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Gold prices jump on dollar weakness and Middle East peace hopes
The gold price rose by 2% Wednesday due to a weaker dollar. Meanwhile, lower oil prices eased concerns about inflation and interest rates that would be higher for longer, in anticipation of an agreement between the U.S. and Iran. As of 0415 GMT, spot gold was up by 2% to $4,647.09 an ounce. U.S. Gold Futures for June Delivery rose 2% to $4 658. U.S. president Donald Trump said Tuesday that he will temporarily halt an operation to help escort vessels through the Strait of Hormuz. He cited progress towards a comprehensive deal with Iran. The gold price rose as oil prices fell on the back of a reduction in the geopolitical risks premium after the U.S. confirmed the fragile ceasefire that has been ongoing between Iran and the United States is still intact despite the "skirmish" that occurred at the beginning of this week, said Kelvin Wong, senior analyst?at OANDA. After Trump suggested that a peace agreement could be reached with Iran to end the conflict, crude oil and U.S. dollars prices fell. Marco Rubio, the U.S. Secretary for State, told reporters Tuesday that "operation Epic Fury has concluded." He added that "we don't cheer on an additional situation." Wong said that if there are signs of tensions between the two countries, gold prices will be affected by profit-taking or a move to reduce short-term speculators' net long positions in gold. The dollar is weaker, and metals priced in dollars are cheaper for holders of other currencies. The dollar price of metals is cheaper for holders other currencies. ]USD/] Increased crude oil prices can cause inflation and increase interest rates. Gold is seen as an inflation hedge, but high interest rates can make other assets that yield more attractive. This reduces its appeal. Investors are waiting for the U.S. Non-farm Payrolls to be released later this week. This will determine if the economy is resilient enough to keep the Federal Reserve's policy on hold. Silver spot rose by 3.4%, to $75.62 an ounce. Platinum gained 2.4%, to $1,999.95. Palladium was 2.6% higher, at $1,524.59. (Reporting and editing by Rashmi Dhaniwala and Mrigank Aich in Bengaluru)
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Lynas CEO: US and European rules influence buyers away from Chinese rare Earths
The chief executive of Australia's Lynas Rare Earths?said that new government?regulations?in the U.S.and Europe?are helping to?push customers?to buy rare earth products?from suppliers?outside China?. China has been the world's leading and cheapest producer of metals and magnets, which are used in industries ranging from automotive to defense. It is also the default supplier for many years. Last year, China's restrictions on some exports in response to U.S. Tariffs left automakers and other industries vulnerable. Washington has since pledged to support higher?earths prices for its top rare?earths producers to spur non-Chinese supplies, but convincing customers to pay more, when there are cheaper Chinese alternatives, has proven difficult. Next year, the U.S. will introduce new procurement?regulations that include restrictions on the purchase of certain magnets and tantalum, while the European Union is bringing in sourcing restrictions for these supplies under its framework of critical raw materials, Lynas' CEO Amanda Lacaze stated. She said that in both cases we're observing consumers making different purchasing decisions to comply with regulations. Lynas of Perth, with a processing facility in Malaysia, is world's largest producer of rare Earths outside of China. Lacaze called on governments to intervene more to help the rare earths industry flourish outside of China. This included?for countries other than the U.S. or Japan to set floor prices. The Australian Resources Minister said in March that the country is revising policies regarding building a strategic reserves, which "no doubt," will have an element of a?floor?price. This comes as Australia looks to cement its position as a major supplier to its allies. Reporting by Melanie Burton, Melbourne Editing done by Alasdair pal and Lincoln Feast.
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BHP CFO: New investors are buying into copper exposure and AI demand
Vandita Pant, BHP's Chief Finance Officer, said on Wednesday that generalist investors are buying into the company as AI demand makes its exposure to copper more valuable. BHP shares, the largest listed copper miner in the world, reached a new record on March 2, but then dropped amid a sector-wide selloff when the war with Iran began. They have since recovered some of their losses. She told the Macquarie Australia Conference that she has seen a?growing?interest since half results. We also see more generalist international investors in our register. BHP Group reported a ?stronger-than-expected half-year underlying profit driven ?by copper, which for the first time surpassed iron ore in the company's earnings, as prices for the red metal surged on AI-fuelled demand. They don't like to choose winners. They're?going downstream and asking where the bottleneck is? Copper is a bottleneck. We want to invest in companies where we can reduce the downside risk, but still have exposure to this upside. BHP is a good option for them." Investors told last month that major fund managers were 'heralding' a sustained rally for mining and metals as the money poured into the sector in the fastest rate in years. This was driven by a buildout of AI infrastructure, increasing defence spending, and a shift away expensive tech stocks.
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Iron ore prices jump as China resumes trade after the holiday
Iron ore futures rose on Wednesday, as China returned from its May Day holiday break. Demand for steelmaking feedstock is expected to increase in the summer when construction activities will re-start and blast furnaces will resume production. As of 0221 GMT, the most traded September iron ore contract at China's Dalian Commodity Exchange was up 2.33% to 812 yuan (US$119.08) per metric ton. The benchmark June Iron Ore at the Singapore Exchange is 1.19% higher, $109.8 per ton. Galaxy Futures, a Chinese broker, said that after the five-day holiday, steel demand will likely pick up in China. After completing maintenance over the holidays, blast furnaces are expected to restart operations. Galaxy Futures reported that iron ore prices were 'also supported by an increase in volatility of coking coal and?coke?prices as summer approaches. This was driven by a higher?energy?demand, Galaxy Futures added. However, high ore imports, and a weaker overall steel demand, weighed down on price gains. According to Mysteel, the number of iron ore arriving at Chinese ports has increased from April 27 to may 3, by 2,15 million tonnes week-on-week. Liu Huifeng is the chief researcher for ferrous metals and futures at Donghai Futures. He said that although steel prices have "rebounded", surging energy prices and raw materials are putting pressure on the "already decreasing steel mill margins". Coke and coal, which are used in steelmaking, both grew by 2.57% and 2.04% respectively. The benchmark steel prices on the Shanghai Futures Exchange increased. Rebar jumped 1.25%. Hot-rolled coil climbed 1.9%. Wire rod soared 5.26%. Stainless steel grew 1.49%. ($1 = 6.8187 yuan) (Reporting by Ruth Chai; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)
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Gold prices jump on dollar weakness and Middle East peace hopes
Gold prices increased by more than 1% on Tuesday, boosted by a weaker dollar. Meanwhile, lower oil prices eased concerns about inflation and interest rates that would continue to rise, in anticipation of an agreement between the U.S. and Iran. As of 0225 GMT, spot gold rose 1.7% to $4,633.31 an ounce. U.S. Gold Futures for June Delivery rose 1.7% to $ 4,643.20. U.S. president Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that he will temporarily pause an operation in order to help escort vessels through the Strait of Hormuz. He cited?progress towards a comprehensive deal with Iran. According to Kelvin Wong of OANDA, senior market analyst, "oil prices declined on reduction in the geopolitical risks premium" after the U.S. confirmed the fragile ceasefire that has been ongoing between Iran and the United States is still intact despite the skirmishes that were seen at the start of this past week. After Trump's announcement that a peace agreement could be reached with Iran to end the conflict, both the U.S. Dollar and crude oil prices fell. Dollar-priced materials become cheaper for holders of currencies other than the U.S. dollar. ]USD/] While crude oil prices are rising, they can also increase the probability of interest rates increasing. Gold is considered a hedge against inflation, but high interest rates can make other assets with higher yields more appealing, which reduces its appeal. Marco Rubio, the U.S. secretary of state, told reporters that "operation Epic?Fury" is over. He added that "we don't cheer for another situation to occur." Wong explained that if there are any signs of a resurgence of tension, gold prices will be affected by profit-taking or short-term traders unwinding their net long positions in 'gold'. Investors are now awaiting the U.S. Non-farm Payrolls Release later this week. This will test whether or not the economy is resilient enough to maintain the Federal Reserve's monetary policies on hold. Silver spot rose by 2.7%, to $74.80 an ounce. Platinum gained 1.7%, to $1,986.25, while palladium increased 2.1%, to $1,516.44. (Reporting and editing by Rashmi aich in Bengaluru)
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Rivian develops variants of the R2 EVs that are more affordable
Rivian's CEO revealed that the company is developing undisclosed versions of its R2 electric vehicle, just days after it began mass production of "the smaller, more affordable SUVs". Rivian is known for its R1 SUVs and pickup trucks. The company plans to begin delivering R2 SUVs in June. Analysts say that a successful launch will be critical to the expansion of the company's mass market. When asked about the pickup version of R2, CEO RJ scaringe replied in an interview, "There are other variations of R2, that we haven't showed." "What we are building in Georgia allows different variations," said he, referring to a new factory where Rivian plans to expand production of R2 cars. Scaringe didn't disclose any details on what the other variations would look like. The demand for EVs in the United States has been hit by the elimination of 'key tax credits,' although the high price of gasoline has sparked some interest in battery powered vehicles. Affordable EVs have been hailed as a bright spot for the electric vehicle sector, since borrowing costs are still high. Rivian announced in March various trims for the?R2 crossover. The launch will start with a R2 priced at $58,000, and then other versions that are cheaper will be released later this year or in 2027. By late 2027, Rivian will release a $45,000 trim that has a range of over 275 miles. This trim is expected to broaden the customer base for Rivian. Rivian launched first its R1T pick-ups in 2021, followed by the R1S SUVs. Rivian announced R2 SUVs with the mid-size platform. They also have a smaller R3 crossover and the R3X performance variant. Scaringe stated that "clearly?there could possibly be an R2X." He continued: "There will be combinations." "I want to be careful not to announce the program." Rivian’s forecast for a 53% increase in deliveries this is due to the rollout of?R2 cars and implies approximately 22,000-23,000 R2 deliveries assuming steady demand and a smooth ramp up. Cantor Fitzgerald's?Andres?Sheppard wrote in a note to clients following?Rivian’s quarter earnings last week that the R2 will "materially boost" sales and "capture more EV market shares," thanks to its lower price point and autonomy features. Uber will also deploy 10,000 R2 fully autonomous vehicles in 2028 as part of a $1.25 billion robotaxi agreement with Rivian. (Reporting and editing by Christopher Cushing in San Francisco, Abhirup Roy from San Francisco)
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Asia markets reach record highs on AI euphoria and Iran peace hopes
In the morning of Wednesday, the Asian session, stocks soared, oil prices fell and the dollar dropped after U.S. president Donald Trump hailed "great progress" toward a "final deal" with Tehran, while momentum for AI-driven trading accelerated. Trump said he would temporarily pause an operation of escorting ships through the Strait of Hormuz. The Strait of Hormuz carries a fifth of all global oil, and Iran has blocked it since late February. This has triggered a global energy shortage. Brent crude fell 1.2% to $108.51 per barrel on the news, while S&P500 e-minis futures rose 0.3%. MSCI's broadest Asia-Pacific index outside Japan rose 2.3%, setting a new record. The surge was led by the 5.1% increase in South Korea's Kospi which cleared the 7,000-mark for 'the first time'. Analysts from Westpac stated that "markets have embraced a calm and stable environment overnight. The risk of an escalation of the Middle East conflict has been reduced after U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made sure the ceasefire remained in place despite U.S. trading blows with Iran yesterday." This boosted risk sentiment and supported a recovery in stocks across the U.S., Europe, at the same as crude oil prices "partially unraveled yesterday's rise." The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite both hit new records on Wall Street on Tuesday. Chris Weston is the head of research for Pepperstone Group Ltd. in Melbourne. "Investors continue to add to their positions in 2026 winners," he said. There has been some purchasing in S&P500 materials stocks. However, it is tech stocks that continue to attract the majority of flows. This includes Apple and memory plays. Samsung Electronics, which reopened the Seoul stock market after a long holiday, jumped by 12%. It now has a market capitalization of $1 trillion, surpassing Berkshire Hathaway, and is closing in on Walmart. Rushil Khanna is the head of equity investments in Asia for Ostrum, an affiliate of Natixis Investment Managers. He said that "this capex will lead to the creation of material value in Asia, as we are the providers of the 'picks and shovels' for the AI ecosystem." The shares of Advanced Micro Devices rose 16.5% during extended trading on Tuesday as the company announced second-quarter revenues above Wall Street expectations. This was aided by strong demand for its dead-centre chip as cloud computing companies increase spending on AI infrastructure. The?U.S. dollar index, which measures the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, snapped a three-day winning streak. It slipped 0.1% to 98.236. The dollar index, which measures greenback strength against six currencies, ended a three-day streak of gains, slipping 0.1% to 97.236. The dollar was $1.1724, and the pound sterling $1.3577. Both were up 0.3% on this day. The Australian dollar was trading at $0.7227. It rose about 0.6% to the highest level since June 2022. This was due to improved risk appetite, and a third consecutive interest rate hike that took place a day before. The yield of the 10-year Treasury Bond in the United States was unchanged at 4,424%. Gold rose 1.2% to $4,609.59. Bitcoin was down by 0.9% to $80,881.12 while ether fell 1% to $2,358.09. (Reporting and editing by Shri Navaratnam.)
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Oil prices drop by over $2 after Trump suspends Strait opening to possible deal
?U.S. Oil futures dropped on Wednesday morning by over $2 after U.S. President?Donald Trump announced that an operation to reopen Strait of Hormuz would be paused temporarily to determine if an agreement could?be finalised. As of 2326 GMT, U.S West Texas Intermediate fell $2.23 or 2.18% to $100.04 a barrel. Trump stated on Tuesday that while the operation to reopen?the Strait?of Hormuz would be paused,?the?blockade would?remain? in force. WTI fell 3.9% on Tuesday, after the ceasefire was maintained despite reports of exchanges. Brent dropped 4% and closed at $109.87. Market sources cited American Petroleum Institute figures on Tuesday, which showed that U.S. crude inventories had?fallen for the third consecutive week. Gasoline and distillate stock also 'declined. Sources who spoke on condition of anonymity said that crude stocks dropped by 8.1 million barges in the week ending May 1. The sources reported that gasoline inventories dropped by 6.1 million barrels and distillate stocks by 4.6 million barrels in comparison to a previous week. Helen Clark (Reporting; Chris Reese, Editing)
The "boom" of Trump's factories is seen in two different ways by a town in Indiana
John Axelberg's best customer recently asked him to invest $800,000.00 to double the production of tubular frames his factory produces for large-scale solar farms.
He said no
Axelberg’s small metal-forming business's solar division fueled the company's 30% revenue increase last year, thanks to tax incentives from the Inflation Reduction Act, passed by President Joe Biden. However, the rest of the industries Axelberg serves, including heavy trucks and farm equipment, were collectively down 20%. He is also concerned about solar. Donald Trump has said that his policies will unleash a new American manufacturing boom. In industrial communities like South Bend, however, the reality is nuanced. Government policies boost some sectors, while obscuring the outlook for other industries. Many manufacturers are left navigating a patchwork of incentives, tariffs, and changing signals from Washington. Recent polls have revealed that Trump's economic stewardship has become a major political issue for both him and Republicans, with the midterm elections less than seven months away. Only 29% of respondents to a /Ipsos survey approve of Trump's economic leadership. This is the lowest approval rating for either of Trump’s administrations, and also lower than that of Biden, his Democratic predecessor. Axelberg's costs are higher for metals and imported parts because of tariffs. Meanwhile, the current administration has halted the construction of solar farms in federal land.
"I don't have any confidence that he will not pass another executive order to start coming after (solar credits) we've already received and claw them back," stated the CEO of General Stamping & Metalworks. A family-owned company with $130 million in sales, General Stamping & Metalworks has been bending steel since 1922.
Pierre Yared is the acting chair of President Trump’s Council of Economic Advisers. He pointed out that improved manufacturing productivity and increased investment in new equipment and plant are early signs of success for Trump’s policies.
Yared stated that it would take some time for the President's policy to fully manifest.
MANUFACTURING RENEWAL ELUSIVE
South Bend is a prime example of the stark contrast between a few niches that are booming and the lingering malaise within manufacturing. This once-thriving industrial center has struggled to recover its economic footing for the past six decades since the 1964 closure of Studebaker’s sprawling auto factory. There are many established manufacturers in South Bend who are struggling to stay afloat or facing erosion of key sectors. This includes businesses that boomed under the previous administration, such as "electric vehicles".
Michael Hicks is an economist who studies manufacturing at Ball State University. He said that "there's not evidence of a manufacturing revival." It appears that the manufacturing sector has declined over the past 10 to 11 month. Defense is a business that's doing well. AM General, which is based in this city, built a brand new factory to service a U.S. $8.7 billion defense contract for a new generation military vehicle.
Cleveland-Cliffs is a steel processing company that has benefited from tariffs which have increased domestic steel prices. In a press release released last February, CEO Lourenco Goncalves stated that taxes would bring "a new golden age and a manufacturing revolution that will make America stronger again." Amazon is building a $11 billion datacenter that will eventually include 30 buildings, just up the road from the?steel?plant. Although data centers are not manufacturing plants, they require a large amount of raw materials and machinery that is used to fuel other goods producers. Once they're built, data centers don't generate many permanent jobs. According to the Federal Reserve the Federal Reserve estimates that the spending on data centers was more than half a billion dollars in 2013. The Federal Reserve expects the expenditure to "increase drastically" until 2030.
A joint venture between GM and Samsung, worth $3.5 billion, is currently being built to produce electric car batteries.
According to Jeff Rea, CEO of South Bend Regional Chamber, the data center craze has caused a backlash that's made the land prices near the new developments "nutso".
The shortage of skilled labor and other big changes have led to higher taxes and utility costs for many longtime producers. Trump's anti EV campaign is a major obstacle for the GM plant. The automaker has said that construction has been slowed and it no longer has an opening date.
Stuart Fowle said, "current market conditions allow us to plan for future needs and observe EV demand." On its website, the White House maintains a list of U.S. manufacturing and innovation investments. This includes Apple's $600 billion investment into factories and workforce development, and Meta's plan of spending the same amount in 2028 for AI technology and infrastructure. Yet, South Bend's factory jobs have been declining since the end 2020, with over 1,000 employees losing their jobs, including 265 since President Trump's election. This pattern is repeated across the nation. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, manufacturing jobs in the United States have decreased by 100,000 since Trump was inaugurated.
What is 'WHIMS of a King'?
There are certainly big projects in the works across the industrial heartland. The boom started during the Biden administration. This included massive new investments like those made by GM and Samsung in electric car and batteries projects and semiconductor plants. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), total construction spending for manufacturing plants increased from $5.9billion in February 2021, to a high of $20.8billion in October 2024. However, it fell to $17billion by December 2025.
Jon Ferguson, the CFO at Master Roll Manufacturing (which operates an office that looks out over Amazon's massive datacenter outside South Bend) said, "I'm not sure if I would call it a resurgence." Ferguson, CFO of Master Roll Manufacturing, said that sales were steady and not booming, despite the fact that they make and refurbish steel processing equipment.
It's a problem to have so many developments nearby. He said that the surge in land values has increased property taxes and that?electricity costs and water prices have also increased. He said that while it's great to see land prices rise, it's not very meaningful if the owners aren't looking to sell.
He said that "a lot of companies are unhappy with the way (the data centre boom) is falling apart."
Some companies have struggled to find workers with the skills to install new production lines or repair existing ones at their facilities because so much of their labor has gone to construction.
Daniel Adams, CEO at Manufacturing Technology Inc. sees the same mixed bag of manufacturers. His great-grandfather founded the business in 1926 as a tool shop. The company has since carved out a niche in friction weld, a technique used to manufacture everything from golf putters and jet engines. Since Trump's election, he said, it has become apparent that EVs will be less important. This has affected his auto-related businesses. He said that auto companies and suppliers are putting off investments.
Adams stated that his aerospace customers are doing well, but this is not enough to propel the entire business forward.
Adams says that bringing new industry to the area will benefit his business over the long-term, but it can cause tensions with other local businesses in the short term. For example, there are issues with labor. He said that people go to the "shiny place" and make an extra two dollars per hour.
Axelberg, the CEO of General Stamping & Metalworks remains cautious. He had 25 acres next to his plant which he intended to use for finishing and assembly. He has put that on hold because he is no longer confident in the current economic climate.
He said, "It almost seems like there's no policy." "It is like the whims and caprices of a monarch."
(source: Reuters)