Gold and Silver Market Value Hits Record Highs
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Jan 26 2026
0mins
Should l Buy AAPL?
Source: Benzinga
- Market Size Surge: Gold prices have soared to $5,100 per ounce and silver to $110, pushing their combined market value over $41 trillion, nearly double that of the Magnificent 7 tech stocks, highlighting the dominance of precious metals in global assets.
- Valuation of Precious Metals: Gold alone is valued at approximately $35 trillion, while silver accounts for $6.1 trillion, positioning both firmly at the top of global asset rankings, surpassing major tech companies like NVIDIA and Apple.
- Significant Price Increases: Over the past 12 months, gold has risen by 80% and silver by 260%, both on track for their strongest annual gains since 1980, reflecting robust market demand for precious metals amid rising geopolitical risks.
- Impact of Dollar Weakness: The ongoing depreciation of the dollar has intensified the rally in precious metals, with macro strategists noting that the Dollar Index has broken below a long-term support level, potentially initiating a multi-year downtrend and increasing demand for gold and silver as safe-haven assets.
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Analyst Views on AAPL
Wall Street analysts forecast AAPL stock price to rise
27 Analyst Rating
17 Buy
9 Hold
1 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 264.350
Low
239.00
Averages
306.89
High
350.00
Current: 264.350
Low
239.00
Averages
306.89
High
350.00
About AAPL
Apple Inc. designs, manufactures and markets smartphones, personal computers, tablets, wearables and accessories, and sells a variety of related services. Its product categories include iPhone, Mac, iPad, and Wearables, Home and Accessories. Its software platforms include iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, visionOS, and tvOS. Its services include advertising, AppleCare, cloud services, digital content and payment services. The Company operates various platforms, including the App Store, that allow customers to discover and download applications and digital content, such as books, music, video, games and podcasts. It also offers digital content through subscription-based services, including Apple Arcade, Apple Fitness+, Apple Music, Apple News+, and Apple TV+. Its products include iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16, iPhone 15, iPhone 14, iPhone SE, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac mini, Mac Studio, Mac Pro, iPad Pro, iPad Air, AirPods, AirPods Pro, AirPods Max, Apple TV, Apple Vision Pro and others.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Market Environment Impact: Following two rate cuts by the Federal Reserve last year, further cuts are anticipated in 2026, making the current purchase of bond funds a strategic move to lock in higher yields and potentially position for a bond rotation in the upcoming year.
- Portfolio Diversification: DFGX offers a low-cost avenue for investors to gain exposure to foreign government bonds, enhancing the stability of Liberty Wealth's portfolio while complementing its second-largest holding, the iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF, demonstrating a balanced approach to pursuing quality growth and income.
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- Market Environment Impact: Following two rate cuts by the Federal Reserve last year, further cuts are anticipated in 2026, making the current purchase of bond funds a strategic move to lock in higher yields and potentially position for a bond rotation in the upcoming year.
- Portfolio Diversification: DFGX offers a low-cost avenue for investors to gain exposure to foreign government bonds, enhancing the stability of Liberty Wealth's portfolio while complementing its second-largest holding, the iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF, demonstrating a balanced approach to pursuing quality growth and income.
See More
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- Market Performance Analysis: As of February 4, 2026, BSCW had a market value of $1.4 billion with a one-year return of 8.3%, but underperformed the S&P 500 by 7.1 percentage points, indicating relative weakness in the market.
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See More
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- Encryption Impact: Internal messages in Meta's New Mexico case reveal that approximately 7.5 million child sexual abuse material reports will no longer be disclosed due to default end-to-end encryption, highlighting the conflict between child safety and business growth.
- Safety Tool Development: Despite legal challenges, Meta claims it will continue to develop safety tools to address child safety issues; however, its encryption measures are criticized for hindering law enforcement, potentially leading to failures in identifying and reporting child sexual abuse materials.
- Apple's Accountability: West Virginia has filed a lawsuit against Apple, alleging it failed to prevent child sexual abuse material from being stored and shared on iOS devices and iCloud, emphasizing encryption as a barrier to law enforcement, further raising public questions about corporate responsibility.
See More
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- E-commerce Valuation Boost: Barclays raised Etsy's rating from equal weight to overweight, anticipating that as topline growth improves, EBITDA valuations will expand, setting a price target of $72, reflecting optimism about future performance.
- Tech Stock Buying Opportunity: Citigroup reiterated Microsoft as a buy, highlighting that the stock is at a decade low valuation and trading at a discount to the S&P 500 on forward P/E, suggesting investors should seize the buying opportunity.
- Aerospace Service Growth: Morgan Stanley upgraded GE Aerospace to overweight with a price target of $425, citing the company's advantages in durable service growth, pricing power, and a strong balance sheet, with future free cash flow likely underestimated.
See More
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- Macro Economic Data Release: Today's session features significant releases including Q4 Advance Annualized GDP, Personal Consumption, and Core PCE Price Index, which are critical for the Federal Reserve's inflation outlook and may lead to increased market volatility.
- Market Reaction Expectations: Markets are likely to react first through the bond complex, with equities adjusting rapidly based on yield direction, especially with potential headline risk from a Supreme Court decision on President Trump's tariffs around 10:00 AM ET.
- Key Stock Dynamics: SPY is currently trading around 684.25, and if this level holds, it may quickly move towards 686.00 and 688.25; conversely, a breakdown below 684.25 could test 682.50 and 680.75, indicating the market's sensitivity to macro data.
- Tech Stock Performance: Tech stocks like AAPL, MSFT, and NVDA show mixed performance ahead of macro data releases, with AAPL needing to stabilize above 260.00 to rebound towards 262.25 and 264.00, while MSFT must reclaim 400.00 to regain upward momentum.
See More
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- Legal Pressure: West Virginia has filed a lawsuit against Apple, alleging it failed to adequately prevent child sexual abuse material from being stored and shared on iOS devices and iCloud services, with legal documents highlighting that end-to-end encryption poses barriers to law enforcement, which could harm the company's reputation and market trust.
- Internal Concerns Revealed: Internal documents from Meta indicate employee concerns about the impact of encryption changes, suggesting a significant reduction in the company's ability to identify and report child sexual abuse material, reflecting the tension between privacy and child safety that may lead to further regulatory scrutiny.
- Executive Communication: Emails between Zuckerberg and Cook indicate a growing concern for child safety, and while both companies claim to prioritize user safety, the progression of these legal cases will reveal their true responsibilities and obligations in protecting users.
See More
