While no official tariff has been imposed, the price gap between the CME and London Metal Exchange (LME) contracts has widened sharply, with CME copper trading at a premium exceeding $1,000 per metric ton. This suggests the market is pricing in at least a 10% tariff, though a 25% duty, similar to those on aluminum and steel, remains a possibility.
Source – Econo Times
Zinc, the biggest loser in the LME complex, is currently trading 4.8% lower than at the start of the year.
Meanwhile, tin prices have increased by 13.5% in the first few weeks of the year, making it the biggest winner.
Copper refining grew as expected at 4.2%, but mine production surprised at 2.3%, 0.5% higher than the ICSG September forecast.
The supply of refined copper is under threat due to mine production, which has put downward pressure on processing fees in copper smelters, according to Commerzbank.
The lead market experienced a minor oversupply due to a substantial increase in mine production.
This increase, just under 2%, was fueled by significantly higher supply in the US, Australia, Peru, and Mexico.
Source – Invezz
Gold eased on Wednesday as risk appetite improved after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a trade deal with Japan ahead of an impending tariff deadline, though a soft dollar and lower Treasury yields capped losses for greenback-priced bullion.
Spot gold was down 0.2% at $3,423.44 per ounce, as of 0136 GMT, after hitting its highest point since June 16 earlier in the session. U.S. gold futures also slipped 0.2% to $3,437.70.
Trump said the U.S. and Japan had struck a trade deal that includes a 15% tariff that will be levied on U.S. imports from the country.
“If further trade deals are signed ahead of August 1, this could further boost general risk appetite and reduce the demand for gold,” CM Trade Chief Market Analyst Tim Waterer said.
“But if the USD remains pressured this will keep a return to $3,500 a viable near-term prospect for the precious metal.”
Spot silver fell 0.3% to $39.15 per ounce, platinum dropped 0.3% to $1,437.83 and palladium slipped 0.8% to $1,264.96.
Source – Reuters
Trump announced 25% tariffs on all vehicles and foreign-made auto parts imported into the United States late on Wednesday, prompting heavy losses in Japanese and South Korean stocks in Asian trading overnight.
General Motors slumped 6%, while shares in Ford fell almost 5%, reflecting concerns about the impact on their supply chains.
“Uncertainty on the tariff front remains high, which is really tough for both businesses but also investors to plan into the future, and of course it’s making it really difficult for investors to price risk,” said Baylee Wakefield, a multi-asset portfolio manager at Aviva Investors.
Gold prices rose, up 0.7% on the day at $3,040 an ounce. Goldman Sachs raised its gold price forecast on Wednesday, citing stronger-than-expected ETF inflows and sustained central bank demand.
Source – Reuters
The price of gold in Pakistan has seen a sharp increase, with rates climbing by Rs 4,300 per tola, according to the All Pakistan Gems and Jewellers Association.
Following the rise, the new price of gold per tola now stands at Rs 358,400. Similarly, the price of 10 grams of gold has gone up by Rs 3,687, reaching Rs 307,270.
Source – Daily Times
RS – means Relative Strength in finance.
The other meaning for Rs is for rupees. Rupees are used in India and Pakistan. Other (smaller) countries like Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Nepal, and Seychelles also use rupees as their currency.
Gold price have risen from Wednesday’s record close, propelled by fears that Trump’s tariffs will continue to hammer stocks and expectations that central banks will continue to hoard the precious metal. Gold futures for April delivery settled Wednesday at $3,139.90 a troy ounce, the latest notch in their 19% climb this year.
Source – The Wall Street Journal
Gold prices are “not even that far away from all-time highs, so the upward momentum is there, we just need some kind of trigger to get it going,” Blue Line Futures chief market strategist Phillip Streible said.
Front-month Comex gold (XAUUSD:CUR) for January delivery settled +1.1% to $2,766.80/oz, gold’s 11th gain in 15 sessions, and front-month January silver (XAGUSD:CUR) closed +1.5% to $30.727/oz.
Source – Seeking Alpha
