Total assets under management (AUMs) in gold-based exchange-traded funds (ETFs) hit record highs of $271 billion in 2024, according to the World Gold Council (WGC).
This represented a 26% year-on-year increase and was driven by a soaring bullion price.
The yellow metal hit new all-time highs on 40 occasions last year, the WGC noted. Over the whole year, gold appreciated 26% in value to around $2,629 per ounce.
Source – Forbes
“Gold bars are bought as a hedge” against tariff-related downside risks to stocks as well as U.S. and global economic growth, commodity analysts at Citigroup said in a research note on Friday after the U.S. stock market’s close. “In precious metals, we see gold moving higher very near term” to $3,000 per ounce, they wrote.
“Gold has soared to another record high today amid a further ratcheting up in trade tensions,” said Joe Maher, assistant economist at Capital Economics, in a note Monday. “Concerns that gold may get caught in the trade-war crossfire may also have led U.S. investors to buy up gold in order to get ahead of any future tariffs that might affect U.S. gold imports.”
Source – Market Watch
Shares of Barrick Gold Corp rose 2.76% to C$24.55 Wednesday, in what proved to be an all-around positive trading session for the Canadian market, with the S&P/TSX Composite Index rising 1.15% to 25,569.84.
Source – Market Watch
The Missouri legislature has passed a bill that would allow the state government to accept gold and silver as payment for taxes and other transactions
The legislation, led by Republicans, would require state government entities to accept electronic versions of gold and silver, called “electronic specie currency,” as payment for taxes and public debts. The bill doesn’t require businesses to accept gold and silver as payment for private uses, but it would allow them to do so.
“The goal is about restoring economic and political freedom back to everyday Missourians,” state Rep. Bill Hardwick (R) said.
Source – Just The News
“With a stronger dollar and Treasury yields, it’s hard for gold to continue to move higher,” said Bob Haberkorn, senior market strategist at RJO Futures.
“(Gold) bulls’ next upside price objective is to produce a close above solid resistance at the contract high of $2,826.30,” Jim Wyckoff, senior market analyst at Kitco Metals, said.
Source – Reuters
Spot gold was down 0.1% at $2,913.79 an ounce as of 10:04 a.m. EST (1504 GMT). U.S. gold futures rose 0.1% to $2,923.70.
“There’s still buying interest out there now … there’s going to be some measure of caution ahead of Friday’s (payrolls data), but the underlying trend remains favorable,” said Peter Grant, vice president and senior metals strategist at Zaner Metals.
“If the number comes out really bad, I would imagine gold sells off. If it comes out neutral, I don’t think that’s going to move the needle too much. But if it comes out bullish, then gold takes off and we get pretty quick to $3,000, if not higher than that,” said Daniel Pavilonis, senior market strategist at RJO Futures.
Spot silver advanced 1.2% to $32.36 an ounce and palladium fell 0.4% to $938.22. Platinum gained 0.5% to $965.45.
Source – Reuters
Mali said on Wednesday it was suspending licenses for foreign artisanal gold mining companies after a series of fatal accidents in the West African country, one of Africa’s top three gold producers.
Gen. Assimi Goita, president of Mali’s transitional government, ordered “the suspension of artisanal mining permits granted to foreigners,” according to a statement issued following a Council of Ministers meeting.
“These measures are designed to further strengthen the state authorities and protect our fellow citizens. These measures give us the power to seize materials (mining equipment), which will be confiscated and placed in the domain of national heritage,” Gen. Daoud Ali Mohammedine, the minister of security and civil protection, said on ORTM.
Source – The Associated Press – Business News
