Silver recently broke out above the key 34.85 resistance level, and this could be a game changer for the medium-term outlook. With rising concerns over government debt, trade uncertainty, and escalating geopolitical risks, gold rallied strongly from 2000 to 3500. Gold and silver typically have a high correlation, and silver tends to follow gold. However, during the latest tariff-driven rally, gold pushed toward 3500 while silver failed to keep up. So, why did gold outperform silver this time? 

The answer lies in the demand dynamics. Gold demand primarily comes from the investment side, while silver demand has traditionally been balanced around 50% investment and 50% industrial use. That balance has now shifted significantly. According to the Silver Institute, only 17.8% of 2025 silver demand is expected to come from investments. If we group jewelry and silverware with investment as a “store of value” category, the mix becomes 61% industrial and 39% investment.

This shift has been driven by a surge in silver demand from the electrical and electronics sector. The growth of clean energy and AI technologies has accelerated silver usage. In fact, the electrical and electronics sector is projected to account for 40.5% of total silver demand in 2025. This explains why slowing global trade and economic activity have had a more negative effect on silver compared to gold, pushing the gold/silver ratio to historically high levels. 

That said, this same dynamic could fuel silver’s rise in the coming years, supported by long-term trends in clean energy and advanced technology. 

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The breakout of 34.85 is a significant technical development. Silver has been in an active uptrend channel since 2024, but the 34.85 level repeatedly capped upward moves since October. With this breakout, silver now has room to rise gradually toward the upper boundary of the channel, potentially reaching near 40. Key support levels to watch are 34.85 and 34.45. As long as they hold, the primary direction remains upward. The moves may be gradual but could include sharp surges and continuation patterns like flags.