“Chinese authorities see a greater role for gold in the future international monetary system, or they wouldn’t continue buying such extraordinary amounts of gold. Via London alone, the PBoC has stockpiled 1,000 tonnes of gold since Russia’s foreign exchange assets were ‘frozen’ by the West in early 2022.” Nieuwenhuijs wrote
Source – Money Metals
News is from 1/14/2025
This is a follow up on Barrick Gold and it’s current mining situation.
Barrick Gold Corporation (NYSE:GOLD)(TSX:ABX) today confirmed that the company remains restricted from shipping gold from the Loulo-Gounkoto mining complex in Mali. Additionally, the interim attachment order on the gold has now been executed by the Malian government by moving the existing gold stock from the site to a custodial bank, further preventing the shipment and sale of the gold.
As a result, Barrick has regrettably initiated the temporary suspension of operations while it continues to work towards a resolution.
Barrick remains committed to constructive engagement with the Malian government and all stakeholders to find an amicable solution that ensures the long-term sustainability of the Loulo-Gounkoto mining complex and its vital contribution to Mali’s economy and communities.
Source – Barrick
Spot gold fell 0.7% to $2,894.55 an ounce as of 09:44 a.m. ET (1444 GMT). Bullion, a preferred hedge against uncertainty and inflation, hit a record high of $2,956.15 on Monday amid trade war concerns emerging from tariff threats.
“Bullish trend is still in place… We are not surprised by a period of consolidation ahead of some piece of important data,” said David Meger, director of metals trading at High Ridge Futures.
Spot silver was down 0.5% to $31.57, platinum eased 0.4% to $963 and palladium dropped 0.4% to $924.01.
Source – Reuters
Spot gold jumped over 1% to $3,214.92 an ounce, as of 0801 GMT, after hitting a record high of $3,219.84 earlier in the session. Bullion is up over 5% so far this week.
“Recession risks are mounting, bond yields are soaring, and the U.S. dollar continues to weaken – all factors reinforcing gold’s role as a crisis hedge and inflation shield,” said Alexander Zumpfe, a precious metals trader at Heraeus Metals Germany.
“We believe gold has further to run—in the upside case, we target USD 3,400-3,500/oz over the months ahead,” said UBS analyst Giovanni Staunovo.
Spot silver gained 0.4% to $31.31 an ounce, while platinum added 0.7% to $944.35. Palladium gained 1.9% to $925.43.
Source – Reuters
Gold prices firmed on Wednesday as investors stayed cautious amid lingering uncertainty over the U.S.-China trade truce and waited for key U.S. inflation data for clues on the Federal Reserve’s interest rate trajectory.
Spot gold XAU= was up 0.3% to $3,330.69 an ounce at 1122 GMT. U.S. gold futures GCcv1 were up 0.3% to $3,351.60.
“Gold should remain supported as long as global trade tensions risk escalating further, or even just staying elevated for longer.”
“We expect silver to reach $38/oz in the coming months. Market deficit considerations and a weaker USD hold the key for even higher prices – a test of $40/oz is possible,” UBS said.
Source – Reuters
“We could envision a situation where inflation migrates higher, while the economy slows down as the auto sector grinds to a sudden halt, for example,” said Bart Melek, global head of commodity strategy at TD Securities. “Higher inflation and low rates, and the associated angst with the president’s imposition of tariffs, so uncertainty and risk are helping gold.”
“These tariffs create a strong tailwind for gold,” Bank of Montreal analysts wrote in a note. “Not only because of their inherent inflationary effects but also as the USA’s increasingly hawkish foreign policy may accelerate de-dollarisation plans.”
Source – Bloomberg
BHP warned Thursday that a tariff war could slow the global economy and disrupt world trade, as the world’s biggest miner reported a slight decline in quarterly iron ore production and a 10% rise in copper output due to higher volumes from the giant Escondida mine in Chile.
“Despite the limited direct impact of tariffs on BHP, the implication of slower economic growth and a fragmented trading environment could be more significant,” CEO Mike Henry said. “China’s ability to shift toward a consumption-led economy and for trade flows to adapt to the new environment will be key to sustaining the global outlook.”
Source – Seeking Alpha
