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Gold drops to four months low

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LONDON – Gold prices fell to their lowest level in more than four months Friday and are on track for their worst month since December, as investors abandon the precious metal amid decreasing tensions between Ukraine and Russia.

Gold for August delivery, the most actively traded contract, recently fell $4.50, or 0.4% to $1252.50. Prices dropped as low as $1249.99 earlier in the session, their weakest level since Feb. 4. Gold is on track for a more than 3% loss this month.

The precious metal, traditionally considered a safe-haven investment in times of heightened political and economic risks, as well as inflation, had benefited from the worst East-West standoff since the end of the Cold War. Gold gained 16% between the beginning of the year and March 17, as the crisis in Ukraine intensified.

Since then, however, prices have been marching lower, as investors increasingly see the conflict as a regional one, with little chance of spilling over beyond Ukraine’s borders. That view was cemented earlier this week, after a newly elected Ukrainian president brought hope of a resolution in the monthslong conflict between Kiev and Moscow.

With political tensions falling and stock markets at record highs, investors have been selling the precious metal. Gold has fallen nearly 10% from its March highs.

“If you take political risk out of the equation, the pressures are for gold to go down,” said John Rutledge, an investment strategist at Safanad, which manages more than $4 billion.

Gold prices have also been hit by a spate of stronger-than-expected U.S. data this week. U.S. jobless claims for last week remained near prerecession level in a sign the labor market continues to improve, data showed Thursday. U.S. consumer confidence in May and durable-goods orders in April also surpassed expectations.

“Gold is in no man’s land at the moment,” said Peter Hug, global trading director at Kitco Metals. “From a short term point of view, the market looks lousy.”

– WALLSTREET JOURNAL

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Business

Nigeria set to boost Naira value and foreign reserve with local gold production, as Tinubu receives gold bar

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IN  a significant move to strengthen Nigeria’s economy, President Bola Tinubu received a symbolic gold bar on Sunday from the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake.

This gesture marks the commencement of the National Gold Purchase Program (NGPP), aimed at boosting the naira’s value and enhancing the country’s foreign reserves.

Minister Alake expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for his support of reforms in the solid minerals sector.

He highlighted that the NGPP, which involves sourcing gold from artisanal and small-scale miners and refining it to meet the London Bullion Market Association’s Good Delivery Standard, will substantially contribute to Nigeria’s economic stability.

Alake stated “This initiative will significantly increase our foreign reserves and strengthen the naira. The refined gold will be supplied to the Central Bank of Nigeria, marking a crucial step in our economic strategy.”

The presentation also underscored the first commercial transaction under the NGPP, establishing a centralized gold purchasing system that integrates small-scale miners, cooperatives, and production units across the nation.

This program is expected to provide a structured market for gold, fostering economic growth and stability.

He said, The successful completion of the first commercial transaction clearly demonstrates the National Gold Purchase Program’s effectiveness. It has increased the nation’s foreign reserves assets and shown that using the Nigerian Naira to purchase a liquid asset traded in United States Dollars, such as gold, is a viable strategy. This transaction has also underscored the potential of the National Gold Purchase Program to enhance fiscal and monetary stability.”

Alake added that the initial commercial transaction under the program resulted in a +US$5 million boost in Nigeria’s foreign reserve assets.

The transaction involved refining over 70 kilograms of gold to meet the London Bullion Market quality standard and aggregating locally mined gold, thereby infusing approximately NGN6 billion into the rural economy.

President Tinubu expressed appreciation for the Ministry’s accomplishment in advancing the government’s goal of economic diversification by acknowledging and displaying the symbolic gold bar

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Solid Minerals

FG Fingers Foreigners Sponsoring Banditry For Illegal Mining

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The Nigerian Government has threatened to come down heavily on foreigners sponsoring bandictory as a way of sustaining illegal mining activities in parts of the country.

The warning was handed down in Abuja by Minister, Solid Minerals Development, Dr Oladele Alake, while receiving a delegation of the Nigeria-China Chamber of Mines led by its National President, Dr. Olugbenga Ajala.

Details of these were contained in a statement released by Head, Press & PR, Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, Alaba Balogun over the weekend.

The statement cited, Dr Alake, thus, “The government will come down firmly on these unscrupulous foreign operators sponsoring banditry to perpetrate illegal mining: let me use this medium to appeal through you to tell those sponsors to desist or face the full wrath of the law.”

According to Dr Alake, the Ministry is committed to establishing a multi-agency task force that will end the activities of illegal miners and their collaborators.

The Minster made it clear that the FG had given illegal miners a 30-day-ultimatum to legitimise their businesses, quit Nigeria or incur the wrath of the law.

According to him, this will help “to streamline and structure the Small-Scale Artisanal Miners for maximum yield to the Federal Government.”

The delegation paid a courtesy call on the Minsiter at the Ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.

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Energy

Fuel Scarcity: Govt Yet to Increase Pump Prices – NMDPRA

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A long queue at an NNPC fuel station

By Edozie Obasi-Eze

 

Amidst heightening uncertainties in the domestic petroleum products market characterised by scarcity and irregular pricing, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has declared that there’s no intention to review pump prices upwards.

This was contained in an advisory issued by General Manager, Corporate Communications, NMDPRA, Kimchi Apollo.

He stated that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) had imported PMS with current stock levels sufficient for 34 days.

In an attempt to address panic buying and speculations which have seen price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) oscillate between N180-N250 in the Lagos area, Apollo assured that there was enough quantity of the product in the country already.

He said, “Consequently, marketers and the general public are advised to avoid panic buying, diversion of products and hoarding.

“In keeping with the Authority’s responsibilities as outlined in the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), the Authority assures the public that it would continue to monitor the supply and distribution of petroleum products nationwide, especially during this holiday season.”

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