The silver market continues to threaten the same barrier, which starts at the $32.35 level, and then reaches the $32.50 level before it is all said and done. Because of that, the market, I believe, is just simply grinding away or even pecking away, if you will, at the barrier that has been one of the biggest factors here in the silver market.
Source – FXEMPIRE / Opinion
Freeport-McMoRan (FCX.N), opens new tab hopes U.S. President Donald Trump declares copper a critical mineral, a move that would unlock tax credits needed to boost American production of the red metal and offset global rivals, CEO Kathleen Quirk said on Monday.
“Having the incentives and clarity around those would be a big plus for the domestic copper industry,” said Quirk, who became CEO of Phoenix-based Freeport last year.
“People are understanding more what copper is used for and its importance in our economy. It’s just a matter of time before it’s classified as a critical mineral.”
“We’re not looking for handouts, but if the government is trying to incentivize domestic production, it’s important to recognize that the U.S. doesn’t have the same grades that we have internationally,” said Quirk.
Source – Reuters
Copper traded on the London Metal Exchange has jumped 14 per cent this year and reached $US10,046.50 a tonne on Thursday, the highest since October.
“Traders are redirecting the metal from Asia to take advantage of the price premium and skirt any potential tariffs on the metal,” said ANZ senior commodity strategist Daniel Hynes.
“The US copper rush could leave the rest of the world tight on copper if demand picks up more quickly than expected,” said ING commodity strategist Ewa Manthey.
Source – Financial Review
“The white metal may get squeezed, as recovering Asian demand absorbs recent inventory builds in the aftermath of the Chinese slowdown and the base metal concentrate processing capacity increases,”
“We project the metal to average $36/oz in the final months of next year, making it a commodity outperformer as the XAU/XAG ratio challenges yearly lows.”
“With its low correlation to traditional assets such as equities and bonds, silver offers powerful diversification benefits,” Silver Institute said. “Historically, silver has proven its value during times of economic and geopolitical crises, serving as a reliable hedge against inflation, currency devaluation, and systemic financial instability. In the context of the modern global landscape, this role has become even more pronounced.”
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry said in a statement Thursday it revised import figures from April to November after discovering the discrepancy, which had resulted from migrating to a new data transmission system.
The miscalculation led to a four-fold increase in gold imports to a record $14.8 billion in November, causing the trade deficit to widen to $37.8 billion.
Preliminary revisions show gold imports were $37.39 billion in the April-November period, down $11.7 billion from previously reported.
Source – Bloomberg / Live Mint
The inventory of unstruck ready-to-strike cent planchets combined at the Denver and Philadelphia Mints is considered by the Federal Reserve and the U.S. Mint enough to handle production needs for the near future as the mintages wind down, with no more planchets ordered from the lone outside vendor.
The unstruck planchets are also sufficient for striking Uncirculated Lincolns cents at the Philadelphia and Denver Mints for inclusion in 2025 Uncirculated Mint sets and for Proof sets executed at the San Francisco Mint.
Source – Coin World
Bill HB306, now awaiting signature from Governor Spencer Cox, authorizes the state treasurer to issue a competitive procurement for a precious metals-backed electronic payment platform. This will allow state vendors to opt for payment in physical gold and silver.
Rep. Kenneth Ivory sponsored Bill HB306, and Sen. Keith Grover pushed the legislation through the Senate. The state politicians noted that the legislation is the latest evolution in Utah’s stance in favor of sound money.
“In uncertain economic times, Utah is providing vendors and service providers with the option to receive payment in gold and silver,” Rep. Ivory said. “This law gives Utahns an alternative to choose how they preserve the purchasing power of their earnings and savings.”
Source – KITCO News