On Friday I began the daily opening letter by saying …Whether the politicians come to some kind of accord in regards to funding the government or they let time lapse and effectually shut down the government is not the real issue.I looked at the two real issues that encompass our current dilemma. First is the fact that politicians have become professionals at using this dilemma to insert the...Read More

Richard LeongNEW YORK (Reuters) - Government shutdown? So yesterday. Debt ceiling? Yawn.Investors and traders are taking in stride that the partisan fight in Washington which resulted in the first government shutdown in over four years may snowball into a showdown over raising the cap on how much the federal government can borrow beyond its statutory limit of $20 trillion.Analysts and investors sa...Read More

David LjunggrenOTTAWA (Reuters) - The NAFTA trade agreement’s future hangs in the balance this week as negotiators from the United States, Canada and Mexico try to settle major differences over revamping a pact that President Donald Trump has threatened to abandon.Senior officials from the three nations will meet in Montreal for a week starting on Tuesday in the sixth and penultimate round o...Read More

Last week the U.S. Global Investors office was visited by a living legend in the junior mining industry, billionaire founder and executive chairman of Ivanhoe Mines, Robert Friedland. In case you don't know, back in the mid-1970s, Robert was caretaker of an apple orchard south of Portland that one of his buddies from Reed College would often visit. That buddy's name was Steve Jobs, who later went...Read More

Finland's mining authority has granted Ireland's Karelian Diamond Resources (AIM: KDR) a four-year exploration claim in the Kaavi region, located in the eastern part of the country. This license provides the holder with an exclusive right to apply for a mining permit. The 28.84-hectare property is close to Karelian's Lahtojoki mining operation, which is en route to becoming the first diamond mine...Read More

Finland's mining authority has granted Ireland's Karelian Diamond Resources (AIM: KDR) a four-year exploration claim in the Kaavi region, located in the eastern part of the country. This license provides the holder with an exclusive right to apply for a mining permit. The 28.84-hectare property is close to Karelian's Lahtojoki mining operation, which is en route to becoming the first diamond mine...Read More

Finland's mining authority has granted Ireland's Karelian Diamond Resources (AIM: KDR) a four-year exploration claim in the Kaavi region, located in the eastern part of the country. This license provides the holder with an exclusive right to apply for a mining permit. The 28.84-hectare property is close to Karelian's Lahtojoki mining operation, which is en route to becoming the first diamond mine...Read More

(Adds details on market activity, updates prices to close)* TSX ends down 5.48 points, or 0.03 percent, at 16,347.98* Four of the index's 10 main groups end lower* Industrials and materials both fall 0.6 percent* Home Capital Group Inc climbs 10.5 percent TORONTO, Jan 22 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index edged lower on Monday as railroad and materials shares declined, offsetting gains for th...Read More

WELLINGTON, Jan 23 (Reuters) - Growth in New Zealand's services sector slowed in December during a quiet summer holiday period, a survey showed on Tuesday.The Bank of New Zealand-Business NZ's seasonally adjusted performance of services index (PSI) edged down to 56.0 from 56.4 in the previous month."There was a heavy seasonal factor at play, with Christmas and the holiday period being a key i...Read More

Susan Cornwell, Richard CowanWASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. senators struck a deal on Monday to lift a three-day government shutdown as Democrats agreed to end the standoff in exchange for President Donald Trump’s Republicans promising a debate on the future of young illegal immigrants.Legislation to renew government funding easily cleared a procedural hurdle in the Senate and was expected to p...Read More

* Stocks jump after deal to end U.S. government shutdown* World shares rise slightly* U.S. Treasury yields near 3-1/2-year high* Dollar slips vs euro; oil rises (Updates through US close.)By David RandallNEW YORK, Jan 22 (Reuters) - U.S. stocks surged on Monday after senators in Washington reached a deal to reopen the federal government, ending a 2-1/2-day shutdown that world markets largely took...Read More

(Adds strategist quote, background, updates prices)* Canadian dollar at C$1.2453, or 80.30 U.S. cents* Canadian wholesale trade rises 0.7 percent in November* Bond prices little changed across the yield curve* 10-year yield touches a three-year high at 2.249 percent By Fergal SmithTORONTO, Jan 22 (Reuters) - The Canadian dollar strengthened against its U.S. counterpart on Monday, gravitating towa...Read More

Despite a mixed start to the day, stocks managed to hit fresh record highs after the U.S. Senate passed a short-term funding bill, which will help end the nearly three-day government shutdown. The major indexes can also thank positive reactions to this week's first batch of earnings reports, as well as rally among chip stocks -- with names such as Intel Corporation (INTC) and Advanced Micro Device...Read More

Toronto-based PJX Resources announced it has acquired an option to earn 100% interest in the Gold Shear property, located 29 km southwest of Cranbrook, British Columbia.According to a corporate press release, the property hosts the high-grade David gold occurrence and is adjacent to PJX's Eddy property.Historical data from the provincialMinistry of Energy Mines and Petroleum revealed that gold was...Read More

Toronto-based PJX Resources announced it has acquired an option to earn 100% interest in the Gold Shear property, located 29 km southwest of Cranbrook, British Columbia.According to a corporate press release, the property hosts the high-grade David gold occurrence and is adjacent to PJX's Eddy property.Historical data from the provincialMinistry of Energy Mines and Petroleum revealed that gold was...Read More

Stock MarketsNet ChngStock MarketsNet ChngS&P/ASX 200** 5,991.90 -13.90NZX 508,325.240-10.12DJIA**26,190.15118.43NIKKEI**23,816.338.27Nasdaq**7,336.38 40.33 FTSE**7,715.44 -15.35S&P 500** 2,832.97 22.69 Hang Seng** 32,393.41138.52SPI 200 Fut 5,970.032.0STI** 3,569.43 19.07SSEC**3,501.3622 13.50 KOSPI** 2,520.26 -18.15-------------------------------------------------------------------------...Read More

Jan 23 (Reuters) - Australian shares are set to recover from five straight sessions of falls on Tuesday, following Wall Street which rose after U.S. senators struck a deal to end the federal government shutdown.U.S. stocks advanced on Monday as each of Wall Street's main indexes touched a record intraday level. Strength in oil and base metal prices is seen supporting the Australian materials secto...Read More

TORONTO, Jan 22 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index edged lower on Monday as railroad and materials shares declined, offsetting gains for the energy group, which was supported by higher oil prices.The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index unofficially closed down 5.48 points, or 0.03 percent, at 16,347.98. Just four of the index's 10 main groups ended lower. (Reporting by Fergal S...Read More

(Kitco News) - Gold is looking strong this year, with the potential to hit $1,425, global trading director at Kitco Metals Peter Hug said, adding that an interesting pattern has developed between the U.S. Federal Reserve and gold prices.“If we look at the patterns that started with the first Fed rate increase in 2015: gold moved up about $150, then came back. In December 2016, when the Fed r...Read More

(Kitco News) - Gold is looking strong this year, with the potential to hit $1,425, global trading director at Kitco Metals Peter Hug said, adding that an interesting pattern has developed between the U.S. Federal Reserve and gold prices.“If we look at the patterns that started with the first Fed rate increase in 2015: gold moved up about $150, then came back. In December 2016, when the Fed r...Read More