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    Copper tariffs begin on August 1st, Chile “singled out”

    The U.S. is expected to implement a 50% tariff on copper imports at the end of the week, but what happens next is anyone’s guess as talk of an exemption for Chile, the biggest U.S. supplier of the metal, and a potential U.S. and European “metal alliance” heats up.

    “There remains uncertainty over country-based exemptions and a general sense of tariff fatigue,” wrote Natalie Scott-Gray, senior metals demand analyst at StoneX, in a note Tuesday. The European Union, meanwhile, looks to get a break when it comes to U.S. tariffs on steel, aluminum and copper.

    President Donald Trump’s announcement on July 8 of the coming tariff had led to a 13% spike in copper prices that day, to settle at $5.6855 a pound, a record-high finish at that time, based on data going back to 1968, according to Dow Jones Market Data.

    Scott-Gray said that when it comes to a potential country-based tariff exemption, Chile is “singled out,” not just because of Marcel’s comments and ongoing negotiations this week, but because the U.S. is reliant on Chile’s imports and the fact that the U.S. holds a trade surplus with Chile, she said.

    Source – Market Watch

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    Silver prices close to $35 mark

    Silver prices surged to $33 per ounce on Friday, hitting their highest since late October at $33.41, fueled by factors driving gold to record highs.

    London Bullion Market Association data revealed an 8.6% drop in silver inventories to 23,528 tons in January, the largest monthly decline since 2016.

    Despite bullish trends, analysts caution against silver’s volatility, noting its price movements often exceed gold’s by 2-2.5 times.

    Source – Econo Times

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    Bank of England is busier than they’ve been in years

    They have been working flat out to do what the Bank describes as “digging out” gold bars for delivery to traders who’ve seized on a rare arbitrage opportunity thrown up by speculation that Donald Trump will impose tariffs on the precious metal, alongside a raft of other imported goods. 

    The Bank’s vault keepers are busier than they’ve been in years, logistics companies are working overtime, and refineries are booked out for months with orders to recast gold bars from London into a form that can be delivered into the US futures market.

    “What’s happening in the London market is a short term logistical thing, but it’s having real consequences,” said John Reade, senior market strategist at the World Gold Council, the industry lobby group. “There’s not as much gold in London as normal, but again, there’s still lots there. And once it can get out from behind the Bank of England, then everything should calm down.”

    Source – Bloomberg

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    Gold and gold futures up, Silver down 0.7%

    Gold prices rose on Friday as investors turned to the safe-haven asset after United States President Donald Trump imposed fresh tariffs on a broad range of countries, while the market’s focus shifted to the U.S. non-farm payrolls report.

    Spot gold was up 0.3% at $3,299.54 per ounce, as of 1119 GMT. However, bullion is down 1.4% so far this week.

    U.S. gold futures rose 0.1% to $3,351.40.

    “The incoming US jobs report may also trigger another big move for gold. Another demonstration of resilience by the U.S. jobs market could send gold southbound towards $3,200,” Han Tan, chief market analyst at Nemo.Money.

    Spot silver fell 0.7% to $36.49 per ounce, platinum lost 1.6% at $1,269.27 and palladium was down 1.7% at $1,170.35.

    Source – Reuters

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    Copper futures up, copper market awaits investigation

    Copper, yet to be included in Donald Trump’s widening list of tariff-hit products, continues to rally on the assumption that it is just a matter of time, Saxo Bank said in a note, as it sees a sooner-than-expected tightening of the global market.

    Copper futures (HG1:COM) are up 2.8% so far this week, and 6.3% for the month. 

    The copper market is still awaiting the result of an investigation carried out under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act.

    “As such an investigation normally takes months to be completed, it has left the door wide open for a massive profitable arbitrage between international prices and those in the U.S. being reflected through the High Grade futures contract in New York.”

    Source – Seeking Alpha

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    Gold rate in major cities in India

    The second-largest consumer of gold in the country is India, after China. The country meets majority of its demand for gold through imports, along with locally recycled bullion.

    Source – ABP News

    All cities with gold rates listed in the link