By Avi GilburtPease note: This article was originally posted on FATRADER.com on Thursday May 22 before the breakout in bonds.I have written many times about how the Fed follows the market and does not lead it. And, we are about to see yet another example of history's lessons.For those that followed our work over the years, you would know that we called for a top to the bond market on June...Read More

[Jim Grant is an old-school observer of this economic age and one of its most brilliant commentators. Following is the speech he gave in accepting the 2019 Bradley Prize, which recognizes those who have helped further the principles and institutions of American exceptionalism. RA]Ladies and gentlemen, it's a blemish on the age that so many of us know the name of the Federal Reserve chairman. In...Read More

Want to turn-in some crappy clad coinage that's all nice and mutilated? Too bad, but the irony here is second to none. Here's why...Oh the irony of the US Mint suspending its mutilated coin program.That is the program where coinage that is mutilated can be turned in for fresh new coinage that is not.From the US Mint's website (bold and bold added for emphasis and to point out the irony):PLEASE N...Read More

Dealers heading to Las Vegas with hope new JCKvenue will create a buzz and stimulate trading. Market sentiment weak amid sloworders, tight liquidity and declining prices. Memo houses doing well. US retailpositive, with fine jewelry a top category at J.C. Penney and Macy's. RichemontFY jewelry sales at Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels +10% to $7.9B. Diamond manufacturers'profit squeezed as De Beers...Read More

Polished trading quiet amid ongoing liquidityconcerns. Geopolitical factors fueling caution as diamantaires await national-electionresults. Fewer foreign buyers seen in Mumbai. Pockets of good demand, asdealers look for top-quality supply. Manufacturers maintaining reduced polishedproduction after summer break, while profit margins tighten during May sight. RoundRead More

RAPAPORT... The Lab Grown Diamond Council (LGDC) will create the firstsustainability certification mark for synthetic diamonds to reassureconsumers their stones have met rigorous environmental and social standards, the newly-established trade group said. "Our mission is to create increased market clarity about thebenefit of lab-grown diamonds," LGDC chairman Michael Barlerin explained Wednesd...Read More

RAPAPORT... Lucapa Diamond Company has unearthed a 126-carat,gem-quality rough from its Mothae mine in Lesotho, it said Thursday. The stone is the largest recovered from the deposit sincecommercial production began in January, and the first diamond over 100 caratsthe mine has produced. Lucapa previously found five stones weighing more than50 carats each during bulk sampling. "Lesotho is very...Read More

RAPAPORT...Synthetic diamonds are a fundamental threat to the naturaldiamond industry. They are not just a competitive product like gems, pearls, orgold jewelry. They are a replacement product. Their marketers shout out: Don't buynatural diamonds, buy synthetic diamonds because synthetic diamonds are moreethical. They are cheaper. They build up synthetic diamonds by tearing downnatural diamonds.Th...Read More

Jewelers of America (JA), the national trade association for businesses serving the fine jewelry marketplace, has announced that submissions are being accepted in four categories for the 18th Annual GEM Awards which will be held on January 10, 2020, at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York. The GEM Awards contest honors the achievements of individuals and companies whose creations raise the visibility...Read More

Debswana Diamond Company (Debswana) has awarded a local contract to Majwe Mining, a joint venture (JV) between Bothakga Burrow Botswana and mining services provider Thiess Botswana, to provide mining services to Debswana’s Cut-9 project at the Jwaneng mine. The value of the contract is $1.2-billion and will span over nine years. The contract includes drill and on-bench services, mining plann...Read More

DiaCam360 has initiated a new venture that will lead to the automated identification of a diamond's color and clarity, based on a proprietary database of hundreds of thousands of images of diamonds that were taken with the DiaCam360. All these images were analyzed by the Deep Learning & AI (Artificial Intelligence) platform developed by the AI department of Matrix, an Israel-based, global...Read More

Jewelry industry analyst Paola De Luca, of the luxury market intelligence agency The Futurist, will speak at COUTURE in Las Vegas about the effects of the digital era and globalization on culture and design directions for the jewelry sector. Recognizing that the conversation in digital society is impacting jewelry design trends, the talk will address how consumer behavior and social changes not on...Read More

Following the discovery of the second-largest diamond in Botswana since 2015, the country has received more attention, with investors wanting to invest more in mining projects in the region, says diamond exploration and project development company Botswana Diamonds MD James Campbell. He adds that Botswana Diamonds is currently active in diamond exploration in the Kalahari region of Botswana. He be...Read More

The base metals industry is an exciting prospect for Botswana,as copper mining is increasing, which bodes well for the country’s economy, says Botswana Chamber of Mines (BCM) CEO Charles Siwawa. Although copper- and nickel-producing mines have temporarily closed down, companies such as Khoemacau Copper Mining will start operations in base metals mining in 2020 or in the first quarter of 2021...Read More

There should be a new regulatory regime for juniors – one that adheres to the spirit of Mining Charter III, but which introduces reasonable and achievable transformation and procurement targets relative to the size and financial constraints of junior and emerging miners, says Eversheds Sutherland mining head Warren Beech.This proposition is echoed by South African Diamond Producers Organisat...Read More

PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Africa-focused diamond miner Lucapa Diamond Company has recovered a 126 ct gem-quality diamond from its Mothae operation, in Lesotho.The diamond is the largest recovered at Mothae since commercial operations started in January this year, and the largest gem-quality diamond ever recovered at the mine.AdvertisementThe diamond was also the sixth stone of more than 50...Read More

Hot Chili secures copper 'super hub' SPONSOREDhot chili limitedVimy ready for move to higher uranium groundSPONSOREDvimy resourcesWhite Gold Corp a force in Yukon as exploration drive reaps dividendsSPONSOREDwhite gold corp"It's not regulation that fails, it's [the industry] as engineers and operators"SPONSOREDsrk consultingProfit for the quarter was €14.15 million (...Read More

Look beyond market approach to project valuations: van ZylLeadershipHot Chili secures copper 'super hub' SPONSOREDhot chili limitedVimy ready for move to higher uranium groundSPONSOREDvimy resourcesWhite Gold Corp a force in Yukon as exploration drive reaps dividendsSPONSOREDwhite gold corpAdventus said Nobis subsidiary Unionar was the largest participant in a C$12.1 million (US$9 million)...Read More

U.S. equity index futures were lower this morning. S&P 500 futures were down 25 points in pre-opening trade.Index futures were virtually unchanged following release of the Weekly Jobless Claims report at 8:30 AM EDT. Consensus was an increase to 215,000 from 212,000 last week. Actual was 211,000Best Buy added $1.97 to $71.14 after reporting higher than consensus first quarter earnings. Target...Read More

I recently paid my family's full annual car insurance premium up front. It was painful to see it all go at once but worth it knowing I would have paid more if I stretched out the monthly payments. Shopping around for the best price on auto insurance is one of life's many mundane but necessary tasks. Lucky for you, I recently switched providers and did a whole lot of research beforehand to figure o...Read More