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Zambian state investment firm creates gold mining joint venture
Zambia's ZCCM IH, the state investment company, announced a joint venture on Monday with Mining Mineral Resources in order to explore and mine gold. The copper-producing African country is looking to diversify its mine sector. ZCCM Investments Holdings announced in a statement that Kyalo Goldfields Limited was formed on May 6, to explore, develop, and mine gold in the Kikonge Mining Area of?Zambia’s North Western Province. KGL said it would support the formalisation?of artisanal and small-scale mining in the region to ensure safe and regulated gold production. It will also enhance processing capabilities to increase value retention within Zambia. ZCCM will own 51% of KGL. Mining Mineral Resources which processes and mines tin tantalum tungsten and other minerals in the Democratic Republic of Congo will hold the remaining? "Kikonge represents a tangible step forward in our mission to formallyise and develop Zambia's gold sector," ZCCM IH CEO Kakenenwa Muyangwa stated. ZCCM said that KGL operations would initially be funded by shareholder contributions. Additional structures will be considered as the project progresses. The company said that "once this process is completed, it will be clear on the amount of investment." (Reporting and editing by Alexander Smith; Olivia Kumwenda Mtambo)
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Source: US Treasury will extend sanctions waiver on Russian oil shipped by sea
A source familiar with this decision confirmed on Monday that the U.S. Treasury would extend its waiver of sanctions on Russian'seaborne oil', which expired 'on Saturday. Several countries had asked for a longer period to purchase it. Source: The waiver, which will last for another 30 days, was requested by several poor countries that were cut off from Gulf Oil supplies due to the Iran War and the closing of the "Strait of Hormuz". Source declined to identify the countries that requested the extension. This is the second time that the Treasury has let the sanctions waiver lapse, and then subsequently extended it. The waiver was issued first in March to alleviate oil shortages and reduce price spikes caused by U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran. The move has not reduced oil prices much, but it has helped India. India was one of the biggest buyers of Russian crude oil before the U.S. imposed severe sanctions on Russian oil companies to pressure Moscow for its war in Ukraine. The benchmark Brent oil futures price?rose 1.5% on Monday to $111 per barrel. This was due to the continued supply concerns that outweighed the Russian waiver and the report by an Iranian news agency?that the U.S. is considering lifting temporary sanctions against Iranian oil in?negotiations about peace talks?. Scott Bessent of the U.S. Treasury Department, who is attending a meeting of finance leaders of the Group of Seven in Paris, said that he wants G7 and allies to enforce Iran sanctions more strongly. Bessent said to reporters: "We urge all G7 members, as well as allies and the rest of the world, to adopt the sanctions regime so that we may 'crackdown on illicit financing that fuels the Iranian war machines and return this money to the Iranian people." (Reporting and writing by David Lawder, Makini Brice, Editing by Aidan Lewis).
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Chile's economy suffers its sharpest contraction since the end of 2022 due to mining decline
Official data shows that Chile's economy suffered its biggest annual decline in over three years during the first quarter. The main mining sector was hit hard by lower copper grades, adverse weather and other factors. The central bank released data on Monday showing that the gross domestic product fell 0.5% year-on-year in the period, compared to the 0.1% expected. This was a slowdown from the 1.6% increase seen in the final quarter of 2025. Inflation spiked in March and April. This posed a challenge for policymakers who were trying to balance the sluggish economy with inflation caused by the war in Iran. Kimberley Sperrfechter, Capital Economics analyst, said that "the weak GDP reading might temper some of more hawkish voices?on the central banks. But?we believe policymakers will continue to focus on inflation." The economy of the world's largest copper miner contracted by 2% in the fourth quarter, the most since the end of 2022. Chile's central banks said that the annual contraction was mainly due to a decline of 5.4% in agriculture and forestry and a drop of 3.1% in the mining sector. The bank stated that the decline in mining activity was due to copper mining, but the growth of the mining sector was due to lithium, gold and silver mining. The report said that lower grade copper, bad weather conditions, and maintenance reduced production. The Andean country's economy contracted 0.3% during the first quarter compared to the previous three month period. This is a decline from a 0.5% growth?the previous quarter, and only slightly above the 0.2% contraction predicted in a poll. poll. The world's biggest copper miner also saw its economic activity decline by 1.3% in the quarter. Reporting by Aida Peaez-Fernandez, Natalia Ramos and Alexander Smith; Editing by Alistair Bell and Gabriel Araujo
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London court blocks oil contracts with South Sudan until debt repayment is made
London's High Court ruled Friday that South Sudan cannot enter into new?oil?prepayment contracts until it clears outstanding debts with commodity??trading???house BB Energy. A second hearing will be held on June 5th. BB Energy began a legal challenge last year through the London courts against South Sudan for allegedly failing to deliver oil purchased under prepayment agreements in 2024 or 2025. The court document read by states that a second hearing will be held on June 5 to discuss?the decision, since the first hearing was conducted?without the presence of defence lawyers. The penal notice states that South Sudan must not accept any new prepayments from third parties until this date or earlier if it clears its debts. The court also added that anyone who violates the order and allows the defendants, knowing about the order, could be found in contempt of the court. They could face imprisonment, a fine or assets being seized. The case against South Sudan shows the risks commodity traders are taking when they enter into prefinance contracts to secure oil offtake. Santino Ayuel Longar, the South Sudanese Ministry of Petroleum Undersecretary and Ateny Wek Ateny, the government spokesperson did not respond immediately to our request for comment. BB ENERGY LET ONE COURT INSTANTION EXPIRE LAST NOVEMBER BB Energy let a court order expire for a South Sudanese 'oil cargo, after reaching an amicable agreement with the Ministry of Petroleum to settle its claims. BB Energy said that it loaded a cargo?in february this year, as part of a prepayment contract for?2025. However, it stated it hasn't received any oil since. This Court Order is a positive step that will help the Republic of South Sudan honour its obligations to BB Energy. It should also prevent further prepayment arrangements between third parties and BB Energy.
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Valterra Platinum reports healthy input inventories despite Middle East conflict
The CEO of Valterra Platinum in South Africa said that despite the uncertainty caused by the U.S./Israeli war against 'Iran', they were able to maintain healthy stock levels for critical operational inputs such as diesel, lubricants and other 'critical' items. It is essential that mines have a stable supply of lubricants, explosives and diesel. These disruptions, especially during geopolitical tensions which can disrupt global fuel supplies, can lead to operational delays and higher costs. Craig Miller said on the sidelines London Platinum Week that he had engaged with his local suppliers extensively to ensure they were supplying enough diesel, lubricants and explosives. I'm happy to say that we have been able to keep a healthy inventory of these critical materials." Valterra has also identified alternative suppliers to mitigate any potential supply risks. He added, "We don't need to call on these additional suppliers yet." South Africa's platinum-group metals producers could also be affected by disruptions in the jet fuel markets due to their heavy reliance on foreign fuels. Since the beginning of the Iran war, platinum traders have been focused on the?levels of jet fuel stock and the overall supply to?South Africa. Miller stated that Valterra doesn't purchase?jet fuel but said the company is discussing with its customers how they can prepare for possible?disruptions in supply. Valterra completed a spinoff from its parent company Anglo American in May of last year.
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Prince William will sell a portion of his royal estate and reinvest the proceeds in local communities
Prince William of Britain will sell parts of his vast Duchy of Cornwall Estate?over a decade to fund plans to invest more than 500 million pounds ($670 millions) in local communities, including affordable housing. The Times newspaper reported that the sales amounted to 20% of an estate owned by one of Britain's largest landowners. This portfolio includes large tracts of land, as well as residential and commercial properties. Will Bax said, "The Duchy exists to make a positive difference, especially in communities where we are able to'make the most difference. "This ambition requires a?significant amount of investment, and in some cases means rebalancing our assets to?have the greatest impact on our communities now and in future." Bax stated that the money will be "largely funded through reinvesting of capital across the Duchy along with development income, partnerships, and some borrowing." William, who last year received a private income of more than 20 millions pounds from the duchy, and his father, King Charles, have both?in the past faced criticism for the way they?managed their estates. Aides claim that William has closely examined the management of the Duchy after inheriting it in 2022. A Sunday Times report and a separate TV documentary in 2024 accused Charles and William of making millions from the country's army, schools, and health service by charging their estates. The Duchy then reduced rents for several charity and community tenants. $1 = 0.7472 pound (reporting by William James, editing by Michael Holden).
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Protests erupt over Kenya fuel price hikes, strike strands commuters
On Monday, protests against fuel price increases sparked by the Iran War erupted across several Kenyan cities. This included a nationwide strike on public transport that left commuters stranded and forced some people to walk into work. Transport Sector Alliance announced on Sunday that its member associations' vehicles would cease?operation at midnight to protest the latest price hike, and police would take action against any disruptions. Kenya's Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority raised retail fuel costs by up to 23.5% last week, after increasing them by 24.2% a month ago. The conflict in the Middle East is squeezing global oil and natural gas supplies. Striking transport operators and scattered protesters blocked roads leading into Nairobi on?Monday's morning. Some protesters set fire to tyres in order to block access to major roads. This caused congestion, and left many commuters stranded. The strike in Mombasa, Kenya’s largest port city, has raised concerns about supply chain delays. John Mbadi, Finance Minister of the Republic of Congo, told Citizen TV that the energy and finance ministries would meet with public transport operators later on Monday in order to find a solution. He noted that current prices are already subsidised. Kenya imports nearly all its fuel products from the ?Middle East via government-to-government deals with Gulf suppliers. Fuel price increases have pushed up basic goods and risen transport costs, adding to the pressure of households already struggling under the burden of high living costs. Gabriel Odhiambo (24), a 24 year old public relations worker, said that his transport costs have doubled. He also claimed that food prices are on the rise. Four tomatoes cost 60 shillings, or 50 cents. This is a triple increase. Kenya increased the price of super petrol at the Nairobi pump to 214.25 Kenyan Shillings ($1.66) per litre for the period May 15-June 14. Kerosene remained unchanged at 152.78 Kenyan Shillings. $1 = 129.2000 Kenyan Shillings
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Kremlin: Gas pipeline proposal is on agenda for Putin-Xi Summit
On a visit to 'China' this week, Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to discuss all aspects of bilateral ties with Chinese President Xi Jinping, including the proposed Power of Siberia 2 pipeline. Yuri Ushakov told reporters that Putin would arrive in China Tuesday evening, and will meet Xi on Wednesday morning. The Russian delegation includes senior officials, as well as the heads of major companies such as Rosneft, Novatek, and Gazprom. The Power of Siberia 2 project, which has been long discussed, could deliver 50 billion cubic meters (bcms) more of gas annually from Russia's Arctic Gas Fields via Mongolia to China. Ushakov stated that the close relationship between?Moscow' and Beijing was becoming more important in light of global crises. He said that Russia increased oil supplies to China by over a third in the first quarter this year. Ushakov, the Kremlin chief, said that the timing of both visits was just a coincidence. (Reporting and writing by Vladimir Soldatkin, Editing by Mark Trevelyan).
Oil prices rise as tech shares ease the indexes
The major stock indexes largely eased on Monday as technology shares fell, and oil prices rose following further concerns over disruptions in supply from the Iran War.
In overnight trading, longer-dated U.S. Treasury yields fell after reaching their highest level in more than a year.
Investors are worried that the war in Iran, which began late in February, could bring about a long-lasting inflationary shock.
Iran sent the United States a new proposal for peace that had terms that were similar to those Washington previously rejected. However, a senior Iranian official said on Monday that Washington's positions have softened on certain issues.
A Pakistani source confirmed to us that Islamabad shared the latest proposal between Washington and Islamabad. The source did not deny that progress was difficult.
U.S. crude oil was last up by 1.32%, at $106.81 per barrel.
Investors are focusing on recent gains in the tech sector and are preparing for Nvidia's results this week.
S&P 500 sector declines were led by the tech sector with a drop of 1.4%.
Oliver Pursche is a senior vice president and advisor at Wealthspire Advisors, based in Westport, Connecticut. He said that Donald Trump's trip to China left a lot of open questions regarding the future of Taiwan, as well as whether the United States will be there to defend it.
He said that investors were also taking profits.
Trump's earliest visit to Beijing in 2017 ended Friday without any major breakthroughs for trade, or concrete help from Beijing on ending the U.S. and Israeli war against Iran.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 4.47 points or 0.01% to 49,521.70. The S&P 500 declined 21.33 points or 0.29% to 7,387.17. And the Nasdaq Composite lost 171.47 points or 0.65% to 26,053.68.
The MSCI index of global stocks fell by 2.72 points or 0.25 percent to 1,096.28. The pan-European STOXX 600 rose by 0.54%.
The rising yields increase borrowing costs and mean that future earnings of a company are discounted more, putting pressure on stock values.
The yield on the benchmark 10-year U.S. notes dropped to 4.594% from 4.631% overnight.
Japan's 10-year bond yield had reached a level not seen since 1996, as the government planned to issue new debt to fund an extra budget in order to cushion the blow to the economy caused by the Iran War. Germany's 10-year bond yield has risen to a level that was not seen for 15 years.
AI, RETAIL EARNS TO TEST STOCKS RECENT RALLY
Earnings from Nvidia, the world's largest company, are due on Wednesday. Expectations for this company are sky-high.
Nvidia's shares have risen sharply from a low in March, and the Philadelphia SE Semiconductor Index has also soared as demand for chips increases due to massive spending by tech companies on AI infrastructure.
This week, Walmart and a number of other retailers will release their results, providing a glimpse into the consumer's reaction to high energy prices. The dollar fell against the majority of major currencies, as U.S. Treasury rates were down from recent highs.
The dollar index fell by 0.35%, to 99.02. It measures the greenback in relation to a basket of currencies, including the yen, the euro and others.
(source: Reuters)