First, hold in mind the Gamestop phenomenon, and the way that the public sector and mainstream media latched onto it.
Now, this thread: https://poal.co/s/Funny/283449
So, we know that silver is an absolutely crucial resource for the cellular industry and automated cars.
Now, to China.
China is projected to be the world's largest 5G market by 2025.
https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/02/18/1986456/0/en/China-is-projected-to-become-the-world-s-largest-5G-market-by-2025.html
What about automated vehicles?
In 2018 Tesla signed a major deal with China initially to manufacture half a million vehicles there, and Tesla built the Giga Shanghai plant in China for final assembly of the Model 3, but began producing Model Y there last month. (https://www.theverge.com/2018/7/10/17553094/tesla-china-gigafactory-cars-deal-agreement)
Now, lithium becomes interesting, because lithium (not traded on any exchange) has been steadily rising. Lithium demand as LCE is expected to hit a million metric tons by 2025. The biggest reserves of Lithium are in South America (Boliva and Chile having the largest).
These nations are currently suffering massive economic problems and labor protests. China owns a nearly 25% stake in Chile's leading lithium mining operation, and China has a massive lead on the rest of the world in the lithium race. (https://www.utilitydive.com/news/beating-china-at-the-lithium-game-can-the-us-secure-supplies-to-meet-its/572307/)
Interestingly, while Tesla has invested itself domestically in competing with China to mine lithium in California, it also formed a deal with China's Yahua Industrial Group to supply Tesla's Chinese operations with lithium for the next 5 years. (https://electrek.co/2020/12/29/tesla-signs-long-term-lithium-hydroxide-supply-deal-china-yahua/)
What's this got to do with silver? I'm not financially or economically literate enough to ask you to be confident in anything I'm saying. I'm really just trying to step back and see where the wind is blowing.
Silver is another resource demanded for both burgeoning markets in China - automated car manufacture and the cell network. Tesla stands to score major contracts in what will be a ridiculously large market.
Who was a major voice in promoting the 'short squeeze' on Gamestop shorts?
Elon Musk. He was a spearhead in this power to the people ethos.
Where did the hype begin?
Reddit. China's presence on Reddit has been well-known for some time.
Given the way media is inflaming the movement through its antagonism, could this be a plot to create a bubble in silver and tank the market so that China can scoop up silver? It has every motivation to do this, and it also appears to have the means. It is allied with Tesla and Elon Musk, who has actively had a hand in creating the fervor surrounding these squeezes.
Add in the China-friendliness of the current US government, and the way they are helping to bolster the automated car market through their artificial promotion of 'green technology' and what will become anti-competitive measures against US domestic energy independence and our independent use of coal/oil.
It all seems to be working together.
Let's even imagine that what the anon from the thread posted earlier said about the threat to the technostructure of a silver shortage is true. Could this not set the stage for US government intervention in the free trade of silver. Say the government issues some strict regulation, the bubble on silver will immediately pop, and when they do, who will be in a position to buy up cheap silver?
I think China is making moves, with help from US government, media, and perhaps Elon Musk.
(post is archived)