The insanity of Central Bankers knows no bounds.The latest indication of just how far "down the rabbit hole" the financial world has gone comes from Japan where it was announced that the Bank of Japan bought 75% of Japanese Government Debt issuance in FY17.That is not a typo. Japan's Central Bank bought $3 out of every $4 in debt Japan issued in fiscal year 2017. And it now owns 40% of Japan's tot...Read More

Who will win: bulls or bears? The LBMA published its annual forecast survey for precious metals prices in 2018. Gold prices range from $1,120 to $1,510. Where is the price of the yellow metal headed? Summary of the SurveyThe views of about 30 analysts in the 2018 forecasts are strongly divergent. The average price of gold is projected to be $1,318, so it is expected to be around the current lev...Read More

Full Article: Is Silver Set to Take Off?By: Darren BlasuttiSilver is set to rally, but only in the medium to long-term, said Darren Blasutti, CEO of Americas Silver Corp."I think we're particularly positive on silver, but I think we're out two or three years before we see that real change in silver, but we're very bullish right now on zinc and lead, and copper," Blasutti told Kitco News on the si...Read More

The latest bids, offers and deals in the global markets for rebar, wire rod, steel beams and other long steel products. Latest transaction: rebarRebar Egypt, domestic (Beshay Steel), rebar, offered at...Read More

Volatility setting up like 2014/2015, Get ready for some interesting range rotation and price swings.Our recent research shows that the current US markets are setting up for what could become a very interesting price range rotation as well as increased volatility. Our team of researchers at Technical Traders Ltd. have identified a number of key elements that appear to be in place similar to 201...Read More

By Michael J. KosaresGold is trading lower this morning and most media reports attribute the weakness to next week's Federal Reserve Open Market Committee meeting. At that meeting, as we have heard endlessly, the Fed is scheduled to raise interest rates by a quarter of a point, and rising interest rates are bad for gold.But are they? Paul Farrugia of First Macro Capital put together a fairly d...Read More

If you've been following me for any length of time you know I've been a major bull when it comes to the stock markets. The last two years were some of the best years to be a bull in one of the greatest bull markets of all time and I don't say that lightly.A little over a month ago we got our first correction of 12% in over two years on the SPX. Everyday the SPX would be up four or five points on t...Read More

By Frank HolmesAs our loyal readers know, at U.S. Global Investors we carefully monitor the price of gold. We pay close attention to the macro drivers moving the yellow metal, like government policy and cultural affinity spurring demand globally. We also monitor the micro drivers, like company management and quant factors that make one gold stock superior to the next.Gold's qualities make it one...Read More

Turkish steel producers have extended their silence in the deep-sea scrap markets amid weak demand for their finished steel products in both the export and domestic markets, sources said on Thursday March 15.The mills were expected to book more cargoes for April, but they stepped back from the deep-sea market late last week after Section 232 import tariffs were officially signed into effect in the...Read More

By RambusIf you've been following me for any length of time you know I've been a major bull when it comes to the stock markets. The last two years were some of the best years to be a bull in one of the greatest bull markets of all time and I don't say that lightly.A little over a month ago we got our first correction of 12% in over two years on the SPX. Everyday the SPX would be up four or five...Read More

Iron ore prices edged up on Thursday March 15 amid improved sentiment following the release of data showing a drop in steel inventories in the Chinese market. Metal Bulletin's 62% Fe Iron Ore Index Today: $72.11 per tonne cfr Qingdao Daily change: up by $0.47 per tonne Month-to-date average: $73.95 per tonne Metal Bulletin's 58% Fe Premium Index Today: $57.71...Read More

The Russia-Britain spat needs to be closely watched. Any deterioration of relations between the two nations will be bullish for gold and bearish for the US dollar. Theresa May is using Russia as a way to divert attention from her political woes and Brexit fears. All international treaties and conventions have been broken by the UK over the killing of an ex spy. I am not even sure whether the UK...Read More

Full Article: Is Silver Set to Take Off?By: Darren BlasuttiSilver is set to rally, but only in the medium to long-term, said Darren Blasutti, CEO of Americas Silver Corp."I think we're particularly positive on silver, but I think we're out two or three years before we see that real change in silver, but we're very bullish right now on zinc and lead, and copper," Blasutti told Kitco News on the si...Read More

The seaborne iron ore market maintained its stability on Thursday March 15 amid a slight drop in steel inventories in China, with premiums for index-linked cargoes of 62% Fe Australian fines failing to rise as much as expected.Key drivers The slight drop in steel inventories gave the market some optimism about demand from downstream industries beginning its recovery. According to a local informati...Read More

Turkish import and export billet prices have increased, amid strong local demand and tightening supplies in the CIS region, sources said on Thursday March 15.Metal Bulletin's weekly price assessment for billet imports into Turkey was $560-570 per tonne cfr, up from $545-550 per tonne.There were several billet sales from the...Read More

Steel billet import prices and domestic rebar prices in Egypt increased again in the week ended Thursday March 15, with demand being better compared with previous weeks.Metal Bulletin's weekly price assessment for Egyptian billet imports rose to $550-565 per tonne cfr on Thursday from $530-545 per tonne cfr previously.An unconfirmed quantity of...Read More

Active trading and gains in the futures market failed to push up China's domestic rebar prices on Thursday March 15, with sellers more anxious about de-stocking. Domestic Eastern China (Shanghai): 3,790-3,850 yuan ($600-609) per tonne, unchanged Northern China (Beijing): 3,900-3,930 yuan per tonne, unchanged Buyers stepped up their procurement rates slightly following gains in the futures market d...Read More

Norwegian ferro-silicon producer Finnfjord Smelteverk will cut about 5,000 tonnes of production between April and June of this year because of planned maintenance to its furnaces, according to an industry source.The company, which has its plant in the north of the country, operates three furnaces, one with capacity for 20,000 tonnes per year and two with capacities for 40,000 tpy."Maintenance shou...Read More

Spot prices for European molybdic oxide and ferro-molybdenum have eased in Metal Bulletin's midweek assessment, with dealers booking profits after a market rally for much of the year to date.Market participants expect the move to persist in the near term, with lower spot prices already being offered and expected to be booked soon, they said.Oxide prices have dropped on around 140 tonnes of reporte...Read More

Japan's Nippon Steel and Sumitomo Metal Corporation will expand its global presence in special steels markets by acquiring Swedish special steels maker Ovako and making Japanese steel maker Sanyo Special Steel its subsidiary.The major Japanese steel producer intends to acquire Ovako from private equity fund Triton in the first half of the 2018 fiscal year subject to approval from the competition a...Read More