Mining

Argentina and Chile want to "unlock billions in mining investment" by advancing regulatory and legal frameworks which would allow companies to share infrastructure and resources throughout the Andes Mountains. The Mining Integration and Complementation Treaty was revived by the two countries in July, after years of stagnation. They are now looking to move forward with a new generation copper projects. The Chilean government released a statement without revealing any further details. At the meeting, both countries approved operating protocol for the Vicuna and NexoAndino mining projects. Their mineral deposits span the border between Argentina’s?San Juan Province and Chile's Atacama Region....

The Nikkei reported that Universal Studios Japan is preparing for a major expansion. Investments are expected to total between 200 billion yen (US$1.26 billion to US$1.88 billion). Universal Japan will use a 60,000 square meter?site adjacent the theme park for?new attractions. This is the first time that the venue has expanded its footprint since 2001. Nikkei reported that Universal Japan wants to increase its annual attendance above the 16 million visitors it currently has, which is already the highest of all the theme parks in Japan. This will be due to the increasing number of overseas tourists visiting Japan. Nikkei...

Donald Trump said that the U.S. needs more aluminum "desperately". He was speaking at a virtual rally in support of Mike Mazzei who had just been nominated by the Republican Party for Governor of Oklahoma. A massive new smelter is being built in Oklahoma by a joint-venture between U.S. aluminum producer Century Aluminum and Emirates Global Aluminium. The $500 million federal funding is backing the project, which is just what Trump wanted when he raised aluminium import tariffs to 50% last June. Even if the construction of the Inola plant begins according to schedule at the end of 'this year',...

Argentina and Chile want to unlock 'billions' of dollars worth of mining investment by advancing regulatory and legal frameworks which would allow 'companies to pool infrastructure and resources in the Andes Mountains. The Mining Integration and Complementation Treaty will be discussed by officials from both countries on Thursday. This 1997 agreement was revived in July following decades of slow progress. They are looking to move forward a new generation copper projects. Both the conservative Chilean president Jose Antonio Kast (who took office in March) and the libertarian Argentinean President Javier Milei are attempting to increase private investment. Chile's Mining minister...

The gold?prices eased Wednesday as they were on track to end a three-session winning streak. However, the focus now shifts to the U.S. Inflation data that will be released later in the afternoon for any indications on the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policy. Spot gold dropped 0.8% by 1114 GMT to $4,618.03 an ounce, after prices rose to their highest level since May 14, on Tuesday, following the U.S. Treasury Department?s recent bond buyback announcement. U.S. Gold Futures fell 0.4% to $4673.90. Nikos Tzabouras is a senior market analyst at Jefferies owned Tradu.com. He said that gold prices were subdued...

Australia's Lynas Rare Earths announced on Wednesday that it planned to expand its global supply chain. Discussions were held to secure new?mine supplies from project developers all over the world, and to set up a magnetic processing facility in the United States. Comments were made after the largest producer of rare earths in the world outside China, reported a sharp increase in annual profits, aided by record-high average selling prices for Rare-Earth Oxide and strong demand. However, it missed market expectations. Shares of the company fell up to 8%. Interim CEO Pol Le Roux'said Lynas was in discussions with project...

A U.S. official said that President Donald Trump sent Congress a proposal for an agreement between the United States and Saudi Arabia to develop civil nuclear energy. The official also stated that the agreement would only be approved after Saudi Arabia normalized its relations with Israel. According to a U.S. official who declined to identify himself, the agreement was signed in July, and it would allow U.S. firms to export civil nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia. It was then sent to Congress. The Saudi Embassy in Washington didn't immediately respond to our request for comment. Trump's intentions were not made...

The gold price held steady on Tuesday, after reaching a three-month high in the previous session. This was due to the fact that the rally lost steam near a psychologically important level of resistance and before the release this week of the preferred inflation gauge by the U.S. Federal Reserve. By 2:16 p.m. ET (1816 GMT), spot gold had fallen 0.1% to $4,647.03 an ounce after reaching its highest level since the 14th of May. U.S. Gold Futures?settled at $4,694.50, a 0.1% decrease. "I believe this is a simple drop in momentum." Bart Melek is the global?head for commodity strategy...

Gold prices held steady on Tuesday, despite reaching a three-month high earlier in the session. The rally lost steam near a psychologically important resistance level ahead of this week's release of the preferred inflation gauge by the U.S. Federal Reserve. Gold spot was unchanged at $4.652.26 an ounce as of 1547 GMT (11.47 am EDT) after reaching its highest level since 14 May. U.S. gold futures increased 0.2% to $4 709.40. "I believe this is just a loss of momentum." Bart Melek said that you could 'probably attribute this drop to gold reaching a strong level of resistance at $4,700,...

On 'Monday, gold rose to its highest level in more than three months, building on gains made last week, as a softer dollar increased appeal. Investors awaited U.S. Inflation data and remarks by Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh, this week, for any indications on interest rate path. Spot gold rose 1% to $4,649.08 an ounce at?1004 GMT. This is the highest price since May 15. U.S. Gold futures also increased 0.6% to $4,706.20. Bullion prices rose by more than 5% in the last week, after the U.S. Treasury Department’s buyback plan?pushed down the dollar and made greenback-priced gold more affordable...

On?Monday, gold prices reached their highest level in over?three month as a subdued Dollar?lent support. Meanwhile, attention shifted to important U.S. Inflation data and Kevin Warsh's speech this week. As of 0644 GMT spot gold rose 0.9% to $4,643.63 an ounce. This is the highest price since mid-May. Prices rose by more than 5% in the last week. U.S. Gold Futures increased by 0.4% to $4,699.10. The dollar was a little off its multi-month lows as the market was unsettled after the U.S. Treasury announced that it would buy back additional long bonds. A weaker dollar means that holders of...

On 'Monday,' gold prices reached their highest level in more than three month as a subdued Dollar lent support. Meanwhile, attention shifted towards key U.S. Inflation data and Kevin Warsh's speech this week. As of 0155 GMT spot gold was up 0.5%, at $4,627.42 an ounce. It had earlier reached its highest level since May 15 during the session. Prices rose by more than 5% in the last week. U.S. Gold Futures edged up 0.1% to $4,683.80. The dollar was teetering near a multi-month low in a market unsteady by the?U.S. Treasury's promise of buying back more long-term bonds. The...

Zinc prices dropped - and were about to end a six day winning streak on Thursday. A firm dollar weighed down the support of a 'thin supply outside China', while also pulling other industrial metals down. The benchmark three-month price of zinc at the London Metal Exchange fell by 0.96%, to $3.855.5 per metric ton as of 0700 GMT. The most traded zinc contract at the Shanghai Futures Exchange was down by 0.44% to 26,140 yuan (US$3,889.71) per ton. As the market prepares for U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh's awaited speech in Jackson Hole, the U.S. Dollar Index has?gained...

The thin supply outside China and the exchange position boosted zinc prices for a 7th consecutive session on Thursday. Benchmark three-month Zinc on the London Metal Exchange?was?up 0.92% to $3,929 per metric ton at 0300 GMT. The most traded zinc contract at the Shanghai Futures Exchange rose 1.69% to 26,700 yuan (US $3,972.68) per ton. On Wednesday, the LME reached its highest level in over four years. The metal is mainly used for galvanising steel. The impressive rally of the metal, which was boosted by a 'waning stock outside China', echoes last October. The LME's cash-to-3-month spread The physical availability...

The copper price rose to its highest level in six months on Wednesday, boosted by supply concerns over dwindling LME inventories and a positive economic outlook. By 0300 GMT, the benchmark three-month price of copper at?the London Metal Exchange had risen by 0.49% to $14,419.5 per metric tonne. The price of a ton reached $14,437 earlier in the day, its highest level since January 29. The Shanghai Futures Exchange's most traded copper contract rose by 1.11%, to 109 360 yuan (16,272.36) per ton. Non-traditional copper players, such as hedge funds and speculative traders trading on volatile LME inventory figures, have...

Copper prices fell on Tuesday due to a stronger dollar and the uncertainty surrounding U.S. rates of interest. Benchmark three-month?copper?on the London Metal Exchange?was down 0.2% to $14,245.50 per metric ton at 0915 GMT after adding 0.4% during the previous session. EwaManthey, commodities analyst at ING, said that the recent drop in copper is more of a cooling down from an extreme situation than a deterioration of 'fundamentals. Investors are awaiting new policy signals from the U.S., but the LME inventory levels have reduced the current tightness. Stocks in warehouses are not registered with the LME Stocks have recovered by...

The copper price?fell on Thursday, as more stocks arrived at?warehouses. However, losses were minimal due to the weaker dollar following a move by the U.S. Government?to calm down bond markets. Benchmark 'three-month' copper on the London Metal Exchange fell 0.4% to $13,988 per metric ton at 1025 GMT after adding 0.5% the previous session. LME copper reached a six-month high on Monday due to concerns about low inventories. However, since then the price has eased as metal is now flowing into storage facilities. The Treasury's announcement of yesterday's copper buyback helped stop the decline that we saw as inventories began...

Prices of copper fell on Wednesday as a large increase in warehouse stocks pushed supply concerns that had supported prices to the background. By 0300 GMT, the benchmark three-month copper contract on the London Metal Exchange was down 0.06% to $13,978 per metric tonne. The Shanghai Futures Exchange's most traded copper contract fell by 1.02%, to 106 880 yuan per ton. Ed Meir, Marex consultant, wrote that copper was "tripped" by a surprise increase in inventories at the LME. The LME data on Tuesday and Monday showed total copper stock The number of large parcels delivered to warehouses increased by...

The fact that China's steel production dropped to its lowest level this year in July supports the idea that the world's second largest economy struggles for growth momentum. As usual, the devil lies in the details. Steel demand is unevenly distributed across the economy. The world's biggest producer of industrial metal saw its steel output fall to 76.93 metric?tons during July. This is a 3.6% drop from the same period in 2025, and it was the lowest July since 2017. China's first seven months of the year saw a production volume of 577.04 millions tons, down by 3.1% compared to...

The price of copper fell on 'Tuesday. It eased from the six-month high reached in 'the previous session. London Metal Exchange inventories rose for a second day, and the market digested disappointing data derived from China, its largest consumer. As of 0900 GMT, the benchmark three-month LME copper was down by 0.8% to $14,036 per metric tonne. After the LME stock data was released, it briefly fell below $14,000. It lost as much as 1,1% to $13,997. Data showed that another '17,450 tonnes of copper entered LME warehouses Monday. This included 7,250 tons from the U.S., and 3,000 in Hong...

China's steel production dropped to its lowest level this year in the month of July, which fits with the narrative that China is struggling to maintain growth momentum. Steel demand is 'uneven across the economy,' as per usual. The world's biggest producer of industrial metal saw its steel output drop to 76.93 metric tons in July. This is a 3.6% decrease from the same period in 2025. It was also the lowest July since 2017. China produced 577.04 millions tons of steel in the first seven months, a 3.1% decrease from the same period last year, according to data released...

The market was digesting a string of disappointing economic reports from China and the U.S., as well as the fact that a truce between Iran and the U.S. had expired with no longer-term agreement. Benchmark 'three-month' copper on the London Metal Exchange fell 0.39% to $14,102 per metric ton at 0300 GMT. Shanghai Futures Exchange's most traded copper contract fell 1.19%, to 107 690 yuan (15,971.58) per ton. After copper prices reached a six-month peak on Monday, disappointing economic indicators in China drew attention to the demand outlook. "Weaker-than-expected economic ?data in China weighed on sentiment across the base metals...

On Monday, copper prices reached their highest level in over six months due to concerns about the availability of metals on the London Metal Exchange where inventories have been at their lowest since February. Benchmark copper was up?0.9% to $14,290 per metric ton as of 0923 GMT. It had previously reached a high of $13,396. Prices for the metals used in construction and power industries reached an all-time record high of $14,527.5. Stocks at LME-approved warehouses Since May, the amount of copper exported to the United States has decreased by half. This is because traders are moving the metal to...

The week started with a strong start for copper, thanks to tight?availability. This also helped push the key spread even wider, after it reached its highest level in five years last week. Benchmark 'three-month' copper at the?London Metal Exchange rose?1.45%?to $14,365 per metric ton as of 0300 GMT. The Shanghai Futures Exchange's most traded copper contract jumped by 1.77%, to 109 580 yuan (16 254.54) per ton. Stocks of red metal at LME-registered storage facilities The price of refined copper has dropped by almost half over the past three months as material is imported into the U.S. to avoid possible...