Top Stories This Week: Gold Nears US$1,900, EB Tucker’s 2021 Calls

The gold price moved higher this week, nearing US$1,900 per ounce on Thursday (December 17). 

A weaker US dollar lent support to the yellow metal, as did comments from the US Federal Reserve. After its latest two day meeting, the central bank said that it will hold benchmark interest rates close to zero.

As a reminder, the Fed said previously that it won’t raise rates until inflation exceeds its goal of 2 percent. In addition to that, the Fed will continue buying at least US$120 billion worth of bonds each month.

“The Committee decided to keep the target range for the federal funds rate at 0 to 1/4 percent and expects it will be appropriate to maintain this target range until labor market conditions have reached levels consistent with the Committee’s assessments of maximum employment and inflation has risen to 2 percent and is on track to moderately exceed 2 percent for some time” — US Federal Reserve

I had the chance to speak with the always-popular EB Tucker, author of “Why Gold? Why Now?,” this week for an end-of-the-year checkin. The last time we spoke was around the end of September, and at the time he was calling for US$2,500 gold and US$40 per ounce silver by the end of the year.

With about two weeks left in the year, he said those forecasts still stand, but he’s pushing them out into 2021. Of the two metals, he believes silver will “definitely” be the better performer next year.

Why? EB, who holds director positions at Metalla Royalty and Streaming (TSXV:MTA,NYSEAMERICAN,MTA) and Nova Royalty (TSXV:NOVR,OTC Pink:NVARF), explained that because there aren’t many silver-dominant mines, it’s hard to bring new supply on quickly. 

His best advice for investors heading into the new year is to use holiday downtime to reflect and realize that the future will not be like the past.

“The first thing is let go of what you think’s going to happen, because it’s not going to happen. And start trying to perceive what you see in front of you and realize the future is not going to be like the past. That’s the number one thing people should try to do as you have this quiet time around the holidays to reflect and look at next year” — EB Tucker

With gold’s upward momentum in mind, we asked our Twitter followers this week if they think the yellow metal will break US$1,900 again by the end of 2020. By the time the poll closed, an optimistic 82 percent of respondents said they think that it will. 

We’ll be asking another question on Twitter next week, so make sure to follow us @INN_Resource or follow me @Charlotte_McL to share your thoughts.

Like we’ve done for the last couple of weeks, I’m going to end by highlighting INN’s outlook content. At the end of every year, our reporters reach out to experts in the many markets we cover; we then compile their ideas to give our audience a look at the year ahead.

This week I want to highlight our copper outlook. We haven’t spoken much in these updates about copper, but it’s seen major momentum over the second half of the year, and the consensus among experts is that prices will remain high and potentially volatile next year.

I also want to recommend that you check out our cannabis outlook — market watchers have been pointing to the potential of the US market for awhile, and some believe 2021 may be the year that US marijuana companies overtake their Canadian counterparts.

Want more YouTube content? Check out our YouTube playlist At Home With INN, which features interviews with experts in the resource space. If there’s someone you’d like to see us interview, please send an email to cmcleod@investingnews.com.

And don’t forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time updates! 

Securities Disclosure: I, Charlotte McLeod, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

Editorial Disclosure: Nova Royalty is a client of the Investing News Network. This article is not paid-for content.

The Investing News Network does not guarantee the accuracy or thoroughness of the information reported in the interviews it conducts. The opinions expressed in these interviews do not reflect the opinions of the Investing News Network and do not constitute investment advice. All readers are encouraged to perform their own due diligence.