While prices of gold don’t necessarily affect silver prices or vice versa, history has demonstrated that when gold rises or falls, silver usually follows suit.

The commodities markets have been kicked into high gear. As America’s lenders change their mind, the world’s mining companies are on a surefire path to riches.

Rising gold and silver prices push our silver picks Coeur d’Alene Mines Corp. (NYSE:CDE), Silver Wheaton (NYSE:SLW), Hecla Mining Co. (NYSE:HL) well into the black.

Leaving your money under your mattress isn’t exactly the safest bet. It doesn’t take a mathematician to figure out that government stimulus plans, bank bailouts, and lower interest rates all add up to inflation. If more money is circulating due to new spending measures, the value of each dollar –including the money under your mattress– goes down.

It was a roller coaster ride for investors on the Canadian Markets during Wednesday trading. For the tale of the tape, the TSX Exchange rallied 2.97%, while the TSX Gold Index popped another 2.1% and the TSX Venture Exchange, Canada’s largest junior exploration bourse, fell 0.6% with the declining issuers edging out the advancers by a 337 to 310 margin on 106 million shares traded.