|

Copper futures fell by 22%

US President Donald Trump went ahead with 50% tariffs on copper imports but exempted refined metals, which are the mainstay of international trading. The move triggered a record plunge for US prices after a period of fat profits for traders who hurried metal to America before the levies kicked in. A large premium for New York futures over London evaporated.

“The blow-out in the CME-LME spread has been touted as one of the most profitable commodity trades in modern history,” Daniel Ghali of TD Securities Inc. wrote in a note. “In a single session, the White House’s proclamation on copper tariffs annihilated the spread and catalyzed CME copper’s largest intraday fall on record.”

Copper futures on Comex in New York fell by 22% as traders recalibrated the value of metal in the US versus the rest of the world.

Source – Bloomberg

Similar Posts

  • /

    Global silver market under stress

    A surge in rates to borrow the precious metal has become the latest sign of alarm, with anxiety building over the impact of further tariffs from US President Donald Trump. That’s sparked a dash to ship silver into the US in a bid to capture premium prices in New York, possibly causing a squeeze in London.

    “Should the long-fabled ‘silver squeeze’ materialize, this slower tradeflow will be a key contributor to prolonging” any potential disruption BMO Capital Markets analyst George Heppel said in a note. That’s because it would take time for silver stockpiles to flow from the US back to London, he said.

    Source – Mining Weekly

  • /

    Barrick Mining maybe under provisional administration

    A Malian court has adjourned to Thursday a hearing on whether to put Barrick Mining’s Loulo-Gounkoto gold complex under provisional administration, the court’s registry office and one of the lawyers involved told Reuters on Monday.

    Granting the request would represent a major escalation of a dispute between the West African country and the Canadian miner after operations at the complex were suspended in January in a dispute over taxes and ownership.

    Barrick has said it can only resume operations when the Malian government removes restrictions on gold exports.

    The government has renegotiated agreements with other multinational miners under the new mining law. Four Barrick employees have been detained since November 2024 and an arrest warrant was issued for Chief Executive Mark Bristow in December 2024.

    Source – Reuters

  • /

    Gold rose but weaker than expected: December report

    Spot gold rose 0.5% to $2,663.79 per ounce, as of 9:55 a.m. ET (1455 GMT) and hit its highest since Dec. 13. U.S. gold futures gained 0.5% to $2,679.70.

    Weaker private payrolls “is contributing to gold’s move, because ultimately, weaker employment numbers imply that the economy has been weaker than many had expected,” said Bart Melek, head of commodity strategies at TD Securities.

    “The bigger factor will be U.S. nonfarm payrolls on Friday, the market is expecting a change of 163 (thousand); anything significantly above that will be negative for gold,” Melek said.

    Source – Reuters

  • / /

    Idaho House Bill 40 to end taxes on gold and silver

    Idaho yesterday formally ended state income taxes on gold and silver as part of its largest tax cut in state history.

    House Bill 40, sponsored by House Speaker Mike Moyle and begrudgingly signed by the state’s liberal Republican governor Brad Little, provides a sweeping $253 million income tax cut for Idahoan taxpayers by lowering the rate from 5.695% to 5.3% while also adding two specific exemptions.

    Moyle said today, “I’m proud to help secure another $253 million in income tax cuts for Idaho families. Meanwhile, it makes no sense for Idaho to tax gold and silver, the only money mentioned in the U.S. Constitution.”

    Source – Money Metals

  • /

    Macquarie Group predicts gold will reach $3500

    “Year-to-date, gold has been running ahead of our expectations,” Marcus Garvey, head of commodities strategy at Macquarie, wrote on Thursday. 

    “We are raising our gold price forecast to a 3Q25 quarter average peak of $3,150 per ounce and our single point price high to $3,500 per ounce,” Garvey wrote. 

    “President Trump’s rapid move to announce, if not always to enact, import tariffs has contributed to geopolitical uncertainty and boosted inflation expectations, helping push down front-end real rates and supporting gold in the face of periodic USD strength and initially reduced expectations for Fed rate cuts,” the strategist wrote.

    Source – Yahoo Finance

    Macquarie Group Limited – is an Australian multinational independant investment bank and financial services company. Headquarters in Sydney, Australia. Listed as ASX

  • /

    HAPPY NATIONAL COIN WEEK!

    Hey Numismatics!

    I’m sure that you’re looking for coins in honor of National Coin Week and you’re getting rare coins on eBay, Whatnot, Instagram or whatever you online buying you can find. Well, here you can find reputable coin and bullion dealers to buy in person and skip the shipping costs to get your coins.

    If you’re looking for rare coins and are in the Chicago area, check out Harlan J. Berk. They have more than 50 years of expertise in the precious metals space. They have a dedicated space to do more research on pieces and even help you enhance your portfolio.

    Coins are a specialty at Arizona Coins & Collectibles in Tucson, AZ ranging from ancient to modern. You will see coins on the walls and over 45 years of experience. If you’re not in the area, they have an online eBay store you can visit.

    At Bullion & Coin Exchange in Mesa, AZ they are recommended by the U.S Mint. If you’re looking for coins they’ve got you covered and have 39 years of experience to show for it.

    If you’re close to Pittsfield, MA then Pittsfield Precious Metals is the place to be for gold, silver, and you guessed it COINS! They offer a variety of collectibles and professional coin grading services.

    • American Eagles
    • Silver Rounds
    • Maple Leafs
    • Ancient Coins
    • Modern Coins

    These are what you can find at these local gold and silver dealers and coins dealers. See their listings and visit their sites. You won’t be disappointed at any of these locations. Their combined experience and expertise will give you comfort knowing you are investing with the right people.

    Happy Coin Hunting friends! Good luck!