Why Is a Widening Gulf War Lifting Oil but Sinking Gold and Silver?

Macro Snapshot: The week ending 30 October brought the kind of news that once sent buyers into gold. Reuters reported the first known successful limpet-mine strike on a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz since the war began in February, and Houthi forces claimed strikes on Saudi refineries. Washington ordered non-emergency government staff out of Saudi Arabia amid reports that US strikes on Iran could resume after the 3 November midterm elections. Brent rose 13.6% over October, with the expiring

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Why Is a Widening Gulf War Lifting Oil but Sinking Gold and Silver?

Macro Snapshot: The week ending 30 October brought the kind of news that once sent buyers into gold. Reuters reported the first known successful limpet-mine strike on a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz since the war began in February, and Houthi forces claimed strikes on Saudi refineries. Washington ordered non-emergency government staff out of Saudi Arabia amid reports that US strikes on Iran could resume after the 3 November midterm elections. Brent rose 13.6% over October, with the expiring

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De Beers Granted New Licences in Botswana, SA

Gaborone: De Beers, which is 85 percent-owned by Anglo American, said it was this year granted four new licences in Botswana, Group head of media relations Lynette Gould told Rough & Polished in an interview. “We have been granted four new licences in Botswana; three in the Tsabong area, and one in the Orapa area,” she said. Gould said the

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Botswana Faces Deficit as Diamond Sales Fall

Gaborone: Botswana, which relies heavily on diamond revenue, will likely experience a budget deficit due to weak rough diamond sales recorded in the first half of the year, a government official has said. Finance minister Kenneth Matambo announced a P1.23 billion ($120 million) budget surplus projection for the year. However, Mmegi reports that this would likely be hampered by the

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Only 500 Diamond Cutters Left in Antwerp

Antwerp: The number of diamond cutters working in Antwerp, which is called the capital of the world diamond trade, was reduced to 500 people, said the Swiss newspaper Le Temps. In the 70s of the last century about 30,000 specialists worked in diamond polishing plants in the city on the Scheldt. Cutters working today in Antwerp are highly qualified specialists

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India’s Gold imports jump 62.2% in July

New Delhi: After declining in June, India’s gold imports jumped 62.2% to $2.96 billion in July, 2015, a development which may have adverse bearing on India’s Current Account Deficit (CAD). Imports of the precious metal stood at $1.82 billion in July, 2014. In June this year, the imports dipped 37 per cent to $1.96 billion. The growth in gold imports

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Now Diamonds from Peanut Butter!

London: While man-made diamonds are becoming increasingly popular, it’s hard to believe a German geologist has found the way to create the coveted gems out of peanut butter. However Dan Frost — a geologist from the Bayerisches Geoinstitut— was able to replicate extreme conditions found in the Earth’s surface, becoming one of the first cases reported where the tasty spread

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Botswana Diamonds Loss Widens to $1.6mln

Gaborone: Botswana Diamonds, which is currently exploring for diamonds in the in the Orapa area in Botswana together with its joint venture partner Alrosa, said it posted an operating loss of £1.05 million ($1.6 million) during the year ended June 2014, from £477,908 ($748,884) a year earlier. No revenues were recorded while its pre-tax losses rose to £948,610 ($1.5 million)

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IDI Launches Holiday B2C Sales Platform

Ramat Gan: The Israeli Diamond Industry is gearing up for Cyber Monday with a pop-up B2C e-commerce platform for loose diamonds and diamond jewelry, launched by the Israel Diamond Institute Group of Companies (IDI). The dedicated mini-site, which will offer goods at considerable discounts from some of Israel’s leading companies, will go live on December 1 and will be up

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India's Oct. Polished Exports -15%

Mumbai: India’s polished diamond exports fell 15 percent year on year to $2.219 billion in October, data published by the Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) showed. By volume, exports dropped 16 percent to 3.786 million carats, while the average price of the exports rose 2 percent to $686.78 per carat. Polished imports to the country increased 3 percent

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