Analysis: Commodities

China H1 gold consumption falls at slower pace on strong safe-haven demand

BEIJING -China's gold consumption in the first half of 2025 declined at a slower pace, as strong safe-haven demand partly offset dwindling appetite for jewellery purchases amid persistently high...

Discounts widen in India as elevated prices dull activity

Gold demand in India remained subdued this week, as near record-high prices kept buyers at bay and prompted dealers to widen discounts to lure them, while elevated rates curtailed activity across...

Canada and New Zealand resolve dairy trade dispute, Canada says

Canada and New Zealand have reached a mutually satisfactory resolution to a long-running dispute over access for dairy products, the Canadian government said in a statement on Thursday. ...

India's oil minister sees scope for lower fuel prices if crude prices remain stable

NEW DELHI -India has the scope to cut fuel prices if crude oil prices stay at current levels for the next two to three months, Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Thursday. ...

India markets regulator mulls mandating asset managers to use domestic gold, silver spot prices

India's markets regulator on Wednesday proposed to mandate that asset management companies use spot prices published by domestic commodity exchanges to value gold and silver. To...

India's June gold imports fall to two-year low as record price dents demand

MUMBAI -India's gold imports in June fell 40% from a year ago to their lowest level in more than two years, as a price rally to a record high sapped demand, a government and two industry officials...

Zimbabwe's Kuvimba revises platinum mine plan as prices rebound

Zimbabwe's Kuvimba Mining House will develop its Darwendale platinum project as an open pit rather than the previously planned underground mine, CEO Trevor Barnard said, speeding up the delayed...

Gold pares gains after Trump shoots down talk of ousting Powell

Gold prices jumped on Wednesday following news reports that U.S. President Donald Trump planned to fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, but trimmed gains after Trump denied the claim. ...

Commodities: Tariffs shake up copper

Every week, our commodity overview reviews the latest news from the commodity markets to better understand fluctuations in the prices of energy, metals, and agricultural commodities.

Indian investors flock to silver as returns overtake those from gold

MUMBAI -Indian investors, traditionally obsessed with stockpiling gold, are increasingly turning to silver, which was trading near a 14-year high on Monday, as its returns this year outpaced those of...

Gold eases after hitting three-week high

Gold prices edged lower after hitting a three-week high on Monday, with attention focused on trade talks and U.S. economic data, while silver climbed to its highest level since September 2011. ...

Japan, China take step towards resuming Japanese beef exports to China

TOKYO -Japan's farm ministry said on Friday that an animal health and quarantine agreement with China had come into force, paving the way towards the resumption of Japanese beef exports to China that...

Demand sluggish in Asia as volatile prices weigh on sentiment

Demand for physical gold remained sluggish this week across major Asian markets as price volatility weighed on sentiment, with premiums in China holding firm and discounts in India narrowing. ...

Gold ETFs drew largest inflow in five years during first half of 2025, WGC says

LONDON -Physically backed gold exchange-traded funds recorded their largest semi-annual inflow since the first half of 2020 from January to June, data from the World Gold Council showed on Tuesday. ...

Ghana launches task force to curb gold smuggling losses

ACCRA -Ghana President John Dramani Mahama on Tuesday launched a task force backed by security forces to address illegal gold trading, as Africa's top producer seeks to recover billions of dollars...

Safe-haven gold slips over 1% on trade optimism

Gold prices slipped more than 1% on Tuesday, as optimism over trade deals between U.S. and its trading partners weighed on safe-haven flows, with a firmer U.S. dollar and rising Treasury yields adding...

Gold pares losses after Trump levies 25% tariffs on Japan, South Korea

Gold prices pared earlier losses on Monday after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a 25% tariff on goods from Japan and South Korea starting August 1, prompting some safe-haven interest, though a...

What is Japan's trade policy on rice?

TOKYO -U.S. President Donald Trump has complained that Japan was not buying American rice, putting pressure on Tokyo as it struggles to seal a trade deal before so-called reciprocal tariffs are set...

Gold poised for weekly gain on dollar weakness, safe-haven demand

Gold prices rebounded on Friday and were heading for a weekly gain, helped by a retreat in the U.S. dollar and safe-haven inflows, as U.S. President Donald Trump's deadline for trade deals loomed. ...