DEMAND AND SUPPLY 5
In summary, reduction in gold price can result from a decrease in its demand or by its
increased supply.
A reduction in demand or a raise in supply has not been observed in the physical markets
for gold and silver. The bullion price has been reducing as the demand for real bullion increases
and its supply has faced problems. A rising price is being indicated from the observations in the
physical market. However, in the future markets where almost all the contracts are transacted in
cash money and not bullion, the price has been observed to be reducing.
For instance, on July 7 2015, the U.S Mint announced that, as a result of significant rise
in demand, Silver Eagles was sold out. This is one-ounce silver coin. The Mint said that it had
suspended sales until the following month, August. The coins’ premiums, which is the price of
the coin that is above the silver price rose. However, silver price decreased by 7 percent to the
least level that year as at that month. That was the second time in a period of 9 months that the
Mint had failed to maintain the market demand resulting to suspension of sales.
Clearly, it can be easily noted that the physical metals demand is very high. The ability to
satisfy the demand faces a lot of challenges. The bullion prices have however continued to fall
consistently. This can only occur due to manipulation. This occurs because their prices are
determined in the future markets and not in the physical market. In the future markets,
transactions are settled by bullion unlike the physical markets where they are settled with cash.
It is not possible to say that the regulatory authorities do not know the fraudulent
manipulation being done on the prices of bullion. The observation that no measures being taken
shows that laws are not being followed in the US financial markets.