Although the high gold-silver ratio might suggest that silver has been a laggard, that is far from the case. Silver has rallied 43% in the past year, and gold has been just a bit better with a 44% gain. This year, using popular exchange traded funds as a gauge, iShares Silver Trust (SLV) is up 10% and SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) is up 11%.
Source – Barron’s
The Mali situation will rumble on for some time: the company has already paid the country $160mn, agreed while Holohan was still detained, but will only have its longer-term future confirmed once signed on to the 2023 mining code. Berenberg analysts have slashed their cash profit forecasts for 2025 and 2026 by 34 and 39 per cent, respectively, taking them to $261mn and $219mn.
Source – Investors Chronicle
“With the price now reaching our long-held target of $3,000/oz, the main question is whether the rally will continue. We think so, as long as policy risks and an intensifying trade conflict continue to spur safe-haven demand,” UBS said.
Source – Seeking Alpha
UBS Group AG – formerly Union Bank of Switzerland, is a multinational investment bank and financial services company based in Switzerland.
“Gold extended gains on Friday, with spot gold in the domestic market hitting fresh all-time highs,” Saumil Gandhi, Senior Analyst of Commodities at HDFC Securities, said.
“Prices in MCX are near record high as Trump trade policies and tariff plans created an uncertain environment in the market, which may boost safe-haven demand,” Deveya Gaglani, Research Analyst-Commodities, Axis Securities, said.
Comex silver futures also increased 1.53 per cent to USD 31.32 per ounce in the Asian market hours.
Source – Press Trust of India
With prices for most of its popular products ranging from 10,000 to 50,000 yuan, Laopu now competes more directly with Western luxury brands such as Tiffany and Cartier.
As rising gold prices in 2024 pushed investors toward bullion and coins and gold jewellery sales in China fell 24.69% to 532.02 tonnes, Laopu twice raised prices on its designer jewellery and trinkets. It again upped prices by 5-12% last month.
But analysts say Laopu is a contender to fully break through the luxury glass ceiling.
“It’s not an imminent threat to global luxury groups because to build a luxury brand takes a long time. You need a story, you need a history, you need the craftsmanship, but it’s possible,” said Jonathan Yan, a principal at consultancy Roland Berger in Shanghai.
Source – Reuters
Spot gold was up 0.2% at $3,374.54 an ounce, as of 0505 GMT. U.S. gold futures eased 0.5% to $3,391.90.
“Gold has made a modest bounce as we await the next steps in the Israel-Iran conflict. If the U.S. does decide to get directly involved in the conflict this could raise the geopolitical stakes,” KCM Trade Chief Market Analyst Tim Waterer said.
“The Fed was not as dovish as some had hoped, and I’d argue Powell was a tad more hawkish than many would like. The U.S. dollar is likely at oversold levels, and that is likely to cap gains on gold over the next few weeks,” said Matt Simpson, a senior analyst at City Index.
Source – Reuters
The London Metal Exchange three-month price has risen every day in January and is now up 4.0% from the start of the month, making copper the early outperformer of the LME base metals pack.
Dwindling stocks and China’s rising import appetite have rekindled optimism that the country is finally turning an economic corner.
Fund managers are unconvinced, with investors’ long positions only marginally ahead of bearish bets on both the CME and LME copper contracts.
The Yangshan copper premium , a closely-watched gauge of China’s import demand, is currently at a one-year high of $75 per ton, indicating China is still hungry for metal.
Source – Reuters
