However, the recession threat didn't seem to bother the silver, platinum and copper markets as they forged rather impressive gains and did so right in the face of gold price weakness. With the US stock market regaining its footing, the Dollar at times weakening and oil prices at one point making new all time highs, it is possible that silver was being viewed as a more attractive alternative than gold or perhaps, silver was judged to have balanced its spec and fund long positioning more effectively than gold in the latest COT positioning reports.