Some are convinced the precious metal will keep rising, others that it's tracing out a classic speculative bubble that's ready to burst. Nobody has a crystal ball, but an "agnostic" technical analysis of the charts provides some good clues about gold's future.
Everybody knows gold had a great year in 2010, rising 27% and beating most other investments. But silver actually did much better, climbing a breathtaking 83%. Can the "poor man's gold" keep beating its more costly big brother? Many analysts think so.
Silver prices touched a 30-year high Monday as investors sought the safety of precious metals. Inflation concerns are running high after Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke said the central bank is considering a third round of qualitative easing.
Not sure whether the economy is turning up or down? Because of its industrial applications and its inherent value as a precious metal, silver may offer a portfolio protection in both recession and recovery.