News – 09-OCT-06

U.S. MARKETSSEPTEMBER 26 – OCTOBER 2

Mining and resource stocks listed on U.S. markets endured a lackluster trading session over the report period Sept. 26-Oct. 2, with diversified and base metal producers generally faring better than their gold counterparts. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index gained a modest 3.91 points to close at 1,330.38 over the session.

Setting aside the penny pink sheets that somehow always manage to top the most-active list, the most-active traders ran the gamut from gold and copper companies to coal and aluminum producers. Newmont Mining posted the heaviest trading volume among senior companies, though it only managed to add US13 to close at US$43.21.

Brazilian mega-miner Companhia Vale do Rio Doce, which is positioned for further growth through its bold takeover bid for nickel miner Inco, was up US$2.07 at US$21.83.

Copper bellwether Phelps Dodge rebounded after recent profit-taking to close at US$85.13, up US$3.18 from a week earlier. Southern Peru Copper had a bigger bounce and closed US$6.68 higher at US$93.93.

Commodity conglomerate Rio Tinto also enjoyed a rebound and topped the list of largest value gainers to close at US$192.18, for a gain of US$10.86. BHP Billiton, another global resource giant, also rode the wave of positive investor sentiment to close at US$38.37, for a gain of US$2.18.

Teck Cominco may not have won the hand of Inco, but did raise its visibility on U.S. markets this past summer by listing on the New York Stock Exchange. The cash-rich diversified producer was ahead US$4.30 to US$62.45.

OM Group posted an even larger gain of US$6.79 to close at US$45.95. The company is the world’s largest refiner and producer of cobalt and related products, and is also the world’s fifth-largest nickel producer.

On the junior scene, Starfield Resources was the largest percentage gainer, posting a 30% gain to close at US26. The company is focused on its Ferguson Lake copper-nickel-cobalt-platinum-palladium property in Nunavut, where a $7.6-million program is under way to advance the project to prefeasibility.

Aber Diamond, a case study of how juniors can grow through discovery and good management, slipped US$1.17 to US$31.82.

U.S. greatest percentage change

		VOLUME(000s)	HIGH	LOW	CLOSE	CHANGE
Starfield Res*	SRFDF	1370	0.28	0.19	0.26	+30.0
Sao Luis Mng*	SAOL	742	2.125	1.50	2.09	+26.6
Puda Coal*	PUDC	316	4.19	3.20	4.19	+25.0
Goldspring*	GSPG	20783	0.005	0.004	0.005	+25.0
Crested Corp*	CBAG	22	1.64	1.27	1.60	+25.0
Wealth Minls*	WMLLF	125	1.49	1.12	1.45	+22.8
US Gold*	USGL	1565	5.10	4.01	4.95	+22.2
McKenzie Bay*	MKBY	1643	0.12	0.09	0.12	+20.0
El Capitan Pr*	ECPN	726	1.36	1.10	1.31	+19.0
Banro Res*	BAA	47	9.04	7.37	8.80	+18.9
Commerce Grp*	CGCO	41	0.11	0.058	0.06	-45.4
Centrl Minera*	CENMF	14	0.10	0.06	0.06	-40.0
Michigan Gold*	MGGV	623	0.012	0.007	0.009	-35.7
Konigsberg*	KGBC	3481	0.43	0.22	0.26	-34.1
Global Gold*	GBGD	89	1.30	1.00	1.00	-20.0
Campbell Res*	CBLRF	1829	0.12	0.083	0.088	-20.0
NT Holding*	NTHH	239	0.75	0.45	0.60	-20.0
Pine Valley M*	PVMCF	500	0.53	0.42	0.46	-14.8
Trend Mng*	TRDM	445	0.105	0.093	0.093	-7.9
Newgold*	NGLD	620	0.40	0.369	0.369	-7.7

U.S. greatest value change

		VOLUME	CLOSE	CHANGE
Rio Tinto*	RTP	1555400	192.18	+10.86
OM Group*	OMG	3040500	45.95	+6.79
Southern Peru*	PCU	3801200	93.93	+6.68
Soc Quim&M Ch*	SQM	61100	116.73	+5.38
Teck Comin B*	TCK	287600	62.45	+4.30
Phelps Dodge*	PD	12266800	85.13	+3.18
BHP Billi-BHP*	BHP	9777000	38.37	+2.18
CVRD*	RIO	25166600	21.83	+2.07
Freeport McMo*	FCX	12034200	53.47	+2.03
BHP Billi-BBL*	BBL	212800	35.15	+1.95
Aber Diamond*	ABER	79552	31.82	-1.17
Buenaventura*	BVN	3074700	26.28	-1.01
Gammon Lk Res*	GRS	527900	11.29	-0.73
AngloGold Ash*	AU	5824400	38.15	-0.71
Mines Managem*	MGN	137100	5.25	-0.42
Cameco Corp*	CCJ	6618200	35.90	-0.42
Fording C C T*	FDG	2305000	25.74	-0.35
Global Gold*	GBGD	88800	1.00	-0.25
Westmoreland*	WLB	56000	18.98	-0.20
PolyMet Mng*	PLM	264600	3.06	-0.19

U.S. most active issues

		VOLUME(000s)	HIGH	LOW	CLOSE	CHANGE
AuGrid*	AUGC	1641614	0.00	1.0E8	0.00	0.00
Newmont Mng*	NEM	31765	44.15	41.75	43.21	+0.13
CVRD*	RIO	25167	22.06	19.77	21.83	+2.07
Goldspring*	GSPG	20783	0.005	0.004	0.005	+0.001
Goldcorp*	GG	20395	24.54	21.98	23.10	+1.12
Alcoa*	AA	19067	28.30	27.20	27.62	+0.33
Peabody Enrgy*	BTU	19000	37.35	34.70	36.36	+1.16
Equitable Mng*	EQBM	14492	0.009	0.006	0.009	0.00
Barrick Gold*	ABX	14247	31.54	29.05	30.88	+1.78
Phelps Dodge*	PD	12267	86.25	82.55	85.13	+3.18