Silver rate today: Silver and gold prices extended their decline on Thursday, February 12, as the US dollar strengthened following stronger-than-expected January jobs data, which weakened hopes of near-term interest rate cuts. Investor focus also shifted to upcoming inflation data due on Friday, which is expected to offer further clues on the future direction of monetary policy.
On MCX, silver prices fell 1% to ₹2,60,453 per kg while gold prices fell 0.66% to ₹day’s low of ₹1,57,701 per 10 grams.
In the international market, spot silver dropped 1.4% to $82.87 per ounce, retreating after a sharp 4% rally in the previous session. Spot gold eased 0.4% to $5,058.64 per ounce by 0134 GMT, after rising more than 1% on Wednesday. Meanwhile, U.S. gold futures for April delivery slipped 0.3% to $5,080.0 per ounce.
Among other precious metals, spot platinum declined 1% to $2,110.63 per ounce, while palladium bucked the trend and gained 0.4% to trade at $1,707.17 per ounce.
Reasons behind today’s decline
The U.S. dollar index advanced further, extending Wednesday’s rally after a surprisingly strong employment report pointed to resilient underlying economic conditions in the United States. Moreover, data showed that U.S. job growth accelerated unexpectedly in January, while the unemployment rate slipped to 4.3%.
On the geopolitical front, after discussions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump said no “definitive” agreement had been reached on how to proceed with Iran. However, he added that negotiations with Tehran would continue in an effort to reach a possible deal.
In addition, a Reuters poll indicated that the U.S. central bank is likely to hold rates steady through the tenure of Chair Jerome Powell, which ends in May, before potentially cutting rates in June. Economists participating in the poll cautioned that policy under his likely successor, Kevin Warsh, could turn overly accommodative.
Looking ahead, market participants are awaiting weekly jobless claims data due later on Thursday, followed by key inflation numbers scheduled for Friday, for clearer signals on the Fed’s policy trajectory.
How much should be in your portfolio?
Brokerage house Emkay Wealth Management believes that existing investors should continue to hold gold and silver as part of a diversified portfolio, while making any fresh additions gradually during market corrections. Portfolios with relatively high exposure—where gold and silver together exceed 25%–30%—should be reviewed with a professional advisor to assess partial profit booking while retaining strategic allocations.
Moreover, for new investors entering after the sharp run-up, the brokerage recommends a disciplined approach. It suggested an allocation of around 5%–10% of the overall portfolio, with investments staggered over time to manage volatility across physical metals, ETFs, mutual funds and other precious metal-linked products.
Emkay Wealth highlighted that gold and silver have entered a structural bull phase, supported by diversification needs, macro uncertainty and rising industrial demand, particularly for silver.
Joseph Thomas, Head of Research at Emkay Wealth Management noted “With central banks continuing to accumulate gold, interest rate cycles turning supportive, and silver benefiting from rising industrial demand.”
“Precious metals are increasingly being viewed as core portfolio assets rather than tactical hedges,” Thomas said. “While short-term volatility is inevitable, the medium- to long-term case for maintaining measured exposure to gold and silver remains strong,” he further stated.
Disclaimer: The views and recommendations made above are those of individual analysts or broking companies, and not of Mint. We advise investors to check with certified experts before making any investment decisions.
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