It appears that the Federal Reserve is on hold when it comes to moving interest rates until midyear, said Peter Grant, vice president and senior metals strategist at Zaner Metals. But “most of the other major central banks remain in easing mode, providing an additional tailwind for gold.” Ongoing trade and geopolitical uncertainty suggest upside potential to the psychologically important $3,000 level, he said.
Source – Market Watch
Gold prices rose for a third straight session on Wednesday and hit a one-week high, helped by a softer dollar and safe-haven demand amid economic and geopolitical uncertainty.
Spot gold was up 0.7% at $3,312.51 an ounce, as of 1153 ET (1553 GMT). U.S. gold futures climbed 0.9% to $3,315.60.
“We expect gold’s recent price dip will stimulate investment buying, as macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainty linger,” said ANZ in a note.
Silver rose 1% to $33.40 an ounce.
Platinum was up 2.1% at $1,075.59 after hitting its highest since May 2024 earlier. Palladium added 1.8% to $1,031.05, an over six-month peak.
Source – Reuters
As the threat of a trade war grows, Canadian investors are seeking protection in gold and in shares of companies producing goods with few substitutes, such as uranium, while looking to take advantage of a weaker loonie and expected volatility.
“Tariffs are going to hurt all parties quite a bit but if you’re going to spare some industries, you probably spare industries that you don’t have a substitute for and are currently reliant on,” said Ben Jang, a portfolio manager at Nicola Wealth, noting U.S. dependence on Canadian oil, critical minerals and uranium.
Major producers of uranium include TSX-listed Cameco Corp (CCO.TO)shares of which Nicola Wealth owns. Cameco has pulled back from an all-time high in December but has still managed to advance roughly 46% since early September.
Source – Reuters
The dollar fell to a one-week low against a basket of major currencies as oil prices declined and demand for safe havens waned. Investors can “breathe a sigh of relief that chances of a major escalation have been reduced,” Jefferies economist Mohit Kumar said. The DXY dollar index fell 0.4% to a low of 97.969.
Gold futures also fell, last down 1.8% at $3,334.50 a troy ounce, close to levels last seen before Israel launched strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities earlier this month.
Source – The Wall Street Journal
Futures – are contracts to buy or sell a specific asset at a future date.
At 13:19 GMT, XAG/USD is trading $30.84, Unchanged.
Prices have also remained above the pivot at $30.53, which keeps the short-, medium-, and long-term trends firmly upward.
Daily Gold (XAU/USD)Gold, often viewed as silver’s counterpart, has outperformed with a breakout above $2,726.30, pushing prices closer to record highs at $2,790.17.
A sustained rally above $30.53 and a breakout over $30.98 may open the door for further gains, but for now, silver remains in gold’s shadow.
Source – FXEMPIRE
Peru’s mining ministry on Friday said copper output in 2024 amounted to 2,736,150 metric tons, down 0.7% from 2023. The drop marked the copper giant’s first decline after four straight years of recovery following the pandemic.
Source – Mining.com
Non-tariff barriers are meant to limit the amount of imports/exports and protect domestic industries. In some relief to consumers globally, the Trump administration has kept some essential items exempt from the purview of these tariffs.
Items exempt from the tariffs levied by Trump include copper, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, lumber articles, certain critical minerals, as well as energy and energy products.
Source – GoldSilver Reports
Long list of all exempt items when you go to the website. Hope that helps! – V.
