Silver Price Forecast: XAG/USD maintains position near $31.00 near two-month highs

• Silver price appreciates as the non-yielding asset becomes more appealing after the bumper 50 basis point Fed rate cut.
• BoE, PBoC, and BoJ all decided to keep their interest rates unchanged in September.
• The safe-haven Silver receives support from escalating tensions in the Middle East, as Israeli warplanes conducted intense strikes on southern Lebanon.

Silver price (XAG/USD) extends its gains for the second successive day, trading around $31.10 per troy ounce on Friday. The non-yielding Silver receives support following the bumper 50 basis point rate cut by the US Federal Reserve (Fed) on Wednesday.

Additionally, increasing expectations for further rate cuts by the US Federal Reserve by the end of 2024 are putting pressure on Silver demand. The latest dot plot projections indicate a gradual easing cycle, with the median rate for 2024 revised down to 4.375% from the previous forecast of 5.125% in June.

As a non-yielding commodity asset, the precious metal becomes more appealing to investors in a lower interest rate environment, as the opportunity cost of holding it decreases. This can make Silver potentially offer better returns compared to other assets.

Meanwhile, the People's Bank of China (PBoC) decided to keep its one-year Loan Prime Rate (LPR) unchanged at 3.35%, while the Bank of Japan (BoJ) maintained its interest rate at 0.15% on Friday. Additionally, on Thursday, the Bank of England (BoE) opted to hold its interest rate at 5%, as widely expected.

The safe-haven demand for Silver was bolstered by escalating tensions in the Middle East, as Israeli warplanes conducted their most intense strikes on southern Lebanon in nearly a year of conflict late Thursday. The White House stated that a diplomatic solution was both achievable and urgent, while Britain called for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, according to Reuters.