News

The World Steel Association is forecasting that apparent steel use will contract worldwide by 8.6% to 1,104 million tonnes in 2009 after declining by 1.4% in 2008.

Short positions outstanding at Sept. 30/09 (with changes from Sept. 15/09).

Gold prices are typically strong in September and October as Western goldsmiths and jewellers stock up on inventory needed for the flurry of jewelry giving over the Christmas and New Year’s holidays.

Short positions outstanding at Sept. 30/09 (with changes from Sept. 15/09).

Note: Vale will pay $0.4795 for common and prf class A shares on Oct 30. Alcoa will pay US93.75 cents per share on its US$3.75 cmltv prf stk payable Jan 1, record close Dec 11.

CANADIAN/U. S. EXCHANGE (Bank of Canada noon rate) Date Oct. 12 Oct. 9 Oct. 8 Oct. 7 Oct. 6 US$ in C$ Holiday 1.0424 1.0535 1.0619 1.0571 C$ in US$ Holiday 0.9593 0.9492 0.9417 0.9…

*as of Sept. 30/09

as of 5 p. m. ET. Oct 13, 2009 (%) Bank of Canada 0.50 Target overnight rate 0.25 Canadian Prime 2.25 U. S. Discount Primary 0.50 U. S. Fed Funds market rate 0-0.25 U. S. Prime …

Australia (A$) Oct. 13 Oct. 5 Change Aquila Resources 7.48 7.05 0.43 Bendigo Mining 0.25 0.24 0.01 Centennial Coal 3.35 3.12 0.23 Fortescue Res 3.90 3.59 0.31 Iluka R…

VANCOUVER — A cash-rich Gobi- Min (GBM-V, GMNFF-O) — it has $88 million in the bank — is making a foray into gold exploration.

Freegold Ventures (ITF-T, FGOVF-O) is easing some debt pressures by selling its Almaden gold project in western Idaho to Western Standard Metals (WSM-V) for cash, shares and warrants.

Western Areas (WSA-T, WSA-A) has received final consent from Australia’s Environment Ministry to start building a mine at its high-grade Spotted Quoll nickel deposit and the company expects production…