Gold

South Africa’s rand, stocks and government bonds strengthened on Friday, boosted by higher gold prices as worries over the United States’ worsening fiscal health sent investors into the safe-haven asset.

At 0929 GMT, the rand traded at 17.9150 against the dollar, 0.5% stronger than Thursday’s closing level.

Gold prices rose on Friday and were poised for their biggest weekly gain in more than a month, as a softer U.S. dollar and concerns over the country’s fiscal outlook boosted bullion’s safe-haven appeal.

Source – Reuters

Gold futures posted their second consecutive strong gain on Tuesday, rising 3% in the two days since Moody’s downgraded its U.S. credit rating and amplified concerns over the debt and deficit spending.

The dollar slipped again, weighed down in part by cautious remarks about the economy by Federal Reserve officials and by President Trump’s failure so far to convince Republican holdouts in the U.S. House to support his sweeping tax and spending bill.

“Investors are reassessing the long-term outlook for U.S. sovereign risk. As such, safe-haven assets like gold could experience heightened demand,” Quasar Elizunda of Pepperstone said in a note.

Source – Seeking Alpha

Moody’s Corporation – (MCO) a New York-based company that owns Moody’s Investors Service that rates creditworthiness of companies, governments, and fixed income debt securities, and Moody’s Analytics.

Gold prices have fallen almost 10% from a record high just above $3,500 per ounce in April as a de-escalation in U.S.-China trade tensions punctured momentum, but analysts are sticking with a bullish outlook due to strong underlying support for the metal.

Spot gold was trading around $3,180 an ounce on Friday, leaving prices on track for their worst week in six months.

“Gold prices are more likely to rise than to fall from this stage onwards as other factors like central bank demand and very strong investor demand from China are not going away anytime soon,” said Nitesh Shah, commodities strategist at WisdomTree.

Source – Reuters

Twangiza Mining, a gold miner operating in the rebel-controlled South Kivu Province in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, said it has been ordered to suspend operations by the rebel administration, according to a company-wide letter seen by Reuters.

Manu Birato, who was recently installed as M23 governor of the South Kivu Province, said Twangiza Mining must adapt to new regulations and pay taxes they have not been paying.

“We are in talks with them and showing them that from now on they must start paying taxes,” Birato told Reuters.

Source – Reuters