Platinum miners loath to take lead on output cuts

Profit prospects are poor for South Africa's platinum miners as they collectively hold back from making the deep production cuts necessary to reduce a market surplus and force higher prices. They have felt some respite this year from the...

Gold jumps above $1 400/oz after US data

Gold jumped above $1 400 an ounce to a three-week high on Friday after U.S. jobs data disappointed the markets, knocking the dollar index down 1 percent and dampening expectations for a self-sustaining recovery. U.S. employment increased by far...

Gold substitution an unlikely threat to platinum's autocat crown

Emerging technology suggests that gold could be used in the catalysts of some diesel passenger vehicles in the next couple of years, as a cheaper substitution for platinum, reports VM Group analyst Matthew Turner. However, although the more...

IMF may start gold sales in Q1 – VM

Unless another central bank steps in to buy what remains of the gold earmarked for sale by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the fund will likely begin on-market gold sales in the first quarter of 2010, suggests VM Group analyst Matthew...

VM Group predicts silver surplus will narrow in '09

Increased demand from silver exchange traded funds and falling mine production of the metal will likely result in a narrowed supply surplus in the silver market this year, metals consultancy VM Group predicts in the latest edition of its Silver...

Gold hedging down 18% in first quarter of ‘08

Global gold hedging declined by a record 18%, or 4,8-million ounces in the first quarter of 2008, to a delta-adjusted 22-million ounces, compared with 26,8-million ounces in the previous quarter, commodities research consultancy VM Group...

VM Group expects platinum deficit will narrow in '08

Metals consultancy the VM Group expects the deficit in the global platinum market to shrink this year, to 360 800 oz, from a shortfall of 412 400 oz, the firm said on Tuesday. In the latest edition of its bi-annual industry report sponsored by...