Gold falls, trade war fears continue

A landslide at an informal gold mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo where thousands of people were working has left an unknown number of people trapped underground since Sunday.

Twelve people have been rescued, Mr. Rubabura said, adding that the number of missing would be released only once the search was over.

The Lomera site is an artisanal mine, meaning it is not operated by a mining company with professional equipment but by workers who use basic tools to extract ore, often in dangerous conditions.

On Tuesday, M23 members walked around the site issuing instructions to those who remained, telling them not to film or speak to journalists. There was no sign that a serious search for survivors was underway.

Source – New York Times

They bought over 1,000 tonnes of the precious metal last year, double the average amount purchased in the previous decade, according to a European Central Bank report published on Wednesday.

The authors wrote that global holdings of gold by reserve banks increased to 36,000 metric tons in 2024, close to the record of 38,000 metric tons reached around 60 years ago.

Now, central bank reserves are composed of, on average, the dollar, at 46%, gold, at 20%, other currencies at 18%, and the euro at 16%.

Source – Business Insider