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Gold gains are reduced as peace talks with Ukraine progress. US jobs data is the focus.
Spot gold retreated from its earlier gains after progress was made in the crucial?talks' between U.S. officials, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy?aimed at ending?the war. Traders awaited important U.S. employment data. By 01:55 pm, spot gold had risen 0.2% to $4,309.82 per ounce. ET (18:55 GMT), following a rise of more than 1% in the earlier session. U.S. Gold Futures closed 0.2% higher, at $4335.2 per ounce. Jim Wyckoff, senior analyst at Kitco Metals, says that the progress in Russia-Ukraine talks appears to be dampening demand for safe-haven gold. He also added that the gold market is under pressure due to profit-taking, and liquidation of futures contracts by traders who purchased them earlier. Steve Witkoff, the U.S. Special Envoy to Ukraine, said that "a lot of progress has been made in Ukraine discussions," while an?U.S. Officials from both sides said that they have made progress in reducing the differences between Russia, Ukraine and other countries. The Federal Reserve will release its non-farm payrolls and retail data on Tuesday. This information could provide traders with more clues about the direction of the Fed's policy. According to CME FedWatch Tool, the markets are pricing in 78% of a rate reduction in January 2026. Gold is traditionally seen as a safe haven asset. It tends to do well in times of geopolitical or economic uncertainty. Silver spot rose 2.6%, to $63.61, from a record high of $64.65 reached on Friday. It is still within striking distance of the $65/oz mark. Silver is the most popular precious metal. Bob Haberkorn, senior market strategist at RJO Futures, said that by the end of next year we could be trading above $65 and as early as quarter one of the following year I could see up to $70. While spot platinum rose 2.5%, to $1.788.55, its highest level since Sept. 2011, palladium also reached a new two-month high with a nearly?5% increase to $1.560.25 an ounce. Nornickel of Russia, the largest palladium producer in the world, stated that the market for palladium could be deficient by 0.2 million ounces, including investment demand.
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Sources: U.S. Treasury rejects Xtellus' bid for Lukoil Assets
Four people familiar with the matter said that the U.S. Treasury rejected an 'offer' from a group headed by U.S. Bank Xtellus Partners to buy foreign assets of Russian Oil Company Lukoil. Xtellus was in a race with Exxon Mobil, Chevron and Abu Dhabi Group International Holding Company. MOL from Hungary and the U.S. Private Equity firm Carlyle are also still involved. The U.S. Treasury declined comment. Lukoil was willing to sell its assets in October after the U.S. sanctioned it and Kremlin controlled rival Rosneft to encourage Russia to reach a peace deal with Ukraine. Over a dozen companies bid on the assets of Lukoil, valued at approximately $22 billion. The assets include upstream gas and oil projects, refinery and more than 2,00 filling stations in Europe, Central Asia and the Middle East. Sources said that Xtellus offered to arrange a swap between Lukoil securities owned by U.S. 'investors, in a cashless transaction? to return them to Lukoil for the Russian firm's global assets. Sources said that Lukoil preferred the Xtellus offer, but that it was difficult to implement. Xtellus advises bid partners Todd Boehly, an American billionaire, and Allied Investment Partners, a group of Emirati investors. According to one source, Lukoil has already signed a purchase agreement with the Xtellus led group. Source: The Treasury informed the group it didn't have permission for them to use sanctioned security in a transaction. This was the reason their proposal was turned down. The plan now is to take?their proposal to a senior decision maker and try to reverse the rejection. They said the group would also apply for a licence to access these securities. U.S. investment fund owners have large Lukoil?shares which were written off and frozen after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, costing them billions of dollars. The plan was to sell the assets and then pay investors, or to return the shares to Lukoil as an exchange for the assets. The U.S. last week extended the deadline to negotiate with Lukoil until January 17. Reporting by Jarrett Renshaw and David Gauthier Villars, Writing by Dmitry Zhdannikov, Editing by Tomasz and David Goodman
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Sources: U.S. Treasury rejects Xtellus' bid for Lukoil Assets
Three people familiar with the matter said that the U.S. Treasury 'has rejected the offer of a group led U.S. -based Xtellus Partners to purchase the foreign assets owned by Russian oil.company Lukoil. Xtellus was competing with U.S. oil giants Exxon Mobil, Chevron and Abu Dhabi Group International Holding Company. Hungary's MOL, and U.S. Private Equity firm Carlyle are also still in the race. The U.S. Treasury declined comment. Lukoil was willing to sell its assets after the U.S. sanctioned it in October, along with the Kremlin controlled rival Rosneft to try to?push Russia towards a peaceful deal with Ukraine. Over a dozen companies bid on the assets of?Lukoil, valued at approximately $22 billion. Assets include upstream oil and gas projects, refining, and more than 2,00 filling stations in Europe, Central Asia and the Middle East. Sources said that Xtellus offered to arrange a swap between Lukoil securities owned by U.S. shareholders and the Russian?company’s global assets in exchange for a cashless transaction. Sources said that Lukoil preferred the Xtellus offer, but execution was difficult. Xtellus advises bid partners Todd Boehly, an American billionaire, and Allied Investment Partners of Emirati investors. U.S. investment fund owners have large amounts of Lukoil stock that was frozen and written off?after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, resulting in a loss of?billions? of dollars. The plan was to sell the assets and then pay investors. The U.S. last week extended the deadline to negotiate with Lukoil until January 17. Reporting by Jarrett Renshaw and David Gauthier Villars, Writing by Dmitry Zhdannikov, Editing by Tomasz and David Goodman
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Gold gains are reduced as peace talks with Ukraine progress. US jobs data is also being watched.
Spot gold pared gains made earlier on Monday, despite progress in crucial talks between U.S. officials &?Ukrainian President Volodymyr?Zelenskiy to end the war. Traders awaited important U.S. employment data. Spot gold was steady at $4,295.20 per ounce as of 12:16 pm. ET (17:16 GMT), following a rise of more than 1% in the earlier session. U.S. Gold Futures dropped 0.1% to $4325.60 per ounce. Jim Wyckoff, senior analyst at Kitco Metals, says that the progress in Russia-Ukraine talks appears to be dampening demand for safe-haven gold. He also added that the gold market is under pressure due to profit-taking, and a week-long liquidation of some traders who have bought?futures in the past. Steve Witkoff, the U.S. Special Envoy to Ukraine, said that "a lot of progress has been made in Ukraine discussions," while an official from the U.S. told reporters that both sides are moving closer to reducing differences between Russia and Ukraine. The Federal Reserve will release its non-farm payrolls and retail data on Tuesday. This report should provide traders with more information on the Federal Reserve’s policy direction. According to CME FedWatch Tool, the markets are pricing in 78% of a rate reduction in January 2026. Gold is traditionally seen as a safe haven asset. It tends to do well in times of geopolitical or economic uncertainty. Silver spot rose 2.2%, to $63.39 after hitting a record high of $64.65 last Friday. It is still within striking distance of the historic $65/oz mark. Silver is the most popular precious metal. Bob Haberkorn, senior market strategist at RJO Futures, said that by year's end we will be trading above $65 and could even see $70 early in quarter one of?next years. The spot price of?platinum rose 2.6% to reach $1,789.80. This is the highest since September 2011. Palladium also reached a new high with a?5% increase to $1.569.68 an ounce. Nornickel of Russia, the largest palladium producer in the world, stated that the market for palladium could be deficient by 0.2 million ounces, including investment demand.
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Italy's Competition Authority drops investigation into Eni Plenitude
The Italian Competition Authority (AGCM), in its weekly bulletin, announced that it had closed the investigation into alleged unfair commercial practices involving Eni's Plenitude unit. Eni's retail and renewable business was investigated in the investigation launched in March. The authority stated that between May and September 2024, customers complained about their contracts for electricity and gas being renewed without any prior notice and with new terms and conditions. The Italian competition watchdog also enforces consumer rights. The AGCM bulletin stated that Eni would intensify its efforts to alert customers to changes in terms and conditions and compensate those who have suffered a loss. The regulator stated that approximately 90,000-110,000 Eni customers would be eligible for compensation at a cost of?2-6?million euro ($2.35-7.05million). The agency concluded that "the commitments proposed by Eni?Plenitude (...) will be suitable to remedy the potential illegality (of the commercial practice in March)". Reporting by Alvise Armell, Editing by Gavin Jones. $1 = 0.8511 euro
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Health ministry reports that Israeli forces killed a Palestinian teenager in West Bank.
According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, an Israeli soldier shot and killed a 16-year old Palestinian on Monday during a raid in Tuqu', marking the latest in a spate of violence in Israel-occupied West Bank. According to a report from the Palestinian state news agency WAFA, the boy was shot when?Israeli militay forces gathered late Monday in the town centre and started firing "indiscriminately". According to the report, the military fired a live bullet into the chest of the Ammar Yaser Sabah. The report said that he was taken to hospital, but sadly he did not survive. The Israeli military did not respond immediately to a comment request. Since the beginning of the Gaza war, in October 2023, violence has increased in the West Bank. Israeli settler attacks against Palestinians are on the rise, and the military is tightening restrictions on movement. According to the United Nations, more than a thousand Palestinians were killed in the West Bank from October 7, 2023 until November 14, 2025. In the West Bank, 59 Israelis were killed over the same time period. According to official Palestinian statistics, 53 Palestinian minors were killed by Israeli forces this year in the West Bank. The West Bank is home for 2.7 million Palestinians, who enjoy limited autonomy under Israeli military occupation. There are hundreds of thousands of Israelis who have settled in the West Bank. Many world powers consider Israel's settlements, on land it gained in a war of 1967, illegal. Numerous U.N. Security Council Resolutions have also called for Israel to cease all settlement activities. Israel denies that the settlements are illegal, citing historical and biblical connections with the land. Israeli forces have cleared refugee camps and forced thousands of Palestinians to leave their homes. They are also maintaining a presence in some West Bank cities that they've had for decades. Human Rights Watch accused Israel of war crimes in November, and crimes against mankind for what it called forced expulsions from the West Bank. Israel denies that it has committed such crimes. Reporting by Ali Sawafta, Pesha Magd and Aidan Lewis; writing by Pesha Magd. Editing by Aidan Lewis.
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Official: White House to continue 'historic' deals with mining sector
A senior official revealed on Monday that the Trump administration is planning to make more "historical deals" with U.S. mines in order to increase?production and supply of minerals critical for national defense, high-tech, and other sectors. The administration acquired equity stakes earlier this year in MP Materials Lithium Americas, and Trilogy Metals. These transactions were made as part of President Donald Trump’s efforts to increase domestic production and use of minerals for the national defense. Jarrod Agen is executive director of White House National Energy Dominance Council. He said that the U.S. should be able to control its own destiny, especially when it comes to the supply chain and critical minerals. "We have set a good pace, but it is only the first year." Korea Zinc announced on Monday that it would build the first U.S. mineral refinery in many years with Washington's financial assistance. Agen said at a conference on critical'minerals' hosted by the Center of Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington D.C., "You will see historic deals in the area of critical minerals throughout this administration, as well as historic partnerships with private sector companies, which will lead to a real revitalization in mining in the United States." The remarks were broadcast on the web. Agen, a former employee of?defense contractor Lockheed Martin who has held various roles, stated that Trump wants to "jumpstart' mining projects in Alaska as well as in Arizona where Rio Tinto BHP plan to build the largest copper mine in the world.
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Gold prices rise on expectations of rate cuts and a weaker dollar ahead of US employment data
Spot gold hovered near a seven-week high on Monday, buoyed by a weaker dollar and expectations of U.S. rate cuts before the release of important jobs data. Silver held below its record high set on Friday. By 10:21 am, spot gold had risen 0.4% to $4.321.25 per ounce. ET (1521 GMT), following a rise of more than 1% in the earlier session. U.S. Gold Futures increased?0.6% at $4,352.90 per ounce. Dollars are nearing a two-month-low, which makes greenback-priced gold?more appealing for overseas buyers. Tomorrow, the U.S. Non-Farm Payrolls Report and Retail Data will be released. Traders will examine these data to get a better idea of Federal Reserve policy. Bob Haberkorn, senior market strategist at RJO Futures, said that traders are attempting to get ahead of the Fed. They expect the data to be better than expected and the Fed will be more likely to continue to cut rates. In a low-interest rate environment, gold, which is a nonyielding investment, thrives. Last week, the Fed delivered its third and final quarter-percentage-point rate cut of the year, while signaling a pause on further easing until more data emerges. According to CME FedWatch Tool, the markets are pricing in two rate cuts next year with a 73% probability of a move by January 2026. Spot silver increased 2.6% to $63.64 after hitting a record high of $64.65 last Friday. It is still within striking distance of the historic $65/oz mark. The metal has grown 120% in the past year. Silver is the most popular precious metal. Haberkorn said that by the end of this year, silver will be trading at $65 or more. He added that he could even see $70 as early as quarter one of next year. Spot platinum rose 2.8% to $1.793.69 and reached its highest level since Sept.?2011. Palladium also hit a new two-month high with a 5.2% increase to $1.564.25 an ounce. Nornickel, world's biggest palladium producer said in a review of the metals market that the palladium industry could experience a deficit this year, including investment demand.
MercadoLibre, Latam's Amazon.com competitor, rides high with AI, loans, drones
When Wagner Dias and his other half Mariana needed a loan to grow their children's clothing organization, the Brazilian entrepreneurs turned to Argentina's MercadoLibre Inc, the online platform they use to offer their items.
MercadoLibre, which is making a push into a progressively congested regional fintech and credit market, currently had the data it required to green-light the loan. The Amazon.com of Latin America has actually used developments like that to cement its status as the area's most important company with a market capitalization exceeding $100 billion.
Because they had access to all my app history as a seller and buyer, there was no bureaucracy. The money was transferred instantly, stated Dias, who obtained in total some $30,000 to construct the couple's business in Sao Paulo.
I can request credit with one click, said Dias, explaining that the very first $11,000 tranche of the loan had actually boosted sales by 40% within six months.
MercadoLibre, which has overtaken Brazilian state energy giant Petrobras this year as Latin America's most important business, is discovering brand-new methods to serve Dias and others in its online ecosystem to secure shoppers and sellers. Its brand-new offerings, ranging from credit to movies, have actually helped fuel its quick growth.
The company is growing digital marketing incomes toward $ 1 billion this year with tie-ups for material with companies like Disney. It has added warehouse to support sellers, and is using expert system to increase its loan business and enhance administrative expenses.
We believe that we have a tremendous competitive advantage in the reality that we have an ecosystem, the firm's CEO Marcos Galperin told Reuters in an interview in Buenos Aires, including that the financing and commerce company spurred each other.
When you have more funding, e-commerce grows. And vice versa.
MercadoLibre is the dominant e-commerce gamer in Latin America, weathering aggressive presses by Amazon and others. However on fintech it still lags behind pure digital financing rivals such as Brazil's Nubank or Argentina's Uala. It wishes to duplicate the crossover success of Chinese online market Alibaba, whose Alipay wallet is amongst the top players in the world's second biggest economy.
Galperin stated growth of the fintech business was strong thinking about the hard local competition. Fintech incomes increased nearly a 3rd over the in 2015, second quarter data revealed, though it declined a little as a portion of overall sales. Its credit system grew at a quicker rate, near 50%.
Galperin stated MercadoLibre wanted to be a major alternative for Latin Americans as they quickly move far from money as the standard type of payment and savings.
Generally the concept is to give each user a private banker of their own, he said. He downplayed concerns some analysts have revealed about non-performing loans, saying the wide variety of data the firm had on its users minimized that risk.
We utilize expert system, we utilize machine learning, we have a great deal of information between MercadoLibre and Mercado Pago that we can utilize ... We have a lot info on these individuals that we feel very comfortable providing them loans.
BUYING NEW SHOES, WHAT ABOUT A LOAN?
Investors are bullish on the business's outlook. The stock is currently at $2,100, and in September, Morgan Stanley treked its target price on the shares to $2,500 from $2,175. Also in September, JPMorgan signed a $250 million funding offer to expand MercadoLibre's fintech business in Mexico.
Growing use of smart devices in Latin America is opening up online conserving and spending options to millions in an area where around a quarter of the population has little or no access to bank accounts or relies solely on cash.
We're actually just scratching the surface of all that we can do, stated Galperin, describing that e-commerce and digital payment use was far higher in Asia, Europe and The United States And Canada. He was targeting tripling active users to 300 million.
However MercadoLibre faces strong competition from local fintech competitors like Nubank or Uala, which secured a banking license in 2015 in Mexico and is also using AI to help credit scoring systems, a company representative stated.
It's still smaller than big rivals, however it has been calling attention in the area, said Maria Clara Infantozzi at Itau bank in Sao Paulo.
Argentine confectionary entrepreneur Silvina Riveros was growing tired of conventional banks but decided to get a loan from Uala to buy home appliances mainly due to the less expensive commissions for the service and the speed of crediting money into your account, she stated.
I have actually quit on high street banks, there's too much documentation and administration.
MercadoLibre's prospective ace card, nevertheless, stays its mix of commerce and finance. The firm is improving areas like food, apparel, beauty and electronic devices, and has actually opened more warehousing and distribution centers to accelerate shipment.
It is also try out an electric delivery fleet and drones to get products to hard-to-reach consumers in separated areas of Brazil. While drone innovation stayed specific niche, Galperin stated those geographies take place a fair bit in Latin America.
On the other hand, countless clients like 24-year-old Irlanda Zermeno from Mexico City, are securing smaller sized loans from the platform to help them purchase more items at check out.
Zermeno informed Reuters she was shopping on the MercadoLibre app for a set of new shoes, when a message turned up offering her credit to make the purchase in installments.
I didn't try to find (a credit line), they suddenly simply asked me: do you want one? said Zermeno, who works in public relations. Ever since then I utilize it regularly. If you pay back on time, the credit quantity you can take increases.
(source: Reuters)