Headlines regarding the recent explosion in equity volatility were somewhat hyper-focused on the pitfalls of trading volatility derivatives, for which the soon-to-be liquidated VelocityShares Daily Inverse VIX Short-Term ETN (XIV) was the unfortunate "poster child." But while markedly less catastrophic and climactic, the price action of late in the iPath S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures ETN (VXX) ha...Read More

* U.S. dollar enjoys small bounce* Euro slips but holds close to $1.24* Graphic: World FX rates in 2018 By Tommy WilkesLONDON, Feb 19 (Reuters) - The dollar enjoyed a small rebound on Monday as investors bought back the greenback after its plunge to three-year lows, although analysts said any recovery looked set to be brief with dollar bears still out in force.The U.S. currency has weakened this y...Read More

MADRID, Feb 19 (Reuters) - Spain plans to issue between 1 billion and 2 billion euros($1.2 billion-$2.5 billion) in 3- and 9-month Treasury bills on Tuesday, the Treasury said on Monday. ($1 = 0.8060 euros) (Reporting by Paul Day) Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Kitco Metals Inc. The author has made every effort to ensure accura...Read More

PRAGUE, Feb 19 (Reuters) - The Czech Finance Ministry will offer up to 24 billion crowns ($1.18 billion) worth of domestic government bonds in six primary auctions taking place in March, the ministry said on Monday. The ministry also confirmed the maximum expected nominal value of bonds sold in auctions in the first quarter was planned at 60 billion crowns.The ministry added it would offer up to 2...Read More

COLOMBO, Feb 19 (Reuters) - The Sri Lankan rupee edged down on Monday on importer dollar demand, while political uncertainty continued to weigh on investor sentiment, dealers said. The rupee ended at 155.40/50 per dollar, compared with Friday's close of 155.10/20. The rupee hit a record low of 155.90 on Wednesday."Exporters were reluctant to sell (dollar) due to political uncertainty," a...Read More

Gold surrendered early gains to $1351 level and has now retreated to the lower end of its daily trading range.  A subdued US Dollar price action provided some initial boost to dollar-denominated commodities - like gold. The early uptick, however, lacked any strong follow-through momentum amid holiday-thinned liquidity conditions.  Meanwhile, a global recovery in equity markets, pointing...Read More

By David MorganWASHINGTON, Feb 19 (Reuters) - Jolted by the global investment craze over bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, U.S. lawmakers are moving to consider new rules that could impose stricter federal oversight on the emerging asset class, several top lawmakers told Reuters.Bipartisan momentum is growing in the Senate and House of Representatives for action to address the risks posed by vir...Read More

Gold futures fell modestly Monday, giving up part of last week's gain, as a steadier dollar weighed on the metal, and as the Presidents Day holiday in the U.S. gave many traders the session off. April gold GCJ8, +0.02%lost $5.40, or 0.4%, to $1,350.80 an ounce in electronic trading, while March silver SIH8, -0.14%shed a nickel, or 0.3%, to $16.66 an ounce. The drop came as the dollar was steady to...Read More

LONDON, Feb 19 (Reuters) - South Africa's new leadership headed by newly-elected President Cyril Ramaphosa is a 'credit positive' for many of the country's top gold and platinum miners.It added that a resolution of issues around the country's revised mining charter and finalisation of MRPDA (Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act) amendment bill would be credit positive for Anglogold Asha...Read More

(Repeats to add graphic)By Karin StroheckerLONDON, Feb 19 (Reuters) - Emerging stocks clawed their way slightly higher on Monday though currencies came under some pressure after the dollar found its footing, with South Africa in focus as markets awaited a cabinet reshuffle ahead of Wednesday's budget.MSCI's overall emerging markets index climbed 0.2 percent. The benchmark has recovered half the l...Read More

By Karin StroheckerLONDON, Feb 19 (Reuters) - Emerging stocks clawed their way slightly higher on Monday though currencies came under some pressure after the dollar found its footing, with South Africa in focus as markets awaited a cabinet reshuffle ahead of Wednesday's budget.MSCI's overall emerging markets index climbed 0.2 percent. The benchmark has recovered half the losses sustained in the re...Read More

Last week, speculative gold positions declined for the second straight week as both longs and shorts cut positions.Despite the drop, speculative gold positions remain relatively high on a 10-year historic basis.Silver speculators cut silver positions once again to a net-short position, which is a bullish contrarian signal.The 2018 Chinese New Year started on Friday and we expect volatility in the...Read More

KAMPALA, Feb 19 (Reuters) - The Uganda shilling was steady on Monday, underpinned by a slowdown in appetite for dollars after most firms used some of their liquidity to meet mid-month tax payments. At 0933 GMT, commercial banks quoted the shilling at 3,630/3,640, same level as Thursday's close. Markets in Uganda were closed on Friday for a holiday.UGX Spot Rate................... Ugandan Shilling...Read More

* Kochang mine added* Plans feasibility report by end of Q2 LONDON, Feb 19 (Reuters) - Asia-focused mine developer Bluebird Ventures , with venture partner Southern Gold , plans to reopen South Korean gold mines closed decades ago and is aiming for profits of around $100 per tonne, Bluebird's CEO said.The mines closed in the late 1960s and 1970s when the gold price was less than $140 an ounce, ma...Read More

* Graphic: World FX rates in 2018 * Graphic: Trade-weighted sterling since Brexit vote By Jemima KellyLONDON, Feb 19 (Reuters) - Britain's pound inched down against the dollar and euro on Monday, with traders cautious ahead of key wages data due later in the week that should give them clues to the pace of monetary tightening from the Bank of England. Markets have moved to price in an interest rate...Read More

* Amplats resumes dividends* CEO says presidency reaching out to mining sector* Cuts net debt to 1.8 bln rand from 7.3 bln* Share price rises over 3 percent (Updates with CEO interview, comments)By Ed StoddardJOHANNESBURG, Feb 19 (Reuters) - Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) , the world's top platinum producer, announced its first dividend in seven years on Monday as full-year headline earnings mo...Read More

By KrisztinaThanBUDAPEST, Feb 19 (Reuters) - The Polish zloty led Central European currencies modestly higher in early trade on Monday, extending last week's gains helped by improved sentiment on the region's stock markets.Stocks in Central Europe opened mostly firmer with the Warsaw bourse leading the pack with its main index up by half a percent."Today, we expect PLN to appreciate against E...Read More

NAIROBI, Feb 19 (Reuters) - The Kenyan shilling was stable against the dollar supported by inflows from horticulture exports and easing interbank rates, traders said. At 0843 GMT, commercial banks quoted the shilling at 101.25/45 per dollar, the same as Friday's close. The weighted average interest rate on the overnight borrowing market rose to 5.0898 percent on Monday from 4.6497 on Friday..........Read More

* U.S. dollar enjoys small bounce* Euro slips but holds close to $1.24* Graphic: World FX rates in 2018 By Tommy WilkesLONDON, Feb 19 (Reuters) - The dollar enjoyed a small rebound on Monday as investors bought back the greenback following its plunge to three-year lows.The U.S. currency has been hurt by a variety of factors this year, including concerns that Washington might pursue a weak dollar s...Read More

The integrity of the global financial system rests on the ability of the U.S. to enforce sanctions, but it is only as strong as its weakest link.Read full newsRead More