U.S. Markets April 10-16

The stock markets in the United States saw steady gains during the trading period April 10-16, the same week the International Monetary Fund released an economic forecast that predicted the U.S. economy would see the weakest growth this year since 2002.

The IMF forecasts growth of 2.2% for 2007, down from 3.3% in 2006, while the world economy is expected to grow by 4.9%, after enjoying a growth rate of 5.4% in 2006.

The NASDAQ was up 49.15 points to 2,518.33 over the week; the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 151.32 points, closing at 12,720.46; and the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index added 23.86 points over the period to finish at 1,468.47.

The gold price surged about US$9 to US$686.50 per oz., which was reflected in the big gold companies’ stocks and in Amex’s Gold Bugs Index — up 14.28 points to 368.28. Newmont Mining shares rose US$1.43, settling at US$45.00; AngloGold Ashanti saw a boost of US$2.96 to US$48.72; Gold Fields shares climbed US92 to US$20.08; and Harmony Gold Mining’s stock jumped US81 to US$16.30.

Of the mid-tier gold producers, Hecla Mining set a new 12-month high of US$9.87 over the period, but finished off at US$9.80 — still a gain of US60 over the session. Shares of Coeur d’Alene Mines were up US7 to US$4.27.

Topping the most-active list was Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold with 70.8 million shares traded, bringing the stock up US$2.44 to US$71.11.

Alcoa was next, though a trading volume of 55 million shares had little effect on the stock; shares in the company inched up US7 over the week, closing at US$34.94.

Energy companies continued an upward trend from the previous week, with Peabody Energy rising US$2.31 to US$48.18; Arch Coal gaining US$2.67 to close at US$37.80; and Consol Energy shares increasing US$1.85 to US$44.33.

Base metal producers remained strong: Anglo American saw a US50 boost to close at US$27.60; BHP Billiton was up US$1.47 to US$51.50; and Companhia Vale do Rio Doce rose US$1.84 to US$41.90.

Among the U.S.-listed explorers and small producers, Canyon Resources jumped US18 to US84, while Mines Management rose US38 to US$5.31, and Shoshone Silver Mining shed US4 to close at US27.

U.S. most active issues

		VOLUME(000s)	HIGH	LOW	CLOSE	CHANGE
Freeport McMo*	FCX	70847	71.44	68.90	71.11	+2.44
Alcoa*	AA	55159	35.76	34.62	34.94	+0.07
Coeur d Alene*	CDE	42615	4.36	4.10	4.27	+0.07
Goldcorp*	GG	41916	26.93	25.33	26.76	+1.25
CVRD*	RIO	41177	41.97	39.77	41.90	+1.84
Silverado*	SLGLF	30264	0.16	0.125	0.148	-0.009
Peabody Enrgy*	BTU	30123	48.26	44.89	48.18	+2.31
Newmont Mng*	NEM	29575	45.11	42.94	45.00	+1.43
Barrick Gold*	ABX	29075	29.81	28.76	29.67	+0.49
Crystallex In*	KRY	26990	4.41	3.73	4.17	-0.10

U.S. greatest percentage change

		VOLUME(000s)	HIGH	LOW	CLOSE	CHANGE
Rubicon Mnls*	RBY	6370	2.82	1.65	2.51	+52.1
Sao Luis Mng*	SAOL	845	0.90	0.64	0.87	+38.1
Sparrowtech R*	SPMC	217	0.08	0.06	0.08	+33.3
Wealth Minls*	WMLLF	353	4.904	3.60	4.904	+32.5
Queenstake Rs*	QEE	8088	0.182	0.13	0.18	+28.5
Canyon Res*	CAU	1608	0.84	0.66	0.84	+27.2
Cream Mnrls*	CRMXF	26	0.511	0.435	0.511	+26.1
Minera Andes*	MNEAF	3680	2.18	1.76	2.166	+25.9
Entree Gold*	EGI	1567	2.37	1.89	2.30	+25.0
Global Gold*	GBGD	12	1.05	0.85	1.05	+23.5
Diamond Discv*	DMDD	1543	0.014	0.009	0.011	-26.6
Pine Valley M*	PVMCF	108	0.057	0.044	0.05	-15.2
Konigsberg*	KGBC	189	0.20	0.15	0.17	-15.0
Patriot Gold*	PGOL	279	0.13	0.085	0.105	-14.6
NT Holding*	NTHH	22	0.12	0.12	0.12	-14.2
Shoshone Silv*	SHSH	96	0.33	0.26	0.27	-12.9
Cardero Res*	CDY	715	2.90	2.49	2.54	-12.4
Mesabi Trust*	MSB	403	23.49	19.85	20.50	-12.2
Kimber Res*	KBX	980	1.752	1.52	1.57	-9.7
US Antimony*	UAMY	68	0.70	0.60	0.60	-9.0

U.S. greatest value change

		VOLUME	CLOSE	CHANGE
Potash C Sask*	POT	7173952	184.40	+15.22
Rio Tinto*	RTP	2255400	254.76	+14.20
Soc Quim&M Ch*	SQM	247400	158.80	+11.65
Teck Comin B*	TCK	1521100	78.46	+4.71
OM Group*	OMG	3524300	49.20	+3.93
ASA (Bermuda)*	ASA	338200	70.30	+3.06
AngloGold Ash*	AU	5314800	48.72	+2.96
Arch Coal*	ACI	20420565	37.80	+2.67
Seabridge Gld*	SA	1696600	18.19	+2.62
Foundatn Coal*	FCL	4789862	39.62	+2.45
Mesabi Trust*	MSB	403000	20.50	-2.85
Aber Diamond*	ABER	45883	37.44	-0.64
Massey Energy*	MEE	9891692	25.05	-0.45
Cardero Res*	CDY	715200	2.54	-0.36
Kimber Res*	KBX	980300	1.57	-0.17
Crystallex In*	KRY	26990164	4.17	-0.10
Minco Gold*	MGH	267100	1.75	-0.09
Klondike Star*	KDSM	98714	1.41	-0.09
Gammon Lk Res*	GRS	2361800	17.71	-0.07
US Antimony*	UAMY	67500	0.60	-0.06