Gold has big year in 2020 and outlook for this year robust. Learn about monetary expansion and gold future prices.Read More
The gold futures price reached US$1,767/ounce this week before retreating, which was the second time it has surpassed US$1,760 in the past two months, marking some of gold's highest levels in several years.Read More
CloseGain/LossGold $1274.90+$8.70Silver$15.23+$0.20XAU70.78+1.15%HUI161.27+0.91%GDM587.25+1.17%JSE Gold1367.40+7.81USD96.53-0.51Euro114.38+0.86Yen90.15+0.11Oil$44.61-$1.6110-Year2.777%+0.007T-Bond144.75UNCHDow23138.82+1.14%Nasdaq6579.49+0.38%S&P2488.83+0.86% The Metals: Gold gained $12.70 to $1278.90 in early afternoon New York trade before it edged back lower into the cl...Read More
By Dave Kranzler"Commentators keep asking why the Fed can't raise rates if the economy is so strong? They still don't realize that the economy was never strong. They confuse a bubble for strength. Without 0% rates and QE the bubble can't survive. But a return to those policies kills the dollar" - Peter Schiff on TwitterI made that same argument about the Fed funds rate, the dollar and why the Fe...Read More
By: Chris Marcus, Arcadia Economics After raising interest rates over the past 2 years, the Federal Reserve last week signaled that it may be about to change course. Which came as no surprise to Peter Spina of GoldSeek.com, who explains why it happened. As well as what the Fed is likely to do next:Peter talked about why higher interest rates are creating issues in the stock, bond, and real es...Read More
By David HaggithSo, the bull market bounced back, right? Not so fast. When one appreciated reader suggested there would be a huge plunge the day after Christmas, given how badly the market plummeted the day before Christmas, I cautioned against that tempting thought. Herein are some warnings about bull traps in a bear market and how they work and how much they look exactly like what we just saw....Read More
Powell noticed some crosscurrents in the path of the US economy. Will it stay on the surface? And is gold a good swimmer? Crosscurrents Cause Fewer Hikes We hope that you enjoyed Christmas. As we promised last week, we will analyze the post-meeting Powell's press conference today. The Fed Chair remained optimistic about the US economy, which "has continued to perform well." However, "some cros...Read More
Brazil's apparent steel consumption increased by 6.90% year on year in November, to 1.70 million tonnes, mostly due to an improved performance in the flat steel sector, according to the national steel association A??o Brasil.Apparent consumption of flat steel products grew by 11.70% in the same comparison, to 1.10 million tonnes, while long steel use declined by 0.80% year-on-year, to 606,000 tonn...Read More
Fastmarkets MB hosted the 22nd Middle East Iron & Steel conference in Dubai last week. Here are five things we learned...1 High-grade iron ore derivative will be an important tool for Middle East DRI industry A world-first 65% iron ore derivative launched by the Singapore Exchange in early December was hailed as an important hedging tool for the Middle East direct-reduced ironmaking (DRI) industry...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were predominantly lower at the close of trading on Thursday December 27, capped by a sharp downturn in global stock indices while quiet trading continues to keep volumes low. Downward pressure manifested itself the most in aluminium futures over the afternoon, with the metal's three-month price dropping to its lowest level since July 2017 at $1,852....Read More
The Turkish deep-sea scrap import market remained mostly quiet on Thursday December 27 due to the holiday period being observed in most regions.Although there were offers available between $290 per tonne and $300 per tonne cfr for HMS 1&2 (80:20) from various sources, the mills in Turkey were still looking for prices below $280 per tonne...Read More
The domestic rebar price in Turkey have continued to weaken in line with poor demand, sources said on Thursday December 27.Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for domestic rebar in Turkey was TRY2,750-2,900 ($520-548) per tonne ex-works, down from TRY2,820-2,850 per tonne, including 18% VAT, last week.Local rebar prices in the Izmir and...Read More
Comex copper prices softened during morning trading in the United States amid persistent worries over an upcoming recession or an escalation in the ongoing trade war between America and China.The copper price for March settlement on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange dipped 3.15 to $2.6685 per lb."Metals markets are more fixated on recession jitters and continued...Read More
Good morning from Fastmarkets MB's offices in Asia as we bring you the latest news and pricing stories on Thursday December 27.Base metals prices on the Shanghai Futures Exchange were mostly up during Asian morning trading on Thursday, with the complex buoyed by improved risk sentiment following a rally in US equities. Check Fastmarket MB's live futures report here.Chinese battery materials produc...Read More
It's been nine months since the United States announced Section 232 tariffs, and over six months since a 10% tax was applied to imports of aluminium from Canada, Mexico and the European Union. There's been a huge debate over how successful the tariffs - imposed on the grounds of national security and also applied at a 25% rate to steel - have been. Much depends on who you talk to, and what their s...Read More
Years ago, the idea that machines would replace humans on the trading floor seemed far-fetched and the suggestion that algorithms might replace humans entirely ridiculous.But both have happened in some shape or form, making the advent of blockchain - now being vaunted as the next game-changer in technology - a lot more realistic than naysayers might initially think.Dozens of trials and projec...Read More
Since its merger with Xstrata, Glencore - previously a trading and marketing firm - has become a mining firm whose earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization is dominated by earnings from its industrial activities. The recent appointment of Peter Freyberg as head of the company's industrial mining assets, a newly created position with oversight and responsibility for all Glenco...Read More
Harvey Organ says the markets are easy to manipulate right now, so the PPT moved in to trash gold & silver, but silver stood its ground. Here's an update... by Harvey Organ of Harvey Organ BlogDEC 26/DOW UP OVER 1084 POINTS/NASDAQ UP 361 POINTS/GOLD UP 15 CENTS TO $1269.95 WITH SILVER THE STANDOUT RISING BY 27 CENTS TO $15.04/IN ACCESS MARKET: GOLD DOWN TO 1266.50 BUT SILVER REMAINS CONSTANT..ALL...Read More
Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange were predominantly lower at the close of trading on Thursday December 27, capped by a sharp downturn in global stock indices while quiet trading continues to keep volumes low. Downward pressure manifested itself the most in aluminium futures over the afternoon, with the metal's three-month price dropping to its lowest level since July 2017 at $1,852....Read More
Comex copper prices softened during morning trading in the United States amid persistent worries over an upcoming recession or an escalation in the ongoing trade war between America and China.The copper price for March settlement on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange dipped 3.15 to $2.6685 per lb."Metals markets are more fixated on recession jitters and continued...Read More
Physical iron ore prices posted limited movement on Thursday December 27 with market participants continuing to take caution when trading in the last few days of the year.MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index: $71.48 per tonne cfr Qingdao, up $0.09 per tonne. MB 62% Fe Pilbara Blend Fines Index: $71.31 per tonne cfr Qingdao, up $0.09 per tonne. MB 62% Fe Iron Ore Index-Low Alumina: $73.56 per tonne cfr Qingdao...Read More
Although base metals are under pressure in the short term, we have a bullish bias to our 2018 price forecasts given the supportive background of solid global economic growth and the fact that all six base metal markets look set to be in fundamental deficit this year. But each has a slightly different supply-side story and this aspect should be the main differentiator. For example, zinc's narrative...Read More