RAPAPORT... Sotheby's has unveiled a rare white diamond that, it claims,is the only known round brilliant-cut diamond over 100 carats possessing the highestcut, color and clarity grades.Sotheby's Diamonds, the group's retail boutique, revealedthe 102.34-carat, D-color, flawless stone to mark the first anniversary of its salon on London's New Bond Street, the auction house said Thursday. The polish...Read More

CAPE TOWN – Mining is a long-term game, but in southern Africa dramatic political changes have transformed the investment mood for the better in the space of a year.Angola's Jose Eduardo dos Santos and Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe stepped down in 2017 after a combined 75 years in office, while the election of Cyril Ramaphosa as head of South Africa's ruling ANC heralds the looming en...Read More

Turkish domestic rebar and wire rod prices have gone up over the past week, amid increasing scrap prices, sources said on Thursday February 8.Metal Bulletin's weekly price assessment for domestic rebar in Turkey was $570-575 per tonne ex-works, up from the $550-565 per tonne of last week."The rebar prices are increasing due to rising scrap import values. It seems the market will...Read More

(IDEX Online) - There was a 10% increase in company buyer attendance at the 36th edition of the American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) GemFair Tucson 2018 representing more than 90 countries where 300 exhibitors took part.   "The AGTA GemFair is a favorite amongst buyers and that is evident in the growth we see each year," said AGTA CEO Douglas K. Hucker. "There is an excitement on the floor,...Read More

RAPAPORT... Pandora sales lagged behind expectations in 2017, as the jewelernoted a decrease in traffic to its stores in Asia and difficult US market conditions.Revenue rose 12% to $3.74 billion (DKK 22.78 billion) for the year, shy of the $3.78 billion to $3.94 billion (DKK 23 billion to DKK 24 billion)that it forecast. At constant exchangerates, revenue grew 15%, the Danish seller of charm brace...Read More

CAPE TOWN – Zimbabwe will consider applications from companies mining platinum or diamonds to be exempted from a requirement that they be at least 51% owned by black citizens of the country.The government wants companies to show they have a plan to achieve compliance before it will consider granting waivers, Mines Minister Winston Chitando said in an interview in Cape Town Wednesday.Advertis...Read More

RAPAPORT... Timeshave not been good for Signet Jewelers. A decidedly disappointing holidayseason saw same-store sales slide by 5.3%. This followed a 4.6% drop in 2016.Add to this poor performance the sexual harassment and discriminationallegations that have hounded the retail giant, and a share price that slumped30% over the past year, and it becomes apparent that 2017 was a cocktail ofcatastrophe...Read More

Good morning from Metal Bulletin's London office; we bring you the latest news and pricing stories on Thursday February 8.Base metals on the London Metal Exchange were largely lower pushed down this morning by fresh deliveries and a stronger dollar. The copper price was dented by another large delivery into LME-listed warehouses today. 25,950 tonnes were delivered in across Busan, Port Klang...Read More

CAPE TOWN (miningweekly.com) – This year’s Investing in African Mining Indaba has just ended here and the organisers are already putting their thinking caps on to make next year’s twenty-fifth anniversary of the event a grand affair.The names Cyril Ramaphosa, Elon Musk and the top who’s who of global and African mining are already mulling through minds as potential leading...Read More

RAPAPORT... Sentiment was strong at International Diamond Week in Israelas traders displayed optimism about the market and noted shortages were supporting prices.Visitors observed increased traffic and exhibitor numbersfrom last year, with dealers from around the world attending theMonday-to-Wednesday event at the Ramat Gan bourse. "It's a positive market, and we are happy to be here," said Digesh...Read More

Good morning from Metal Bulletin's offices in Shanghai as we bring you the latest news and pricing stories on Thursday February 8.Base metals traded on the Shanghai Futures Exchange were broadly lower during Asian morning trading on Thursday, with only aluminium in positive territory, after a jump in the dollar overnight and a bout of profit-taking sank prices.The most-traded April copper contract...Read More

SHANGHAI, Feb 8 (SMM) – SHFE aluminium edged up slightly while all base metals fell more than 1%. SHFE copper dropped close to 2%. The ferrous complex saw mixed trading with hot-rolled coil and iron ore up slightly while rebar and coking coal slipped.Copper: SHFE copper is expected to follow its LME counterpart lower tonight as investors cut their long bets.Aluminium: We see pressure remain...Read More

SHANGHAI, Feb 8 (SMM) – SHFE aluminium edged up slightly while all base metals fell more than 1%. SHFE copper dropped close to 2%. The ferrous complex saw mixed trading with hot-rolled coil and iron ore up slightly while rebar and coking coal slipped.Copper: SHFE copper is expected to follow its LME counterpart lower tonight as investors cut their long bets.Aluminium: We see pressure remain...Read More

SHANGHAI, Feb 8 (SMM) – SHFE aluminium edged up slightly while all base metals fell more than 1%. SHFE copper dropped close to 2%. The ferrous complex saw mixed trading with hot-rolled coil and iron ore up slightly while rebar and coking coal slipped.Copper: SHFE copper is expected to follow its LME counterpart lower tonight as investors cut their long bets.Aluminium: We see pressure remain...Read More

Listen to this podcast airing on our site by clicking here or subscribe on iTunes here.We've seen markets get spooked recently as 10-year Treasury yields have continued to climb. On our recent Lifetime Income program, Jim Puplava delves into bond risk and what it means for your portfolio.Bond Market Risk AheadWe're in the middle of a Federal Reserve rate raising cycle right now, and...Read More

SHANGHAI, Feb 8 (SMM) – China imported 443,000 mt of unwrought copper and copper-fabricated products in January, up 16.1% from the same month last year, according to customs data.However, this was down from 450,000 mt in December 2017, marking a decline for two consecutive months. This is due to limited construction activities in the winter season as well as a high output rate at home.Separa...Read More

SHANGHAI, Feb 8 (SMM) – Russian nickel was trading at a discount of 200 yuan/mt to the Wuxi Stainless Steel Exchange 1803 contract on Thursday February 8, SMM learned. This compared with a discount of 300 yuan/mt hear a day earlier.Jinchuan nickel was trading at a premium of 100-200 yuan/mt, up from 100 yuan/mt on Wednesday.Transactions were mostly reported at 99,000-100,100 yuan/mt today, d...Read More

SHANGHAI, Feb 8 (SMM) –Copper: Lower oil prices and a stronger US dollar are bearish on base metals but we see limited downward room for copper due to expectations of tighter concentrate supply in the future. We expect LME copper to trade at $6,880-6,950/mt today and SHFE copper at 51,800-52,240 yuan/mt. As the SHFE physical delivery is around the corner, it would be difficult for spot coppe...Read More

SHANGHAI, Feb 8 (SMM) –Copper: Lower oil prices and a stronger US dollar are bearish on base metals but we see limited downward room for copper due to expectations of tighter concentrate supply in the future. We expect LME copper to trade at $6,880-6,950/mt today and SHFE copper at 51,800-52,240 yuan/mt. As the SHFE physical delivery is around the corner, it would be difficult for spot coppe...Read More

SHANGHAI, Feb 8 (SMM) –Copper: Lower oil prices and a stronger US dollar are bearish on base metals but we see limited downward room for copper due to expectations of tighter concentrate supply in the future. We expect LME copper to trade at $6,880-6,950/mt today and SHFE copper at 51,800-52,240 yuan/mt. As the SHFE physical delivery is around the corner, it would be difficult for spot coppe...Read More