Jasmine Birtles
Your money-making expert. Financial journalist, TV and radio personality.

Silver has had one of its wildest years in decades, and August was no exception. The metal rallied roughly 20% during the month- its best run in ages- before sliding back as rate-hike fears returned in early September.
Here’s a look at where silver stands right now, what’s pushing it around, and what the newest analyst forecasts are saying about the month ahead.
As of 3 September 2026, silver is trading at around $65.88 per troy ounce, roughly £48.60 per ounce (about £1.56 per gram) at current exchange rates. That’s down from a late-August peak near $69, but still a long way above the roughly $58 level silver started August at.
Zooming out, it’s been a genuinely dramatic year: silver briefly climbed above $90 an ounce earlier in 2026 before correcting sharply, then clawed back a big chunk of that ground during August’s rally.
Markets are pricing in a meaningful chance- recent estimates range from around 57% to 64%- of a US interest rate hike at the Federal Reserve’s 16 September meeting, after Fed Chair Kevin Warsh signalled the central bank still has “work to do” on inflation.
Like gold, silver pays no income, so rising rate expectations tend to reduce its appeal relative to interest-bearing assets.
Unlike gold, more than half of silver demand comes from industry, solar panels, electronics and other manufacturing uses accounted for around 59% of global demand in 2025.
The market has also been running a significant annual supply deficit (recent estimates put it around 46 million ounces), which has underpinned prices even through the recent volatility.
A stronger dollar and rising Treasury yields have weighed on silver in the past week, though the dollar has also touched a three-month low at points recently- a reminder of how quickly the backdrop can shift.
As with gold, the wider precious metals complex is being shaped by the ongoing US-Iran tensions, which are adding to inflation concerns (via higher oil prices) even as some investors might otherwise expect the conflict itself to boost “safe haven” demand.
Forecasts have moved a long way over the summer, and analysts are notably split heading into autumn:
Several banks slashed their forecasts in August on softer industrial demand and a hawkish Fed, while others still see silver pushing meaningfully higher. That range- roughly $55 at the bearish end to $100 at the bullish end for parts of 2026- is a useful reminder of just how uncertain silver forecasting currently is.
Silver has moved far more sharply than gold in both directions this year, which is typical- it’s a smaller, less liquid market, and its dual role as both a precious metal and an industrial commodity tends to amplify swings.
If you’re a UK beginner considering silver, there’s an important practical difference from gold worth knowing: physical silver coins and bars are subject to UK VAT (currently 20%), unlike investment-grade gold, which is VAT-exempt.
That makes silver ETFs or ETCs (which track the price without VAT on purchase) a cheaper way for many UK investors to get exposure than buying physical silver outright, though it’s worth comparing the ongoing costs of each option.
This article is for general information and education only, it is not regulated financial advice and shouldn’t be treated as a personal recommendation. Silver and other investments can go down as well as up in value, and past performance and analyst forecasts are not a reliable guide to future returns. Do your own research and consider speaking to a regulated financial adviser before making investment decisions.
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