U.S. Markets November 28-December 4

The U.S. markets saw gains during the trading period Nov. 28-Dec. 4, despite an 8.7% drop in durable goods orders. The dip was the biggest in more than six years and larger than economists had forecast, suggesting that businesses were starting to respond to slower economic growth.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 147.85 points to 12,283.85 and the Standard and Poor’s 500 Index also increased by 22.40 points to 1,409.12.

The top gold producers saw increases: Newmont’s stock went up US$1.65 to US$47.29; AngloGold Ashanti increased US$1.35 to US$47.91; and Gold Fields was boosted US$1.82 to US$19.42.

Larger metals producers also saw gains: Rio Tinto saw the greatest value change, increasing US$13.20 to US$219.78, while Anglo American’s stock price rose US67 to US$23.82, BHP Billiton climbed US$1.56 to US$41.84, Phelps Dodge inched up US20 to US$122.15 and Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold saw a US52 lift, closing at US$60.93.

Freeport was the most-active stock traded with volume of 21.5 million shares and Phelps Dodge, which is being swallowed by the miner, was in third place on volume of 200 million shares traded. This activity was likely the result of hedge funds and arbitrage funds being played before Freeport’s proposed takeover of Phelps becomes final. The merger would make Freeport the world’s largest publicly traded copper company and the largest North American-based miner.

Equitable Mining was busy changing hands on volume of 18.8 million over the session, but the stock itself closed at US1.8, up US1.2 — possibly the result of issuing many press releases with little news.

Coal companies followed the upward trend as well, with Peabody Energy increasing US$4.98 to US$47.05, Fording Canadian Coal Trust up US53 to US$20.96 and Massey Energy closing at US$27.65, up US$1.91.

Many juniors remained steady over the week, although some managed gains, including: Apex Silver, which saw a US66 hike to US$17.35; Metalline Mining, which got a US46 boost to US$4.35; and Mines Management, which closed up US17 at US$5.56.

U.S. greatest percentage change

		VOLUME(000s)	HIGH	LOW	CLOSE	CHANGE
Gemco Mnls*	GMML	112	0.22	0.07	0.22	+144.4
NT Holding*	NTHH	58	0.37	0.25	0.37	+42.3
Homeland Pr M*	HPMEF	478	0.95	0.60	0.85+41.6
Rubicon Mnls*	RBY	315	1.15	0.84	1.15	+40.2
Equitable Mng*	EQBM	18838	0.018	0.009	0.018	+38.4
El Capitan Pr*	ECPN	1911	1.50	0.91	1.29	+37.2
Tara Gold*	TRGD	3612	1.15	0.78	1.04	+29.1
Colombia Gldf*	CGDF	2634	1.54	1.23	1.485	+23.7
Northw Min Vt*	NWTMF	2394	0.61	0.435	0.54	+22.7
Crystallex In*	KRY	4683	4.14	3.33	4.04	+18.4
HE-5 Res*	HRRN	72	1.10	0.48	0.48	-52.0
Michigan Gold*	MGGV	1280	0.009	0.005	0.005	-28.5
Radius Gold*	RDUFF	319	0.51	0.411	0.411	-19.4
Grand Cen Sil*	GSLM	13	1.35	1.10	1.10	-18.5
Konigsberg*	KGBC	493	0.42	0.30	0.31	-16.4
McKenzie Bay*	MKBY	1323	0.13	0.10	0.11	-15.3
Lafayette Mng*	LYMGF	112	0.07	0.05	0.06	-14.2
Geocom Res*	GOCM	139	0.32	0.28	0.28	-12.5
Diamond Discv*	DMDD	2162	0.008	0.006	0.007	-12.5
Apolo Gold*	APLL	156	0.08	0.066	0.066	-12.0

U.S. greatest value change

		VOLUME	CLOSE	CHANGE
Rio Tinto*	RTP	1192200	219.78	+13.20
Peabody Enrgy*	BTU	16832900	47.05	+4.98
Royal Gold*	RGLD	1147145	33.99	+4.68
Cameco Corp*	CCJ	9025300	39.05	+3.72
NACCO Ind*	NC	66300	148.60	+3.48
Teck Comin B*	TCK	545200	78.26	+3.45
Potash C Sask*	POT	2354700	143.90	+3.20
Foundatn Coal*	FCL	2758500	37.22	+2.82
Yanzhou Coal*	YZC	89200	38.00	+2.66
Southern Peru*	PCU	4250000	55.50	+2.65
Westmoreland*	WLB	47200	21.30	-0.89
Central Fund*	CEF	3356400	9.71	-0.57
North Am Pall*	PAL	451300	8.63	-0.52
Freeport McMo*	FCX	21467500	60.93	-0.52
HE-5 Res*	HRRN	71502	0.48	-0.52
Fronteer Dev*	FRG	1391300	8.65	-0.33
Corriente Rs*	ETQ	137100	4.68	-0.32
New Gold*	NGD	17100	8.32	-0.30
Grand Cen Sil*	GSLM	12500	1.10	-0.25
Richmont Mine*	RIC	62900	2.54	-0.19

U.S. most active issues

		VOLUME(000s)	HIGH	LOW	CLOSE	CHANGE
Freeport McMo*	FCX	21468	63.70	60.10	60.93	-0.52
Alcoa*	AA	21249	31.24	29.85	31.18	+1.02
Phelps Dodge*	PD	20004	123.75	120.23	122.15	+0.20
Goldcorp*	GG	19404	31.38	28.53	31.18	+2.31
Equitable Mng*	EQBM	18838	0.018	0.009	0.018	+0.005
CVRD*	RIO	18065	28.63	26.23	28.58	+1.88
Newmont Mng*	NEM	17673	47.46	45.24	47.29	+1.65
Peabody Enrgy*	BTU	16833	47.06	42.00	47.05	+4.98
Barrick Gold*	ABX	12462	31.56	29.55	31.50	+1.86
Silverado*	SLGLF	11808	0.079	0.068	0.071	-0.005