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Gold surpasses $3,900/oz in first ever bids for safe-haven bids
Gold surged above $3,900 an ounce for the first time Monday. This was driven by demand from safe-haven investors following the fall of the yen and growing expectations that the Federal Reserve will continue to cut rates. By 0208 GMT, spot gold had risen 1.1% to $3,929.91 an ounce. U.S. Gold Futures for December Delivery climbed 1.2%, to $3.954.70. Tim Waterer, Chief Market Analyst at KCM Trade, said that the yen's weakness following the Japanese LDP election has made gold a more attractive safe-haven for investors. The U.S. shutdown continues to cast a shadow over the U.S. economic outlook and its potential impact on GDP. Waterer says that gold is the best asset to invest in under these conditions, especially with the Fed forecasting further rate cuts this month. After fiscal dove Sanae Takaichi won the election to lead the ruling coalition and become the new prime minister, the yen plunged the most against the dollar in five months. A senior White House official stated on Sunday that the Trump administration would begin mass layoffs if U.S. president Donald Trump determines that negotiations with Congress Democrats to end a government partial shutdown "absolutely are going nowhere". Fed Governor Stephen Miran again urged for a rate-cutting trajectory aggressive on Friday. He cited the impact of Trump's economic policy. The gold price has increased by 49% this year, after rising 27% in 2024. This is due to strong central bank purchases, an increase in demand for exchange-traded fund (ETF) backed with gold, a lower dollar, and growing interest among retail investors looking for a hedge against increasing trade and geopolitical tensions. Last month, the rally received a new boost after the Fed lowered rates by a quarter-point and said it would continue to lower borrowing costs throughout the remainder of the year. Investors are pricing in an additional 25 basis-point cut in October and December with probabilities of 95% each. Gold that does not yield is a good investment in low interest rate environments and economic uncertainty. Spot gold first broke through the $3,000 per ounce level in March, and then $3,700 by mid-September. Many brokerages are bullish about the rally. Silver spot rose by 1.2% at $48.53 an ounce. Platinum gained 1.2% at $1,623.88. Palladium gained 1.2% at $1,275.65.
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Morning bid Europe-Politics dominate the markets from Japan stocks to Bitcoin
Kevin Buckland gives us a look at what the future holds for European and global markets. The global markets were firmly in control of politics on Monday. This was not least because the right-wing fiscal dove Sanae Takayi won a weekend surprise victory that will make her Japan's first woman prime minister. In the first few minutes of trading, Nikkei broke through several psychologically significant levels and reached a new all-time record not far off 48,000. The long-dated bond rates, on the other hand, rose to just below record highs due to concerns about the country's finances. The yen fell to a record low against the euro and short-dated yields dropped sharply on the speculation that Takaichi would pressure the Bank of Japan into delaying further rate increases. Gold extended its record rally, reaching just $75 shy of $4,000 an ounce. Bitcoin soared to $125,000 on Sunday for the first. The U.S. Government Shutdown is the ostensible cause. It is proving to be a long-term affair. Another vote failed on Friday in the Senate, and Republican President Donald Trump has threatened to cut more funding to Democratic States and to fire more federal employees. Takaichi’s rise could be the reason for record gains in alternative assets. Faith in fiat currencies, already battered from the White House’s active pursuit of a lower dollar, has taken another hit. JPMorgan refers to it as the "debasement trading". Futures are currently flat, making it difficult to predict what the future holds for European stocks. They have already reached record highs. Most major Asian markets were closed or had a thinner crowd than usual today. Mainland China is closed, as are Taiwan and South Korea, and Hong Kong's trading takes place between the weekend, and a Tuesday holiday. The Australian markets are open today but the majority of states and territories, including New South Wales, have a holiday. The only data available for Europe is the regional construction PMIs. The central bankers are not lacking, with ECB president Christine Lagarde as well as Bank of England chief Andrew Bailey both speaking at different venues. The Kansas City Fed's Jeffrey Schmid will also be speaking. Market developments on Monday that may have a significant impact European construction PMIs for September -Euro-area retail sales (Aug) -ECB president Lagarde speaks at Strasbourg, ECB vice-president de Guindos, and Bank of Spain governor Escriva, speak in Madrid. ECB chief economic economist Lane, speaks at Frankfurt Governor Bailey of the BoE speaks at Edinburgh Kansas City Fed President Schmid to speak in Kansas City U.S. Government Shutdown
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Shell Exec Says Trump Halting Wind Projects is Harmful
The decision by President Donald Trump administration to halt fully permitted offshore wind energy projects is "very damaging" to investment, President of Shell U.S. Colette Hirstius told the Financial Times in a report published on Sunday.The executive told the newspaper that energy projects with proper permits should be allowed to continue and warned the political pendulum in the U.S. could eventually swing back against the oil and gas sector."I think uncertainty in the regulatory environment is very damaging. However far the pendulum swings one way, it’s likely that it’s going to swing just as far the other way," she told the newspaper."I certainly would like to see those projects that have been permitted in the past continue to be developed," she said.Shell did not immediately respond to a Reuters' request for comment.In August, the Trump administration said it was cancelling $679 million in federal funding for 12 offshore wind projects, in a blow to an industry that was central to former President Joe Biden's climate and energy agendas.London-listed Shell employs more than 11,000 people in the U.S. and is the largest producer of oil and gas in the Gulf of Mexico.(Reuters - Reporting by Angela Christy in Bengaluru; Editing by Tomasz Janowski)
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Gold surpasses $3,900/oz in first ever bids for safe-haven bids
Gold prices soared above $3,900 an ounce for the first-time on Monday. This was due to safe-haven demand after a drop in the yen, a U.S. shutdown and growing expectations about further Federal Reserve rate reductions. Gold spot was up 0.9% to $3,922.28 an ounce at 0208 GMT after reaching a session high of $3.924.39 earlier. U.S. Gold Futures for December Delivery gained 1%, to $3947.30. Tim Waterer, Chief Market Analyst at KCM Trade, said that the yen's weakness following the Japanese LDP election has made gold a more attractive safe-haven for investors. The enduring U.S. shutdown has left a cloud over the U.S. economic outlook and its potential impact on GDP. Waterer says that gold is the best asset to invest in under these conditions, especially with the Fed expected this month to further cut rates. After fiscal dove Sanae Takaichi won the election to lead the ruling coalition and become the new prime minister, the yen plunged the most against the dollar in five months. A senior White House official stated on Sunday that the Trump administration would begin mass layoffs if U.S. president Donald Trump determines that negotiations with Congress Democrats to end the partial government shutdown "absolutely are going nowhere". Fed Governor Stephen Miran again pressed for a rate-cutting trajectory aggressive on Friday. He cited the impact of Trump's economic policy. The gold price has increased by 49% this year, after rising 27% in 2024. This is due to strong central bank purchases, an increase in demand for exchange-traded fund (ETF) backed with gold, a lower dollar, and increasing interest from retail investors looking to hedge against trade and geopolitical tensions. Last month, the rally received a new boost after the Fed reduced rates by a quarter-point and announced that it would continue to lower borrowing costs throughout the remainder of the year. Investors are estimating that there will be additional 25 basis-point cuts both in October and December. The probabilities for these cuts are 95% and 83% respectively. Gold that does not yield is a good investment in low-interest rate environments and economic uncertainty. Spot gold first broke through the $3,000 per ounce level in March, and then $3700 by mid-September. Many brokerages are bullish about the rally. The price of palladium rose 0.8%, while the price of platinum increased 1.1%, to $1621.90. (Reporting and editing by Sumana Nandy, Subhranshu Saghu and Brijesh Mukherjee from Bengaluru).
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VHM, Australia's rare earths company, receives US interest up to 200 million dollars for its project
VHM Australia said Monday that it had received a letter from the U.S. Export-Import Bank for funding of up to $200,000,000 to support its Goschen rare-earths and mineral sands development project. Shares of the rare-earths miner had risen 6.1% earlier in the day to A$0.26, the highest level since September 25. EXIM's letter of interest, the official export credit agency for the U.S., proposes a maximum 12-year repayment period, as Western economies seek to diversify their rare earths supply chains away from the top producer China. U.S. officials have discussed taking an interest in Critical Metals Corp. This would give Washington a vested interest in the Greenland's largest rare earths projects, according to a report on Saturday. The source was people familiar with the issue. VHM reported that EXIM had identified the Goschen Project as a candidate for its Supply Chain Resiliency Initiative. The SCRI aims to support project which strengthens secure and diverse supply chains in U.S. industry. Andrew King, CEO of VHM, said that the company is "well positioned" to progress the Goschen project and to become a global solution to current critical issues in the minerals supply chain. The Goschen Project in Victoria, Australia, is classified as Tier 1 integrated rare-earth and mineral sands projects. (Reporting and editing by Sumana Aich and Rashmi Nandy in Bengaluru)
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Oil prices rise 1% following lower-than expected OPEC+ production increase
Early Monday, oil prices were up about 1% after OPEC+ reported a modester monthly production increase than expected. This helped to calm some fears about the addition of supply. Brent crude futures were up 63 cents or 1% to $65.16 per barrel at 2310 GMT. U.S. West Texas intermediate crude was $61.46 a barrel, an increase of 58 cents or 1%. The price increase is primarily due to OPEC+’s decision to raise production less than expected next month, as the group aimed at cushioning the recent slump on oil markets," said Tina Teng, an independent analyst. She added, "However the crude prices are likely to remain low due to a gloomy economic outlook around the world." The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, Russia, and some smaller producers announced on Sunday that they would increase production by 137,000 barrels a day (bpd) from November, the same modest increase monthly as in October. This is despite persistent concerns about a looming glut of supply. Sources said that Russia wanted to increase output by 137,000 bpd in order to avoid price pressure, but Saudi Arabia preferred to double, triple, or even quadruple this figure to gain market share faster. ANZ analysts wrote in a Monday note that "OPEC+’s decision to raise production by another 137,000 bpd could be manageable given the rising disruptions in supply due to the tightening of sanctions by Europe and America against Russia." Analysts added that "Ukraine continued to intensify their attacks on Russian energy installations, targeting the Kirishi Refinery, one the largest Russian refineries with a processing capacity of over 20 million tonnes per year." Last week, the Group of Seven nations finance ministers announced that they would increase pressure on Russia to stop Moscow from generating revenue due to its invasion of Ukraine. They said this by targeting those countries who continue to purchase Russian oil or facilitate circumvention of sanctions. (Reporting and editing by Richard Chang, Jamie Freed, and Emily Chow)
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Sabesp, a Brazilian company, announces the acquisition of EMAE by Sabesp for $212 Million
Sabesp, a Brazilian water utility, announced on Sunday that it had agreed to purchase a 70.1% share in Empresa Metropolitana de Agua e Energia EMAE across multiple classes of shares for 1.13 billion reais (212 million dollars). EMAE is a Brazilian company that owns and operates a hydro-electric power generation system. This system is located in Sao Paulo, the Baixada Santista coast area, and the MedioTiete region. The acquisition of Sabesp, which combines water security and energy generation, strengthens synergies between the company's businesses, and creates a more robust platform to tackle climate challenges and the rising demand for services essential, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Two separate agreements will be used to acquire a controlling stake. The first agreement, with Vortx representing the bondholders of Phoenix Agua e Energia S.A. involves the purchase by EMAE of 74.9% its common shares. Sabesp will acquire 66.8% EMAE preferred shares, held by the power company Eletrobras, in a second transaction that is conditional upon the first. Sabesp stated in its filing that the transactions were separately negotiated and subject to regulatory and antitrust approval. ($1 = 5.3348 reais) (Reporting by Lisandra Paraguassu; writing by Marcela Ayres; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
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Heavy rains in Nepal kill 47 people and block roads
Officials said that heavy rains in Nepal have caused landslides, flash floods, and washed away bridges, killing 47 people. Kalidas Dhauboji is a spokesperson of the Armed Police Force. He said that 35 people died in landslides separate in the Ilam District in the eastern bordering India. He added that nine people are missing, having been washed out by floods. Three others have died in lightning strikes in other parts of Nepal. Shanti Mahat is a spokesperson for Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority. She said that rescue efforts are ongoing to find missing people. Local media reported that landslides caused by heavy rains in Darjeeling, a hill region in eastern India, killed at least seven people. "Seven bodies have been recovered already from the debris." Two more people are known to us. We are working to recover the bodies of these two people as well," Abhishek, a Darjeeling District Police official, said in a Sunday post on social media platform X by Indian news agency ANI. Authorities reported that several highways were blocked by landslides or washed out by floods. This left hundreds of passengers stranded. Rinji Sherpa is a spokesperson at Kathmandu Airport, Nepal's largest international gateway. "Domestic flight are mostly disrupted, but international flights operate normally," he said. A district official reported that the Koshi River in southeastern Nepal was flowing at a level above danger. The river, which is responsible for deadly floods almost every year in eastern Indian state Bihar, flows over the danger threshold. Dharmendra Kumar Mihsra, district Governor of Sunsari District, said that all 56 sluice gate of the Koshi Barrage were opened to drain water, compared to about 10-12 during a normal condition. He added that the authorities had prohibited vehicular traffic on this bridge. Kathmandu's hilly terrain has seen several rivers flood roads and many homes, separating the temple-studded city from the rest the country. Every year, hundreds of people are killed in Nepal's mostly mountainous areas by landslides or flash floods. These events occur during the monsoon period which starts around mid-June. Officials said that rains would likely continue to fall on the Himalayan nation through Monday. Authorities said they are taking "all precautions and care" to assist those affected by the tragedy. (Reporting from Gopal Sharma, Kathmandu. Additional reporting by Jayshree Upadhyay, Mumbai. Editing by Lincoln Feast & Jamie Freed).
Markets are jolted by politics as Japan stock prices soar 4% and bitcoin reaches a record high.
Sanae Takaichi, the fiscal and monetary dove who was recently elected leader of the ruling Party, has now become Japan's first woman prime minister.
Gold reached a new record high above $3,900 on Sunday. The leading cryptocurrency, bitcoin, also rose to a lifetime-high. Investors are increasingly looking to alternative assets to store value, as the U.S. shutdown has frayed their nerves.
In the first 15 trading minutes, Japan's Nikkei rose as high as 4.3%, to an all-time high of 47,734.04, after Takaichi defeated the more moderate Shinjiro in the Liberal Democratic Party leadership vote, on Saturday. This stoked expectations for fiscal stimulus.
The yen fell 1.6%, to just above 150 dollars per yen. Short-term Japanese government bond yields also dropped to a new two-week low. Traders reduced their bets about when the Bank of Japan would resume raising interest rates.
The implied odds that the BOJ will raise interest rates by the end of this year have fallen to 41%, down from 68% last Friday.
Takaichi criticised the BOJ for raising rates a year ago as "stupid". Her recent remarks have been more restrained. She has only said that central bank policies should align with government.
In a recent research report, Morgan Stanley MUFG Securities economists stated that "we believe that concerns among investors that the new administration may pursue extreme fiscal expansion" or exert political pressure against the BOJ have been overblown." They noted that Takaichi’s stance appears "closely aligned" to BOJ Governor KazuoUeda’s "cautious" approach to policy normalization.
The majority of other major stock markets in the region, such as mainland China, South Korea, and Taiwan, were closed on holidays.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 0.3% ahead of Tuesday's holiday. Australia's benchmark index fell 0.1% despite the fact that trading was thinned out by holidays across several states, including New South Wales.
U.S. S&P futures were 0.2% higher after the cash index reached a new record high on Saturday.
The U.S. Dollar gained ground against European currencies. It used its momentum against yen as a way to recover from last week's 0.5% drop against a basket major counterparts.
The euro fell 0.25% at $1.1714 and the pound sterling dropped 0.23% at $1.34385.
The last time gold changed hands was around $3904 after the price had risen as much as 0.9% to a record-breaking $3,919.59.
Bitcoin was trading at around $123,590 after its recent jump from $125,653.32 to Sunday.
Geoffrey Kendrick is the head of Standard Chartered Bank's digital assets research.
This year, bitcoin traded with "U.S. "This year, bitcoin has traded with 'U.S.
Kendrick said, "I think bitcoin will continue to rise during the shutdown" and that it will reach $135,000 soon.
The oil prices increased after OPEC+ announced that it would increase its production by 137,000 barrels a day (bpd), the same modest increase from October. This announcement came amid persistent fears of a looming glut in supply.
Sources said that Russia wanted to increase output by 137,000 bpd in order to avoid price pressure, but Saudi Arabia preferred to double, triple, or even quadruple this figure to gain market share faster.
Brent crude futures increased 1.3% to $65.39 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas intermediate crude rose by 1.4% to $61.71.
(source: Reuters)