When Will Quiet Metals Markets Get The Catalyst They Need

Fear and greed drive the precious metals markets, but there hasn’t been much of either pushing gold and silver prices lately. Investors have grown tired of worrying about geopolitical events, ever-increasing federal debt ceilings and ever-inflating equity bubbles.

Meanwhile, greedy trend traders continue piling into hot markets.

With the exception of palladium, metals prices have been stagnant for most of the year. For the time being, gold and silver are looking pretty boring relative to the hefty gains in stock prices and the explosive rise in Bitcoin.

Goldbugs are still waiting for a catalyst to shift investor attention back to the metals markets. Let’s take a look at some of the possible near-term drivers for gold and silver…

The equity markets remain overdue for a significant correction, and that would definitely stir some safe-haven demand. Yes, we have been expecting a correction in stocks for some time and prices are still moving higher.

There is, of course, no telling when the next bear market in stocks will arrive. But price-to-earnings valuations have only moved higher into nosebleed territory and shares are truly priced for perfection. A good-sized hiccup could have investors heading for the exit.

Bitcoin prices may also correct, diverting some of that capital instead into gold and silver. Cryptocurrencies are an entirely different kettle of fish when it comes to valuation. If Bitcoin can deliver on its promise to revolutionize payments and finance, today’s prices will ultimately look cheap.

However, no one should expect Bitcoin to continue moving higher in a straight line, with price corrections measured only in days or hours. There are a couple of developments right now with the potential to derail the extraordinary bull run in Bitcoin – at least temporarily.

A number of major cryptocurrency exchanges have grown reliant on a token called “Tether.” The Tether token is supposed to be backed 1 to 1 with U.S. dollars held by the company behind the Tether. Traders swap Bitcoin and other coins into Tether, assuming it is akin to cash. However, there are serious questions about whether or not the backing exists.