Metal Ratios
Track key ratios between precious and base metals for relative value analysis
Metal ratios measure the relative value between two metals by dividing their prices. Traders and investors use these ratios to identify when one metal may be over- or undervalued relative to another, based on historical averages. Click any ratio below to see its interactive chart, historical context, and detailed analysis.
Popular Ratios
Gold / Silver Ratio
How many ounces of silver it takes to buy one ounce of gold.
Gold / Platinum Ratio
How many ounces of platinum it takes to buy one ounce of gold.
Gold / Palladium Ratio
How many ounces of palladium it takes to buy one ounce of gold.
Platinum / Palladium Ratio
How many ounces of palladium it takes to buy one ounce of platinum.
Silver / Platinum Ratio
The price relationship between silver and platinum.
Gold / Copper Ratio
Gold price divided by copper price. A key economic sentiment indicator.
Platinum / Gold Ratio
Platinum price divided by gold price. Inverse of the Gold/Platinum ratio.
Silver / Copper Ratio
Silver price divided by copper price. Both metals have significant industrial demand.
How to Use Metal Ratios for Trading Decisions
Relative Value & Mean Reversion
When a ratio is significantly above its historical average, the numerator metal may be overvalued relative to the denominator (or the denominator is undervalued). Many traders believe ratios tend to revert to their historical average over time — extreme readings can signal trading opportunities.
Historical average is ~65-70. Above 80 = silver is cheap relative to gold (buy silver). Below 60 = silver is expensive (buy gold). This is one of the most traded ratio strategies.
Serves as an economic sentiment indicator. A rising gold-copper ratio signals risk-off sentiment and potential economic slowdown. A falling ratio signals economic optimism and risk-on.
Ratio Trading Setups
Ratio trades are market-neutral — you profit from the relative move regardless of whether both metals go up or down. This makes them powerful tools during uncertain markets.
- Ratio well above historical average (denominator is cheap)
- Ratio starting to fall from extreme high (mean reversion beginning)
- Gold/Silver >80 — historically strong silver buy signal
- Ratio diverging from macro fundamentals
- Ratio well below historical average (denominator is already expensive)
- Ratio still falling from low (trend continuation, not reversion yet)
- Gold/Silver <50 — silver may be overextended
- Industrial demand weakening for denominator metal
Disclaimer: This is educational content for informational purposes only. It does not constitute investment advice. Always do your own research and consider consulting a licensed financial advisor before making investment decisions.