Source – Money Metals
With prices for most of its popular products ranging from 10,000 to 50,000 yuan, Laopu now competes more directly with Western luxury brands such as Tiffany and Cartier.
As rising gold prices in 2024 pushed investors toward bullion and coins and gold jewellery sales in China fell 24.69% to 532.02 tonnes, Laopu twice raised prices on its designer jewellery and trinkets. It again upped prices by 5-12% last month.
But analysts say Laopu is a contender to fully break through the luxury glass ceiling.
“It’s not an imminent threat to global luxury groups because to build a luxury brand takes a long time. You need a story, you need a history, you need the craftsmanship, but it’s possible,” said Jonathan Yan, a principal at consultancy Roland Berger in Shanghai.
Source – Reuters
Construction continues to advance on schedule and first copper production is still targeted before the end of 2025. Overall project completion was at 78% as of March 31, 2025.
“The project is in great shape and Florence Copper will soon become a major new supplier of copper cathode for the US market. The project is uniquely positioned to produce and sell refined copper inside the United States and potentially benefit from premium COMEX copper pricing in the coming years.”
Source – Yahoo Finance
Spot gold was up 1.3% at $3,122.02 an ounce at 1129 GMT, after its biggest daily gain since October 2023 on Wednesday. U.S. gold futures were up 1.9% at $3,137.80.
“We’re just living in a world of extreme uncertainty. We just don’t really know which way this trade war is going to go … I think for the course of this year, gold will march higher,” said Nitesh Shah, commodities strategist at WisdomTree.
Spot silver fell 0.6% to $30.85 an ounce, platinum lost 0.4% to $933.55, and palladium was down 1.7% at $915.68.
Source – Reuters
Gold has benefited from geopolitical uncertainty and central bank demand, but a prolonged period of restrictive Fed policy presents risks.
Source – FXEMPIRE
Spot gold was down 1.2% at $2,882.49 an ounce as of 09:42 a.m. ET (1442 GMT), after hitting its lowest level since February 12 earlier in the session. Prices hit a record high of $2,956.15 on Monday, driven by safe-haven flows.
“The direction of gold is very evident, and these short-term bumps and some profit taking is just a normal part of the cycle,” said Alex Ebkarian, chief operating officer at Allegiance Gold.
Spot silver retreated 0.5% to $31.67 an ounce, platinum fell 0.9% to $957.10 and palladium dropped 0.9% to $917.96.
Source – Reuters
