{"id":57089,"date":"2025-12-10T04:38:30","date_gmt":"2025-12-10T08:38:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/global-markets-roar-silver-breaks-60-amidst-supply-squeeze-copper-gains-on-fed-hopes-aramco-targets-jafurah-gas-by-year-end\/57089\/"},"modified":"2025-12-10T04:38:30","modified_gmt":"2025-12-10T08:38:30","slug":"global-markets-roar-silver-breaks-60-amidst-supply-squeeze-copper-gains-on-fed-hopes-aramco-targets-jafurah-gas-by-year-end","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/global-markets-roar-silver-breaks-60-amidst-supply-squeeze-copper-gains-on-fed-hopes-aramco-targets-jafurah-gas-by-year-end\/57089\/","title":{"rendered":"Global Markets Roar: Silver Breaks $60 Amidst Supply Squeeze, Copper Gains on Fed Hopes, Aramco Targets Jafurah Gas by Year-End"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/metal\/silver\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"5\" title=\"silver price today\">Silver<\/a><\/strong> has surged past <strong>$60 per ounce<\/strong>, driven by a significant supply deficit, booming industrial demand from solar and EV sectors, and substantial ETF inflows, with futures hitting <strong>$60.41<\/strong> on Wednesday.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Copper<\/strong> prices resumed gains, with COMEX contracts climbing <strong>0.85% to $5.365\/lb<\/strong>, as traders anticipate a potential <strong>25 basis points rate cut<\/strong> from the U.S. Federal Reserve&#39;s ongoing meeting.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Aramco<\/strong> (<a href=\"\/stock\/2222.SA\">2222.SA<\/a>) is on track to commence initial gas output from its massive <strong>Jafurah unconventional gas field<\/strong> by the end of December 2025, targeting <strong>200 million cfd<\/strong> in its first phase.<\/li>\n<li>Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has accused Europe of seeking to &quot;rip off Russia and take our <a href=\"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/metal\/gold\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"4\" title=\"gold price today\">gold<\/a> reserves&quot; to finance ongoing conflicts, citing Europe&#39;s financial constraints.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Silver&#39;s Historic Rally: Industrial Demand and Supply Shortages Fuel Surge Past $60<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Silver<\/strong> (XAG) prices have broken through the <strong>$60 per ounce<\/strong> mark, with futures reaching <strong>$60.41<\/strong> on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, representing a <strong>3.1%<\/strong> jump in spot prices. This historic surge is largely attributed to a persistent <em>supply deficit<\/em> and robust <em>industrial demand<\/em>, particularly from the rapidly expanding solar panel and electric vehicle (EV) sectors. The iShares Silver Trust (<a href=\"\/stock\/SLV\">SLV<\/a>) has seen its value soar by <strong>105%<\/strong> this year, reflecting significant investor interest and physical bullion absorption.<\/p>\n<p>The global silver market faces a critical imbalance, with mine production around <strong>820 million ounces annually<\/strong> failing to meet an estimated total demand exceeding <strong>1.24 billion ounces in 2025<\/strong>. This deficit marks the largest sustained shortfall in over a decade, with supply consistently lagging demand for five consecutive years. Strong inflows into silver-backed ETFs, totaling over <strong>$1 billion<\/strong> in recent months, have further tightened available supply. Analysts are forecasting silver to potentially reach <strong>$60-$75 per ounce<\/strong> by the end of 2025, underscoring the metal&#39;s dual role as both a precious metal and a critical industrial commodity. Silver&#39;s recent inclusion on the U.S. critical mineral list further highlights its strategic importance.<\/p>\n<h3>Copper Resumes Gains as Federal Reserve Meeting Looms<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Copper<\/strong> (XCU) prices have resumed their upward trajectory, with domestic markets in India seeing nearly a <strong>1%<\/strong> rise to <strong>Rs 1,089.20 per kg<\/strong>. On the COMEX, copper contracts climbed <strong>0.85%<\/strong> to <strong>$5.365 per pound<\/strong>, while the benchmark three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange (LME) gained <strong>0.67%<\/strong> to <strong>$11,564 a ton<\/strong>. This renewed optimism comes as traders closely monitor the U.S. Federal Reserve&#39;s two-day policy meeting, which began today, for cues on future monetary policy.<\/p>\n<p>Markets are largely anticipating a <strong>25 basis points rate cut<\/strong> from the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), though some analysts suggest a &quot;hawkish cut&quot; might be on the cards, indicating lingering inflation concerns despite the rate adjustment. Copper is increasingly recognized as a <em>strategically important metal<\/em>, with a widening demand-supply gap contributing to its bullish outlook. Factors such as planned Chinese smelter cuts, higher contract premiums from Chilean mining giant <strong>Codelco<\/strong>, and ongoing mine disruptions are contributing to a <em>supply squeeze<\/em> outside the U.S. market, keeping prices elevated and volatile. In November, copper prices had already achieved a <strong>1.9% month-over-month gain<\/strong>, closing at <strong>$5.1855 per pound<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h3>Aramco&#39;s Jafurah Gas Project Set for Initial Output by Year-End<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Aramco<\/strong> (<a href=\"\/stock\/2222.SA\">2222.SA<\/a>), the Saudi Arabian oil giant, is on schedule to begin initial gas production from its massive <strong>Jafurah unconventional gas field<\/strong> by the end of December 2025. This significant project, Saudi Arabia&#39;s largest non-associated gas field, is targeting initial volumes of <strong>200 million cubic feet per day (cfd)<\/strong> in its first phase. The Jafurah development is a cornerstone of Saudi Arabia&#39;s broader energy strategy, aiming to produce half of its electricity from gas and renewables by 2030 and reduce its reliance on burning crude oil for power generation.<\/p>\n<p>The field is projected to have a raw gas processing plant with a capacity of <strong>3.1 billion cfd by 2027<\/strong>, eventually reaching <strong>2 billion cfd of sales gas<\/strong>, <strong>418 million cfd of ethane<\/strong>, and <strong>630,000 barrels per day (b\/d) of natural gas liquids (NGLs) and condensate<\/strong> once fully operational by 2030. The <em>non-associated nature<\/em> of the gas means its production is independent of OPEC+ oil output quotas, providing Saudi Arabia with greater flexibility in its energy exports.<\/p>\n<h3>Lavrov Accuses Europe of Eyeing Russian Gold Reserves for War Financing<\/h3>\n<p>In a significant geopolitical statement, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has asserted that European nations are considering seizing Russian gold reserves to fund ongoing conflicts. Lavrov stated that Europe &quot;has no other sources for financing this war than to rip off Russia and take our gold reserves,&quot; attributing this to Europe&#39;s reported financial shortages. This comment highlights the escalating economic tensions and the potential for further financial measures amidst the ongoing geopolitical landscape.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways Silver has surged past $60 per ounce, driven by a significant supply deficit, booming industrial demand from solar 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