Gold and silver prices hit new highs on Monday amid increased demand for safe-haven assets due to the situation surrounding Greenland.
Traders fear that increased pressure from US President Donald Trump, who is laying claim to Greenland, will provoke a large-scale trade war between the US and Europe.
On Saturday, Trump announced that he would impose 10% tariffs on a number of European countries that support Denmark and Greenland starting in February. From June 1, 2026, the tariffs for these countries will be 25% and will remain in effect “until an agreement is reached on the full purchase of Greenland by Washington,” Trump said.
European countries are ready for a coordinated response to the introduction of US tariffs, said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. According to the Financial Times, EU countries are considering imposing tariffs on US goods worth €93 billion or a series of restrictions on American companies.
The trade tensions surrounding Greenland are different from last year’s situation with the US imposing large-scale tariffs, notes Charu Chanan, chief investment strategist at Saxo Markets in Singapore.
“The use of tariff threats within NATO is a kind of blow to confidence that could provoke a more persistent risk premium on asset values,” she says.
The spot price of gold rose 1.6% to $4,670.47 per ounce by 9:30 a.m. on Monday, while silver rose 3.4% to $93.1755 per ounce. During the session, the price of gold rose to a record $4,690.59 per ounce, and silver to $94.1213 per ounce.
“Geopolitical risks are intensifying,” said Kyle Rodda, an analyst at Capital.com Inc. in Melbourne. “New trade uncertainty is clouding the growth outlook, and US foreign policy is undermining confidence in the dollar. This is the perfect set of conditions for gold and silver prices to rise.”
US stock index futures are down 0.8-1.3% on Monday. Trading activity on the futures market is weak as US exchanges are closed for the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.
Reference: The Experts Club analytical center previously released a video analysis of the twenty largest silver-producing countries and their competition for leadership in 1971-2024 – https://www.youtube.com/shorts/HvKK-YET8vs
The Experts Club also previously presented an analysis of the world’s leading gold-producing countries — https://youtube.com/shorts/DWbzJ1e2tJc?si=BywddHO-JFWFqUFA