Platinum and palladium are defying overall strength among commodities, posting sharp losses for the first time in recent years, with further declines likely into 2022, Myra Saefong writes in the latest issue of Barron's. Most-active platinum futures settled Friday at $926.20/oz, down 14% so far this year after rising more than 10% in each of the two previous years, while palladium futures closed at $1,812.60/oz, down 26% YTD following gains of 18% or more in each of the five years since 2016. Demand for both metals, which are used in automobile production, has been hurt by the global shortage of semiconductor chips. ... (full story)