Amid the early hours of Friday’s trading session in Asia, the Silver Price (XAG/USD) exhibits signs of pressure, hovering around ZAR 424.47 ($22.50), after experiencing its most significant drop in two weeks and breaking a four-day upward trend the previous day.

This price behaviour occurs within the confines of a bullish channel that has been forming over the past fortnight. The silver price, equivalent to a particular amount in South African Rands, is now edging towards the lower line of this bullish chart formation.

Given the bearish indications from the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) and the relatively low, but not oversold, Relative Strength Index (RSI), it appears likely that the silver price might exit this bullish channel by breaching the ZAR 420.67 support level. However, the previous monthly low around ZAR 414.74, followed by the psychological level of ZAR 412, stand as significant barriers to the downward momentum of XAG/USD bears.

Of interest to traders is the recent anticipation surrounding US employment data for June, providing an opportunity for XAG/USD traders to recover from recent price declines.

This same anticipation underscores the 100-Simple Moving Average (SMA) resistance level of ZAR 430.84 as an immediate obstacle to watch for those looking to buy silver.

However, a convergence of the 200-SMA, a resistance line trending downward from early March, and the aforementioned rising channel’s upper boundary, currently around ZAR 435.68-36.35, present a significant challenge for silver buyers hoping to take control of the market.

In general, it appears the silver price may continue to decline, but this downward journey looks set to be lengthy and fraught with hurdles. From a South African perspective, this international financial trajectory holds crucial relevance. As the nation is a significant producer and exporter of silver, fluctuations in the silver price can affect the domestic mining industry, exports, and overall economic health. Thus, keeping abreast of such developments, particularly with reference to major international indicators such as US employment data, is vital for understanding potential implications for South Africa’s economy.

*All currencies in the article have been converted to the South African Rand