The world’s largest gold producer continues to ride the wave of higher precious metals prices after reporting record earnings and free cash flow for the first quarter of 2026.
Copper inventories on the US Comex exchange have climbed to a record high, data from the bourse showed on Wednesday, as traders take advantage of the renewed price arbitrage to ship metal to the United States.
Gold futures staged a measured recovery on Wednesday, settling at $4,758 per ounce on the COMEX — a gain of $19 on the session — as markets digested a complex cocktail of geopolitical relief and monetary policy anxiety. The advance, took place despite a stronger dollar following President Donald Trump's decision to extend the U.S.-Iran ceasefire indefinitely, allowing gold to scrape back a portion of Tuesday's steep sell-off that pushed prices to their lowest level since April 13.
A perfect storm of surging demand from retail investors and rapid consumption from manufacturers ramping up solar panel production ahead of expiring tax rebates resulted in the largest single month of silver imports in China’s history, according to a report from The Kobeissi Letter.
Although the gold market looks a little directionless as prices test near-term support near $4,700, it still remains an important diversification tool, and investors should see these lower prices as a buying opportunity, according to one fund manager.
The recent decline in long positions for gold and silver means both metals have some potential upside, but the ongoing Iran conflict and tensions surrounding the succession at the head of the Fed will keep the big money out of precious metals over the coming weeks, according to Rhona O'Connell, Head of Market Analysis at StoneX.
Gold prices are near steady but near session highs near midday Thursday. Trading has been choppy the past couple weeks as traders assess the ramifications of the war on the metals markets in the near to intermediate term. Sliver prices are lower but up from their daily lows. Metals traders are awaiting the next shoe to drop regarding major U.S.-Iran war developments. June gold was last down $3.30 at $4,749.90. May silver prices were down $1.74 at $76.15.
Global supply chains for lithium could benefit from collaboration among governments, but any intervention on prices would need to be handled carefully, Dale Henderson, CEO of Australian lithium miner PLS, said on Wednesday on the sidelines of Brazil’s COP30 climate summit.
The Canadian dollar strengthened on Wednesday to its highest level against the greenback this month as investors monitored progress toward the expected reopening of the U.S. government and after minutes from the Bank of Canada's latest meeting did little to alter a perception that the central bank's easing campaign is on hold.
The U.S. dollar gained on the euro and yen on Wednesday as traders evaluated what a flood of economic releases will mean for Federal Reserve interest rate policy if the government votes on Wednesday to reopen, as is expected.
