Over the past week, a dovish Fed and renewed tensions in the Middle East have sent the gold price comfortably above the psychologically important $1,400 level (touching $1,439 on the 25th as we write), a level last revisited more than six years ago. While Metals Focus expects further upside, we would caution that near-term headwinds still exist. Even so, the prospects for the gold price appear br...Read More
The three-month nickel price on the London Metal Exchange rallied at the close of trading on Wednesday June 26, climbing by 1.4% to close at its highest level since April amid a continued drawdown in the LME's dwindling supply. The nickel price closed trading at $12,490 per tonne, climbing from an intraday low of $12,235 per tonne while total volumes traded breached 10,000 lots for the first time...Read More
Continued tin flows onto the London Metal Exchange, up 50% this month, exerted downward pressure on global premiums in the week to Tuesday June 25. An eroding backwardation in exchange forward spreads makes stockholders uncertain whether to hold or sell tin. US premium holds, but reports of declining demand echo other regions. China premium unchanged with no incentive for traders to i...Read More
Weekly Reports |Jun 25 2019Uranium markets were dead quiet last week in anticipation of a possible decision from President Trump regarding 232, but they will have to wait another week.-Trump briefing postponed-Spot price unchanged-The UK goes greenBy Greg PeelPresident Trump was due to meet with top advisors on Thursday to be briefed on the Department of Commerce recommendation regarding the petit...Read More
Aluminium producer Alcoa announced Wednesday June 26 that it has amended its joint venture with Saudi Arabian producer Ma'aden for Alcoa to divest a 25.1% stake in a rolling mill.The joint venture between Ma'aden and Alcoa was created in 2009 and comprises of the Ma'aden Bauxite and Alumina company, the Ma'aden Aluminium Company, and the Ma'aden Rolling Company. Alcoa will transfer its 25.1%...Read More
For over four years on both the www.Montrealanalyst.com and www.Canadianmineanalysis.com sites, we have stated repeatedly that the brokerages and bankers have been manipulating the price of gold down to keep it down. Yes, it is illegal and if we or you engaged in the same manipulation, we would be sentenced to prison (the "Big House") for a long "stretch." We also have advised again and again...Read More
Ivanhoe said the combined proceeds of US$514 million (C$679 million) from the CITIC and Zijin Mining investments positioned it to fully finance its $550 million share of capex to bring the Kakula copper mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo into commercial production. The company had announced in April that CITIC would take its investment in Ivanhoe to about US$1 billion with a second inve...Read More
A 10-week decline in low-grade manganese ore prices stalled on Friday June 21 and Chinese port ore prices have been rebounding dramatically from 2019 lows reached in early June. Fastmarkets' 37% manganese ore index, cif Tianjin held at $5.26 per dry metric tonne unit (dmtu) on Friday. Fastmarkets' China port index for 37% manganese ore increased by 2.30 yuan to 47.50 yuan per dmtu (equiv...Read More
Gold prices continued their march toward a six-year high on Monday, with weakness in the U.S. dollar and 10-year Treasury yield, expectations for lower interest rates among global central banks and geopolitical concerns all contributing to haven demand for the precious metal. "A modestly weaker U.S. dollar, as measured on the U.S. Dollar index DXY, -0.05% and slightly lower yields on the U.S. 10-y...Read More
Cobalt metal prices continued to weaken on Wednesday June 26 with the first half of the week seeing consumers postpone all but essential buying, leaving sellers to cut their offers to entice sales. Fastmarkets' assessment of the price for standard-grade cobalt was at $13.75-14.35 per lb, in-warehouse, on Wednesday June 26, down from $13.85-14.50 per lb on June 21. Fastmarkets' assessment of the pr...Read More
An overview of the minor metals markets and the reasons for any price moves.Read More
- Richard (Rick) Mills North American stock markets continued to rise on Friday, as more investors took the opportunity to jump into equities on the back of a clear signal from the US Federal Reserve that interest rates are likely heading down. The S&P 500 hit a new record on Thursday, finishing 249 points higher, or 0.9%, to 2,954. The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) concluded on Wedne...Read More
- Dave KranzlerShort of a raid orchestrated by the central planners to fasten tighter the cap on gold (which remains a real possibility given the historical record), the yellow metal shouldn't encounter much price resistance until above $1,500/oz. - Adam Taggart, Peak ProsperityI agree with the statement above from Adam Taggart but an aggressive price attack by the banks who operate the Com...Read More
By: Ira EpsteinGold technical price update - GDX showing weakness, a key reversal:Read More
Bitcoin's impressive rise from the dead has hit 11,467 today, exactly two-tenths of a percentage point from the 11492 target I sent out to Rick's Picks subscribers a few weeks ago. There is further potential to 19,850 if certain conditions are met. Let me show you what to look for.Read More
The price of mesh-quality wire rod in Europe fell by ?,?5 per tonne week on week following the drop in ferrous scrap prices, sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday June 26.Fastmarkets' weekly domestic price assessment for mesh-quality wire rod in Northern Europe was ?,?500-510 ($569-581) per tonne delivered on Wednesday, down from ?,?505-515 per tonne delivered on June 19.Fastmarkets' daily Turkish...Read More
"Financial executives don't know how to think," Casey Research editor and strategic trader EB Tucker told attendees.Read More
UK aluminium alloy producers have been forced to close smelters or partially cease production as a confluence of weakening automotive sector demand for material, sluggish regional gross domestic product (GDP) growth and tariff uncertainty continues to push LM24 ingot prices lower. Market participants have reported rumors that three prominent UK secondary aluminium smelters have ceased operations w...Read More
Key data from the Fastmarkets' Wednesday June 26 pricing session in Europe.Key drivers The European ferro-titanium price fell for the fifth consecutive week after six weeks of stability. Demand has been quieter since an initial bout of short-covering in mid-April when major European producer FE Mottram stopped production after a fire damaged its UK plant.FE Mottram aims to restart production aroun...Read More
The bullish momentum seen on Tuesday June 25 seems to have run its course because base metals prices were mostly mixed in the early Asian trading session on Wednesday. Markets seem to have already priced in the positivity surrounding an upcoming meeting between US president Donald Trump and China's Xi Jinping at the Group of Twenty (G20) summit in Japan later this week.Both countries are seeking t...Read More