<b>Silver Seen Reaching $80-$85 Before Year-End, Says Peter Krauth</b>

Peter Krauth, editor of the Silver Stock Investor newsletter and author of The Great Silver Bull, predicts that silver will reach $80 to $85 before the end of 2026. In an interview with Money Metals podcast host Mike Maharrey, Krauth argued that strong investment demand, industrial consumption, depleted exchange inventories, and emerging technologies continue to support higher silver prices.

Krauth pointed out that silver has decisively broken above the once-formidable $50 barrier, but its hybrid nature provides both monetary and industrial support. He expects silver's strength to persist, with silver's new floor being around $50. Krauth noted that the metal's resilience in testing approximately $55 during the summer without returning to its previous all-time high is a bullish signal.

Krauth acknowledged that silver has recorded several consecutive annual supply deficits, but explained that this was due to large stockpiles accumulated during earlier years of oversupply. The inventory buffer has since eroded, and Krauth believes depleted inventories are helping keep prices elevated. He also questioned the Silver Institute's methodology in calculating deficit figures, suggesting that they may significantly understate total silver demand when including ETF inflows.

Krauth sees several areas driving up demand for silver, including solar power expansion in Africa and other regions. He noted that research from the energy group Ember illustrates solar power's improving economics, with the same $100 million investment being able to provide 1.5 terawatts of energy through solar panels or natural gas, but with the added benefit of a 25-year lifespan.