U.S. Markets – NOVEMBER 17-23

U. S. markets remained in a holding pattern during the Nov. 17-23 reporting period, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average inching up just 13.53 points or 0.13% to close at 10,450.95, while the S&P 500 index fell 4.08 points or 0.37% to close at 1,106.24. The Nasdaq dropped 27.77 points or 1.2% to 2,176.01.

Mining companies that produce potash used in fertilizer production fared well as leaders attending the three-day World Summit on Food Security in Rome discussed ways to eliminate hunger. Jacques Diouf, director-general of the Food and Agriculture Organization, called the more than 1 billion hungry people in the world “our tragic achievement in these modern days,” and decried underinvestment in farming. But the final declaration from the conference failed to mention the US$44 billion Diouf had requested for agriculture in less developed nations.

Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan topped the list of value gains during the reporting period, rising US$9.60 per share to close at US$113.78. Mosaic Co. took second spot on the list, adding US$5.09 to US$54.98, followed by Intrepid Potash with a US$3.96 advance to US$30.02.

Meanwhile, the price of gold moved up from its New York close of US$1,140.60 per oz. on Nov. 17 to US$1,164.10 per oz. on Nov. 23. The Amex Gold Bugs index gained 2.21 points or 0.46% to finish the week at 481.34, while the Philadelphia Gold & Silver index fell 0.41 of a point or 0.22% to close at 186.99.

Royal Gold climbed US$1.99 per share to US$54.08 after an announcement on Nov. 18 that it will increase its dividend payment to US36¢ per share from US32¢, payable on a quarterly basis of US9¢ per share. Earlier this month, the precious metals royalty company also reported strong quarterly results. Net income attributable to its shareholders in the first quarter of fiscal 2010 reached US$7.1 million, or US18¢ per share, on record royalty revenue of US$26.1 million, a 62% year-on-year increase. Free cash flow reached US$22.6 million, representing 87% of total revenue and a 70% year-on-year increase.

Compania de Minas Buenaventura, Peru’s largest publicly traded precious metals mining company, added US$1.13 per share to US$40.83. Buenaventura’s net income in the third quarter reached US$148.5 million, a 48% year-on-year increase.

U.S. most active issues
	VOLUME	WEEK
	(000s) HIGH	LOW	CLOSE	CHANGE
Alcoa* AA	119526 13.80	12.92	13.06	-0.55
Hecla Mining* HL	93315 6.77	5.71	6.44	+ 0.60
Freeport McMo*FCX	61656 87.23	82.50	85.33	+ 0.85
Barrick Gold* ABX	61121 45.82	42.66	43.88	-0.11
PotashCSask* POT	48427118.05	103.11	113.78	+ 9.60
Newmont Mng* NEM	40569 54.87	51.09	53.34	+ 0.95
Goldcorp* GG	40224 45.49	42.62	44.31	-0.34
Silver Wheatn* SLW	35673 16.72	15.11	16.25	+ 0.41
Gold Fields* GFI	34567 14.99	13.97	14.74	-0.26
Teck B* TCK	34461 36.36	32.83	35.30	+ 1.89

U.S. greatest percentage change
		VOLUME	WEEK
		(000s)	HIGH	LOW	CLOSE	CHANGE
Petaquilla Mn*	PTQMF	8987	0.58	0.20	0.48	+128.5
Kimber Res*	KBX	2222	1.19	0.63	1.09	+ 70.3
Silver Dragon*	SDRG	1391	0.48	0.33	0.47	+ 27.0
Mines Managem*	MGN	913	2.83	2.46	2.77	+ 24.7
Quaterra Res*	QMM	410	1.70	1.10	1.38	+ 24.3
Alberta Star *	ASXSF	744	0.18	0.15	0.18	+ 20.0
US Antimony*	UAMY	10	0.47	0.41	0.47	+ 17.5
Keegan Res*	KGN	144	7.54	5.75	6.98	+ 17.3
Caledonia Mng*	CALVF	724	0.07	0.06	0.07	+ 16.6
DRDGOLD*	DROOY	1845	5.64	4.45	5.39	+ 15.4
Samex Mng*	SMXMF	555	0.42	0.32	0.37	-15.9
New Gold*	NGD	27777	4.43	3.31	3.60	-15.8
Douglas Lk Ml*	DLKM	267	0.30	0.26	0.27	-12.9
Linux Gold*	LNXGF	1051	0.09	0.07	0.07	-12.5
Cornerstone C*	CTNXF	73	0.16	0.14	0.14	-12.5
Bullion Monar*	BULM	151	0.85	0.67	0.75	-11.7
Crystallex In*	KRY	27667	0.42	0.34	0.40	-11.1
L&L Intl Hldg*	LLFH	380	5.45	4.75	4.84	-10.3
Apollo Gold*	AGT	7889	0.52	0.47	0.49	-7.5
New Jersey Mg*	NJMC	41	0.25	0.22	0.25	-7.4

U.S. greatest value change
WEEK
	VOLUME	CLOSE	CHANGE
Potash C Sask* POT	48426719	113.78	+ 9.60
Mosaic* MOS	32668344	54.98	+ 5.09
Intrepid Pots* IPI	4105200	30.02	+ 3.96
Agrium* AGU	3642500	56.72	+ 2.94
Royal Gold* RGLD	3007127	54.08	+ 1.99
Teck B* TCK	34460893	35.30	+ 1.89
Agnico-Eagle* AEM	15947969	62.99	+ 1.37
Mesabi Trust* MSB	320355	12.21	+ 1.20
Allied Nevada* ANV	462600	13.27	+ 1.13
Buenaventura* BVN	6701047	40.83	+ 1.13
Rio Tinto* RTP	4085371	213.87	-6.93
CONSOL Energy* CNX	15593866	45.29	-3.52
OM Group* OMG	1808244	31.59	-2.10
ASA (Bermuda)* ASA	288379	79.86	-1.88
Arch Coal* ACI	23238206	21.86	-1.53
Mechel* MTL	3418700	20.38	-1.44
AlumCpChina* ACH	783700	27.97	-1.42
Alpha Nat Res* ANR	15756957	38.90	-1.34
AngloGold Ash* AU	14657603	44.86	-1.16
BHP Billi-BBL* BBL	4732631	61.91	-1.15