Silver XAG/USD Safe-Haven Bid Builds as Gulf Shipping Costs Explode

Supertanker rates on the Middle East-to-China route have rocketed to roughly $800,000 a day following the destruction of five Iranian-linked tankers and continued threats from Tehran. Brent crude remains elevated above $104, and the Strait of Hormuz has stayed effectively closed since March.

This escalating Gulf risk premium is reawakening interest in silver XAG/USD as a hedge against broader energy-driven inflation and geopolitical instability. With Saudi output down roughly 1.9 million barrels daily and EIA projections pushing Middle East production recovery to 2027, prolonged supply disruption keeps risk sentiment fragile.

Traders positioning in silver are weighing its dual role: industrial demand tied to global growth against renewed haven flows as shipping costs and energy prices signal deepening geopolitical strain.