Palladium Price Chart

Palladium’s primary industrial use is in automotive catalytic converters, accounting for about 85% of demand. It’s crucial for reducing emissions in gasoline-powered vehicles.  

Other significant applications include electronics (in multilayer ceramic capacitors and connectors), dental alloys, jewelry (in white gold alloys), and chemical industry catalysts. Palladium is also used in fuel cells, contributing to green energy technologies. 

Palladium and gold have distinct investment profiles. Palladium is generally more volatile than gold, offering potential for higher returns but with greater risk. The palladium market is much smaller than gold, making it less liquid and more susceptible to price swings.  

While gold demand is diverse (jewelry, investment, central banks), palladium demand is heavily concentrated in the automotive industry. Gold is often seen as a stable safe-haven asset, while palladium’s performance is more tied to industrial demand. 

Several key factors affect palladium prices: 

1. Automotive industry demand, especially for catalytic converters 
2. Supply constraints, as palladium is mined in few countries (mainly Russia and South Africa) 
3. Global economic conditions impacting industrial demand 
4. Technological changes in the automotive sector 
5. Geopolitical events, particularly involving major producing countries 
6. Currency fluctuations, especially the US dollar 
7. Investor sentiment and speculative activity 
8. Recycling rates from used catalytic converters