Gold is on a tear, hitting a record high in New York on Monday at almost $3,150 an ounce to bring the rise this year to 19%.
Analysts at Bank of America think gold could hit $3,500 an ounce if demand increases by 10%.
“Uncertainty around Trump Administration trade policies could continue to push the dollar lower, further supporting gold prices near-term. In our view, a broad rebalancing of America’s twin deficits could be bullish gold too.”
Source – Markets Insider
The company recorded its highest-ever nine months mined and refined metal production at 784 kt and 783 kt respectively. The company clocked best-ever third quarter revenue of US$ 1,020 million, up 18% year-on-year.
Hindustan Zinc also registered historic best third quarter EBITDA of US$ 537 million, up 28% with an industry leading EBITDA margin of c. 53%, up c. 400 bps year-on-year. The company also recorded its highest profit after tax (PAT) in the past nine quarters* of USD 317 million, up 32% year on year.
Source – ANTARA News
Texans are to be allowed to pay with with gold and silver for everyday transactions after Governor Greg Abbott signed House Bill 1056 into law. The law, which was championed by Republican state representative Mark Dorazio, designates the precious metals as legal tender in the state.
Texans will be able to use their gold and silver holdings, stored in the state’s bullion depository, for payments through electronic systems such as mobile apps or debit cards.
The provision comes after legislative debate, and takes effect on May 1, 2027, enabling transactions based on the state comptroller’s valuation of the metals at the time of sale.
Source – Newsweek
Legal Tender – officially recognized money
South Africa’s commodity-backed currency edged up on Monday, helped by higher gold prices, as investors digested last week’s unexpectedly weak U.S. jobs data and awaited tariff updates ahead of the United States’ August 8 deadline.
The bourse was boosted by South African miners, including Gold Fields , up 8%, AngloGold Ashanti (AU.N), at 6%, and Harmony Gold , which rose 7%.
“Our foremost priority is protecting our export industries. We will continue to engage the U.S. in an attempt to preserve market access for our products,” President Cyril Ramaphosa said in a newsletter on Monday
Source – Reuters
Bullion-backed exchange traded funds (ETFs) reported returning net inflows last month, meaning half-year flows reached levels not seen for five years, data from the World Gold Council (WGC) showed.
Total holdings rose by 75 tonnes last month, the WGC said, to 3,616 tonnes. This was the highest for 34 months.
Inflows were valued at $7.6 billion, which in turn drove cumulative assets under management (AUMs) to $382.8 billion an all-time peak.
The WGC said that “North America accounted for the bulk of inflows, recording the strongest first half in five years.” It added that “despite slowing momentum in May and June, Asian investors bought a record amount of gold ETFs during the first half, contributing an impressive 28% to net global flows with only 9% of the world’s total AUMs.”
Source – Forbes
Markets initially dropped after Fed Chair Jerome Powell hinted at fewer rate cuts next year, but quickly recovered as investors recognized this aligned with recent expectations, said StoneX analyst Rhona O’Connell.
“Gold sold off, showcasing once more that it is not an inflation hedge per se, but regained some lost ground on a threatened U.S. government shutdown,” said Carsten Menke, analyst at Julius Baer.
Source – Reuters https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/gold-recovers-one-month-low-short-covering-2024-12-19/
“Gold is reacting to a sharp rise in the U.S. dollar after a hawkish Fed cut,” said Michael Armbruster, co-founder and managing partner at Altavest. Source – Market Watch https://www.marketwatch.com/livecoverage/stock-market-today-dow-futures-rise-ahead-of-final-rate-decision-and-economic-forecast-of-the-year/card/gold-futures-decline-after-fed-announcement-WFThfHDv2mQxezfnO3an
“Despite the pullback we’ve seen in gold prices following yesterday’s Fed statement, we believe gold’s positive momentum will continue in the short to medium term,” Manthey said by email. Source – CNBC https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/the-fed-s-hawkish-signal-sparked-gold-jitters-but-analysts-see-support-for-the-precious-metal-in-2025/ar-AA1wajju?ocid=socialshare
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
