The Financial Post reports in its Thursday edition that silver and platinum plunged Wednesday, extending a recent run of exceptional volatility. A Bloomberg dispatch to the Post reports that gold also declined. Spot platinum slid as much as 7.7 per cent and silver tumbled as much as 5.7 per cent, though both metals are still up for the month so far. Silver had powered to a record high above $84 (U.S.) an ounce in late December. Precious metals were bolstered last year by lower U.S. interest rates, and the possibility that the Federal Reserve will make further cuts. There are some near-term concerns that a broad rebalancing of commodity indexes may act as a drag on prices. Citigroup has estimated there would be outflows of $6.8-billion (U.S.) from gold futures contracts and about the same amount from silver as a result of the reweighting of the two largest commodity indexes that is set to start this week. In the London market supplies of silver and platinum have been tight following shipments to the U.S. last year spurred by tariff fears. Traders are still awaiting the outcome of Washington's Section 232 probe into imports of critical minerals that could lead to levies or trade restrictions.