.396 marks the first tier of support. Secondary levels are noted at $47.278 (30-Oct low) and $46.873 (29-Oct low). Another minor level at $46.097 stands in front of the cycle low (thus far) at $45.563.
Peter A. Grant
Vice President, Senior Metals Strategist
Zaner Metals LLC
312-549-9986 Direct/Text
[email protected]
www.zanermetals.com
Non-Reliance and Risk Disclosure: The opinions expressed here are for general information purposes only and should not be construed as trade recommendations, nor a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell any precious metals product. The material presented is based on information that we consider reliable, but we do not represent that it is accurate, complete, and/or up-to-date, and it should not be relied on as such. Opinions expressed are current as of the time of posting and only represent the views of the author and not those of Zaner Metals LLC unless otherwise expressly noted.














