Spot gold was up 2.2% to $3,299.85 an ounce as of 1107 GMT, after hitting a record high of $3,317.90 earlier in the session. U.S. gold futures gained 2.3% to $3,315.80.
“Trump’s trade war shows no signs of easing… sparking a fresh move towards safe havens and out of stocks,” said Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank.
Spot silver rose 2% to $32.94 an ounce, platinum was up 0.1% to $960.85, and palladium gained 0.6% to $977.09.
Source – Reuters
The decision follows a settlement with the Malian Government over its 2023 mining code, which has reduced the risk of disruption.
B2Gold CEO Clive Johnson said: “From a B2Gold perspective, we have seen a reduction in risk since the signing of our settlement agreement.”
“We have expatriate employees that move in and out of the country regularly, including some of the mine management, so there is no reason to think that any detention would ever be contemplated as it relates to B2Gold,” Johnson added.
Source – Global Data / Reuters reported
With tensions running high between historic allies over U.S. tariffs, global trade, and wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, big powers look unlikely to pull together swiftly this time to resolve the issues driving interest in bullion as a haven from risk, analysts say.
The metal’s surge above $3,000 an ounce, driven most recently by U.S. President Donald Trump’s new round of tariffs on trading partners, has been the first time in a long time that geopolitics and economic uncertainty have served as the top factors moving the gold market, HSBC analyst James Steel said.
While the market has this year conquered a series of milestones, one more remains. StoneX analyst Rhona O’Connell noted that gold peaked at $850 in January of 1980, which in dollar terms would equate to $3,486 today.
Source – Reuters
Gold
Gold remains stuck near the resistance at $2930 – $2940 as traders continue to take profits off the table near historic highs.
Silver
Silver declined below the $32.50 level as gold/silver ratio climbed above the 91 level.
Platinum
Platinum tests new lows as traders react to the strong sell-off in palladium markets, which are down by 3.4%.
Source – FXEMPIRE
The footage played at their trial at Oxford Crown Court showed two vehicles driving across the Great Courtyard, before hooded individuals armed with sledgehammers and a large crowbar broke into the palace. One could be seen leaving carrying a golden toilet seat.
The fully functioning lavatory was insured for the sum of $6m (£4.8m), the court heard previously.
“They knew precisely where to go, broke down the wooden door to the cubicle where the toilet was fully plumbed in, removed it, leaving water pouring out of the pipes, and drove away,” prosecutor Julian Christopher KC said previously.
“Clearly such an audacious raid would not have been possible without lots of preparation”, he added,
Source – BBC
I will follow this till the end of the trial. I want to know what happened to the toilet! Maybe you do too. Clearly had to have been planned and to have done it so quickly, from the video evidence anyway. Let’s see what happens. -V.
The yellow metal’s February futures contract climbed $13.90, or 0.5%, to finish at $2,778.90 an ounce on Comex Friday.
“gold’s run to and past $3,000 is only held back by the strong U.S. dollar index,” said Peter Spina, president and founder of GoldSeek.com.
Source – Market Watch