Trump resumed his attack on the Fed on Monday, tweeting that the central bank is "the only problem" with the U.S. economy.Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin held calls on Sunday with the heads of the six largest U.S. banks in order to reassure nervous investors.The NYSE closes early on Monday at 1 p.m. ET. The exchange is closed on Tuesday for Christmas day.Michael Sheetz | John MelloyPublished6:05...Read More
Published 22 Hours AgoUpdated6 Hours AgoReuters show chapters Gold options activity explodes 9 Hours Ago |07:01 Gold scaled a six-month peak on Monday as sliding stock markets and concerns about a global economic slowdown sapped risk sentiment, driving investors to seek safety in the precious metal.Spot gold gained 1 percent to $1,268.38 per ounce at 1:40 p.m. EST in thin trade...Read More
Please note: US markets are closed tomorrow for Christmas. CloseGain/LossGold $1269.00+$13.50Silver$14.77+$0.15XAU70.55+2.74%HUI161.79+3.40%GDM586.16+2.58%JSE Gold1359.59+42.78USD96.49-0.54Euro114.21+0.58Yen90.68+0.66Oil$42.53-$3.0610-Year2.734%-0.049T-Bond145.40625+0.59375Dow21792.20-2.91%Nasdaq6192.92-2.21%S&P2351.10-2.71% The Metals: Gold gained nearly $10 in Asia before it halved its...Read More
MERRY CHRISTMASThe US government shut down (if any) should be bullish for gold once again. I repeat, other than economics all other factors are ripe for 2019 to be a "gold en" year. There is speculation that Trump may replace the Federal Reserve chief Jeremy Powell. The US dollar will lose its so called safe haven status if there is such a move. The euro and pound and even the Chinese have som...Read More
Cobalt prices continued to slide in the second half of the month as sellers feeling the pressure to destock ahead of the year-end faced buyers reluctant to add to their books in December. Fastmarkets assessed high-grade cobalt prices at $26.25-28 per lb, in-warehouse, on Friday December 21, down from $27-29 per lb at the time of the midweek assessment. Fastmarkets assessed low-grade cob...Read More
Trading activity in the seaborne manganese ore market continued to berelatively active due to the lower offer prices in the week ended on Friday December 21. China's manganese market was mostly stable this week, with prices somewhat rangebound on active trading activity, due to producers' lower offers two weeks prior.Fastmarkets' 37% manganese ore index, fob Port Elizabeth, rose by 6 cents to $5.5...Read More
ScoZinc's processing facilities for its zinc-lead mine near Halifax, Nova Scotia. Source: ScoZinc Mining Ltd.ScoZinc Mining Ltd. [SZM-TSXV; SWNLF-OTC] said Monday December 24 that it is poised to be one of Canada's next base metal producers after releasing a project update and improved economic study for its wholly-owned ScoZinc zinc-lead mine in Nova Scotia.The forecast came after the company sai...Read More
Turkish domestic scrap prices have continued to fall over the past week in line with weakening finished steel values in the country's export and domestic markets, sources said on Monday December 24.Fastmarkets MB's weekly price assessment for domestic auto bundle (DKP-grade) ferrous scrap was TRY1,480-1,590 ($279-300) per tonne delivered on December 24, down from TRY1,490-1,710 per tonne last week...Read More
The Turkish scrap import market remained quiet at the beginning of the week, with the mills' bids still below offers, sources said on Monday December 24.European origin HMS 1&2 (80:20) has been offered at $290 per tonne cfr to Turkey, while the Baltic Sea suppliers were offering the same material at $295 per tonne.Yet, mills in Turkey were still bidding around $275-280 per tonne cfr for...Read More
The European Union Council of Ministers has approved 2019 duty-free quotas for a range of aluminium imports whose production within the EU is insufficient to meet demand.These quotas will come into force on January 1, 2019, and will remain in place until December 31 of the same year. They include imports of 2,000 tonnes...Read More
Cobalt prices continued to slide in the second half of the month as sellers feeling the pressure to destock ahead of the year-end faced buyers reluctant to add to their books in December. Fastmarkets assessed high-grade cobalt prices at $26.25-28 per lb, in-warehouse, on Friday December 21, down from $27-29 per lb at the time of the midweek assessment. Fastmarkets assessed low-grade cob...Read More
The growth of demand has been the key factor influencing the positive trend in the global steel market in recent years, Fastmarkets research manager Alistair Ramsay said earlier this month at the 22nd Middle East Iron and Steel Conference in Dubai.Over the past decade global steel consumption increased by total of 35%, growing by around 3% annually. In 2018, global consumption is expected to rise...Read More
China's hot-rolled coil prices were little changed on Monday December 24 in sparse trading, with participants bearish on the outlook for prices over the coming days, source told Fastmarkets MB.DomesticEastern China (Shanghai): 3,790-3,810 yuan ($549-552) per tonne, down 10-20 yuan per tonneNorthern China (Tianjin): 3,690-3,700 yuan per tonne, unchangedPrices in Shanghai dipped following...Read More
China's ferrous futures started the trading week on Monday December 24 on a positive note, with the coking coal and coke contracts leading prices higher.Futures closing prices - morning session Shanghai Futures Exchange May rebar: 3,454 yuan ($500) per tonne, up 6 yuan per tonne May hot rolled coil: 3,429 yuan per tonne, up 3 yuan per tonne Dalian Commodity Exchange May iron ore: 489 yuan per tonn...Read More
The growth of demand has been the key factor influencing the positive trend in the global steel market in recent years, Fastmarkets research manager Alistair Ramsay said earlier this month at the 22nd Middle East Iron and Steel Conference in Dubai.Over the past decade global steel consumption increased by total of 35%, growing by around 3% annually. In 2018, global consumption is expected to rise...Read More
Please note: US markets are closed tomorrow for Christmas. CloseGain/LossGold $1269.00+$13.50Silver$14.77+$0.15XAU70.55+2.74%HUI161.79+3.40%GDM586.16+2.58%JSE Gold1359.59+42.78USD96.49-0.54Euro114.21+0.58Yen90.68+0.66Oil$42.53-$3.0610-Year2.734%-0.049T-Bond145.40625+0.59375Dow21792.20-2.91%Nasdaq6192.92-2.21%S&P2351.10-2.71% The Metals: Gold gained nearly $10 in Asia before it halved its...Read More
Wall Street didn't take well to the Federal Reserve's latest rate hike and projection for two more to come in 2019.Neither did the White House.President Donald Trump slammed Fed chairman Jerome Powell yet again and reportedly asked advisors within his inner circle whether he has the legal authority to fire Powell.It would be unprecedented for a President to fire a Fed chairman before his term is...Read More
By David HaggithMake no mistake about it, there's real fear and panic out there as markets are dislocating to the downside.... But note that on many charts we are showing 2008/2009 like conditions, something that is entirely inconsistent with the earnings and economic data we're still seeing: It's almost as if markets are pricing in a financial crisis that has yet to occur.... I see slowing grow...Read More
Featured GuestsGerald Celente & David MorganHappy Holidays - Merry Xmas!Show HighlightsPart II with Trends Research Institute and Globalnomic(R) Trend Forecaster, Gerald Celente includes 4 key trends.Higher interest rates, oil prices, social unrest and war rate high on the watchlist.The economic recession in the Crimea region could ignite conflict between two powerful former allies, Ukraine and...Read More
By Keith WeinerWe could also have entitled this essay How to Measure Your Own Capital Destruction. But this headline would not have set expectations correctly. As always, when looking at the phenomenon of a credit-fueled boom, the destruction does not occur when prices crash. It occurs while they're rising. But people don't realize it, then, because rising prices are a lot of fun. They don't rea...Read More