Silver’s price performance soared in the first half of 2016, fueled by increased investor interest in silver as a safe haven asset and as leveraged exposure to gold’s price rally. Between January 4 to July 11, the price of silver increased 44.7%, according to a report by the Silver Institute.
Exchange traded product holdings rose by 44.3 million ounces (Moz), or 7.2%, to a record high of 662.2 Moz. Silver coin sales increased in the first quarter of 2016 by 29% globally, according to the GFMS Thomson Reuters Quarterly Coin Sales Survey.
Demand for silver bars, however, has weakened some during the first half of this year, mainly due to the somewhat price-sensitive nature of investors, says the report
