Platinum · Platinum Futures

Platinum has lost close to half its value since January, dropping from $2,852 to around $1,556 per ounce.

What is going on right now?

The price has fallen roughly 45% from its January high. That drop accelerated over the past month, with about a 13% slide in the last 30 days alone.

What drives platinum's price?

Platinum is used heavily in car parts, electronics, and jewelry. When factories slow down, demand for the metal tends to shrink. Fading hopes for fresh economic stimulus in China, one of its biggest buyers, are weighing on it right now.

What stands out?

Trading activity recently surged to about 15 times its usual level, meaning a lot more people were active around this price than normal.

What comes next?

A stronger U.S. dollar and rising interest rates both make platinum less appealing compared to other places to park money. The next U.S. inflation reading will shape whether that pressure continues.