Newmont, the Colorado-based gold miner, was one of the worst-performing stocks in the S&P 500SPX+0.52% Friday as the price of gold slumped from its June record high.
Newmont stock, meanwhile, has risen 59% this year as of Thursday’s close, and competitors like Barrick Mining and Agnico Eagle Mines have also seen their share prices soar.
Source – Barron’s
“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
Japan’s Mitsubishi Materials is considering scaling back copper concentrate processing at its Onahama Smelter & Refinery as falling treatment and processing charges (TC/RCs) weigh on earnings, it said on Monday.
Mitsubishi Materials said the worsening TC/RCs from miners were expected to further erode smelting margins.
“To maintain and improve profitability, we need to raise the ratio of recycled raw materials and accelerate the shift to feedstock less vulnerable to TC/RC fluctuations,” the company said in a statement.
It is now considering the possibility of a partial shutdown of production facilities and a reduction in copper concentrate processing at Onahama, after planned maintenance from October to November this year, Mitsubishi Materials said.
Source – Reuters
Ghana has banned all foreigners from trading in its local gold market as part of efforts to boost national revenue and streamline the country’s mining sector.
It follows the enactment of a new law earlier this month that grants exclusive authority of gold mining to a new state body, the Ghana Gold Board
“All foreigners are hereby notified to exit the local gold trading market not later than 30th April, 2025,” said GoldBod spokesperson Prince Kwame Minkah in a statement.
However, foreigners are allowed to apply to buy or off-take gold directly from the GoldBod but can no longer operate within the local gold value chain.
“It sends a strong message to foreign actors – especially Chinese operatives – who have circumvented local laws for years,” Nana Asante Krobea, a mining governance consultant
Source – BBC
“Until we see clarity on the US policies, both trade-related and economic, it will create an environment for increased levels of gold volatility,” said Joseph Cavatoni, senior market strategist for North America at industry lobby the World Gold Council. “So, while we might see a $3,000 gold price, we expect there could be ongoing movements that bring us back below.”
Spot gold was down 0.1% at $2,905.73 an ounce at 10:28 a.m. in London, after rising to as high as $2,942.68. Silver, platinum and palladium were all lower. The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index was steady after climbing on Monday.
Source – Bloomberg
Benchmark LME copper futures are more than 9% higher so far this year, and Comex copper is 16% higher YTD, with the Comex now trading at a 10%-12% premium over LME, and Morgan Stanley analysts see more room for growth.
“We stay constructive on copper, our preferred base metal,” Morgan Stanley wrote. “Fundamentals and price signals are positive, and inventories are tightening as metal gets pulled to the U.S. Tariffs may bring demand concerns in the future, but for now physical markets continue to tighten.”
Source – Seeking Alpha
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
