ANZ raised its zero to 3-month gold price forecast to $3,100 per ounce and 6-month forecast to $3,200 per ounce, according to a research note on Tuesday.
For gold “we maintain our bullish view, amid strong tailwinds from escalating geopolitical and trade tensions, easing monetary policy, and strong central bank buying,” the bank said.
Source – Reuters
“The latest run-up in prices—in gold to an 11-week high near last year’s record, and silver towards resistance around USD 31—was triggered by Trump’s threat to impose tariffs on some of its major trading partners, including Canada, Mexico, Europe, and China.”
“Silver continues to recover from the deep end-of-year correction that saw the white metal tumble 17% from a 12-year high at $34.87 to a December low at $28.74. Besides renewed demand from wrong-footed short sellers in the futures market at the start of the year, prices have also been supported by… the fundamental outlook for a fifth consecutive annual supply deficit.”
Source – Seeking Alpha
Spot gold fell 0.1% to $2,916.75 an ounce as of 11:55 a.m. ET (1655 GMT), after rising in the last three sessions. U.S. gold futures were flat at $2,925.
“We are just seeing some mild profit-taking pressure from recent gains, the underlying fundamentals are still bullish… Another thing that’s putting some mild pressure on the gold market is a rise in bond yields,” said Jim Wyckoff, senior market analyst at Kitco Metals.
The benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury yield hit a more than one-week high, reducing the appeal of non-yielding gold.
Spot silver dipped 0.2% to $32.70 an ounce, palladium was steady at $942.25 and platinum was down 0.3% at $966.63.
Source – Reuters
As the threat of a trade war grows, Canadian investors are seeking protection in gold and in shares of companies producing goods with few substitutes, such as uranium, while looking to take advantage of a weaker loonie and expected volatility.
“Tariffs are going to hurt all parties quite a bit but if you’re going to spare some industries, you probably spare industries that you don’t have a substitute for and are currently reliant on,” said Ben Jang, a portfolio manager at Nicola Wealth, noting U.S. dependence on Canadian oil, critical minerals and uranium.
Major producers of uranium include TSX-listed Cameco Corp (CCO.TO)shares of which Nicola Wealth owns. Cameco has pulled back from an all-time high in December but has still managed to advance roughly 46% since early September.
Source – Reuters
“Under the proposed law, the Texas Comptroller would issue gold and silver specie (coins) through the Texas Bullion Depository and also establish gold and silver transactional currency defined as ‘the representation of gold and silver specie and bullion held in the pooled depository account,’” wrote Mike Maharrey, Communications Director at the Tenth Amendment Center. “The Depository would be required to hold enough gold and silver to back 100 percent of the issued currency.”
If approved, the bills would enable “Holders of gold and silver specie and currency to use them as ‘legal tender in payment of debt,’ in the state of Texas,” he noted. “The gold and silver-backed currency would be electronically transferable to another person. Gold and silver-backed currency would be redeemable in specie or at the spot price of gold in U.S. dollars minus applicable fees.”
Source – KITCO News
Northeast Numismatics of Concord, Massachusetts, is the lone supplier of the special 2025-dated commemorative coin altered for this occasion. “We realized we were coming up on the 250th anniversary a few years ago and got the idea to do something special,” said Northeast owner Tom Caldwell.
The five-year (2021-25) First Amendment to the United States Constitution coin series concludes this month with the release of the final issue.
The $100 platinum proof coins are priced at $1,545, and mintage is limited to 9,000. To order, visit the U.S. Mint’s website.
Source – The Reading Room
President Donald Trump on Wednesday said the White House was “very busy” crafting its trade policy as the clock ticks down on his self-imposed August 1 deadline. At that point, America could fundamentally reshape the way it does business around the world.
Trump signed executive actions on Wednesday imposing a 50% tariff on Brazil, a 50% tariff on certain copper products and suspending a tax perk for all countries that allowed cheap packages to fly into the US duty-free.
Trump said the agreement, if completed, would include developing Pakistan’s oil reserves with a yet-to-be-named oil company.
Source – CNN
Analysts estimate that copper demand from energy transition sectors will grow at a CAGR of 10.7%, with the EV sector alone driving a 14.3% increase, solar power 5.6%, and wind applications 9.3%. Overall, the demand for copper is projected to grow at a CAGR of 2.6% through 2034.
Source – Stock News
