If you're still waiting to buy physical silver to start a stash, you're now playing financial Russian Roulette... with fourrounds in the cylinder.The chat rooms talk about buying silver andgold when they decline in price. "If silver goesdown to 22, I'm all in!" "When these 'excessive' premiums drop a fewdollars, I'm backing up the truck."1) Emotion and Sentiment Believe it or n...Read More

Peter Krauth of Silver Stock Investor discusses silver's rise and what may lie ahead.Spot silver is trading around $26 per ounce…but you can't buy any at that price.Instead, you'll have to pay almost 50% more.That's right. If you want silver right now, you'll need to pay at least $35 per ounce.If you prefer government mint coins, and you're willing to wait a month to get them, you'll have t...Read More

Indicators are pointing to gold andmining ETFs running out of breath. They don’t seem to have what it takes to themove to the finish line.Despite gold, silver and mining stocks’recent corrective upswings, the precious metals are running out of steam. Afterbursting off of the lows – while failing to recognize that it’s a marathon andnot a sprint – the precious metals&r...Read More

GOOD NEWS… The rebound in gold prices from their recent low has awakened new fervor among those looking for the elusive moonshot. The ‘obvious’ signs of much higher inflation have emboldened those who are inclined to predict ever higher gold prices.Contrastingly, the chart of GLD prices pictured below doesn’t look all that great… At this point, a further one-...Read More

Base metals prices were down by an average 3.2% on the London Metal Exchange at the close on Wednesday May 19, with fears of inflation continuing to creep into markets given new warnings from China and ahead of the release of the minutes from the Federal Open Markets Committee's latest meeting. Zinc's three-month price dropped by 3.9% to $2,939 per tonne at Wednesday's close, erasing the gains it...Read More

Iron ore prices fell sharply on Wednesday May 19, with low liquidity and sintering restrictions in Tangshan driving the downturn, sources told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets iron ore indices62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao: $216.16 per tonne, down $8.28 per tonne62% Fe low-alumina fines, cfr Qingdao: $218.79 per tonne, down $8.98 per tonne58% Fe fines high-grade premium, ...Read More

Base metals prices on the London Metal Exchange dipped slightly across the board during morning trading on Wednesday May 19, following a week of volatility and a growing sense of unease. "Although the first trading week of May looked super bullish, I am not in the camp that base metals can hold on to the gains made. Instead, I envisage the monthly close to turn negative," Fastmarkets analyst Andy...Read More

China's approach to addressing aluminium overcapacity is a "night and day" change from five years' ago, according to the chief executive officer of Alcoa Corporation, Roy Harvey. Harvey said that China had previously operated on a model of building a coal-fired power plant with a smelter connected and essentially repeating the process continually, increasing aluminium production and creating overs...Read More

Domestic prices for European heavy steel plate increased further in the week to Wednesday May 19, supported by good demand, sources told Fastmarkets.In addition, market sources said that lead times from domestic suppliers have been getting longer. German mills have already started trading October-December rolling plate, while Italian re-rollers have been offering July production."Demand is very go...Read More

RAPAPORT... The Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) has joined a United Nations forum that aims to accelerate the implementation of the 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs).As a member of the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) SDG Ambition Platform, the RJC will help its 1,400 member companies step up their sustainability efforts and set targets to meet specific benchmarks, it said last week....Read More

RAPAPORT... The Plumb Club has signed up Evolution Diamond and Cynergy Trading Corp. as its newest members, the industry organization said this week.Evolution is a lab-grown diamond manufacturer specializing in bridal, fashion and men's jewelry, The Plumb Club said Monday. Cynergy is the North American arm of India-based diamond-jewelry manufacturer Creations Jewellery."Both companies will be grea...Read More

Access our research platformsSign-in to our platforms to access our extensive research, our latest insight, data and analytics and to connect to our industry experts.The most important driver of the zinc market in 2020 will be the performance of the world’s zinc smelting industry, according to Wood Mackenzie.The easing of trade tensions between the US and China, the struggling manufacturing...Read More

A summary of London Metal Exchange warrant premiums from across the globe for the week to Wednesday May 19. Please click...Read More

(IDEX Online) - Alrosa reported a Q1 increase in net profits to $326m, up 13 per cent on Q4 2020.That's despite an eight per cent drop in quarter-on-quarter revenue (to $1.23bn) and a nine per cent drop in sales volume to 15.5m carats (gem quality and industrial).Its year-on-year performance hugely exceeded that of 2020, when the global pandemic brough the industry to a virtual halt. Net prof...Read More

RAPAPORT... The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) has provided $25,000 in scholarships that will fund distance-education courses for graduates of the Diamond Council of America (DCA).The money will enable individuals who have graduated from at least one course at the DCA to continue their education at the GIA in a number of courses, the DCA said Monday. Students may use scholarships to pay fo...Read More

(IDEX Online) - De Beers reported a fall in rough sales for a third consecutive month as India's Covid crisis hit midstream capacity. Provisional sales at its fourth sight of 2021 were $380m, the lowest this year. Sales in January peaked at $663m, a three-year-high. They fell to $550m in February and again to $450m in March. De Beers said it was still offering sight holders increased flexibi...Read More

RAPAPORT... US retail sales were flat in April as consumer spending slowed following stimulus-driven purchasing the previous month, the National Retail Federation (NRF) said.Revenue was unchanged over March's figure and rose 51% year on year, reflecting coronavirus-related store closures during April 2020, according to data the US Census Bureau reported last week. By contrast, March saw a 10% mont...Read More

Base metals prices were down by an average 3.2% on the London Metal Exchange at the close on Wednesday May 19, with fears of inflation continuing to creep into markets given new warnings from China and ahead of the release of the minutes from the Federal Open Markets Committee's latest meeting. Zinc's three-month price dropped by 3.9% to $2,939 per tonne at Wednesday's close, erasing the gains it...Read More

RAPAPORT... De Beers registered its weakest sales total since August as rough demand wobbled during India's Covid-19 wave.The fourth sales cycle of 2021 saw proceeds of $380 million, down from $450 million in the third cycle, the miner reported Wednesday. Revenues included the sight that took place in early May, as well as auctions."We continue to see robust demand for diamond jewelry in the...Read More

(IDEX Online) - GIA has highlighted another fraudulent attempt to pass off an "impostor" lab-grown diamond as a higher-value natural stone.The lab has already reported a number of gems being submitted for grading with fraudulent inscriptions.In the latest incident a 3.075-carat lab-grown was submitted for update in Antwerp, bearing the girdle girdle inscription of a 3.078-carat natural stone.The a...Read More