Silver embarks on a wild ride

Silver is often written off as a cheap version of gold, but it is extremely volatile, and impossible to predict.

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The decline of silver is offset by new industrial uses

Silver is often written off as a cheap version of gold, says Andrew Critchlow in The Daily Telegraph. But while it is often overshadowed by the more famous precious metal, and usually follows it up or down, there's a lot more to it than that. Like gold, it is a monetary metal, and is therefore seen as a traditional store of value and a safe haven in rough times. But it is also an important component in a wide range of industries, which jointly account for over 50% of overall demand; in gold's case, the figure is a mere 10%-15%.

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