Why Did Gold & Silver Break Down Just as Fed Hike Bets Faded

Macro Snapshot: The rate backdrop eased during the week ending 23 October, which makes the metals’ slide harder to explain. CME FedWatch odds of a hike at the 27 to 28 October FOMC meeting had settled near one in three on 14 October, after the 3.7% September CPI print, and stood at 9.4% by 23 October. December hike odds slipped from about 90% to close to 80%. The 10-year Treasury yield closed at 5.00% against 5.09% a week earlier, and

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Why Did Gold & Silver Break Down Just as Fed Hike Bets Faded

Macro Snapshot: The rate backdrop eased during the week ending 23 October, which makes the metals’ slide harder to explain. CME FedWatch odds of a hike at the 27 to 28 October FOMC meeting had settled near one in three on 14 October, after the 3.7% September CPI print, and stood at 9.4% by 23 October. December hike odds slipped from about 90% to close to 80%. The 10-year Treasury yield closed at 5.00% against 5.09% a week earlier, and

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Belgium Approves New “Carat” Tax Proposal

Antwerp: Belgian newspaper Gazet van Antwerpen reports that Belgium’s Federal Council of Ministers has finalized and approved the legislative framework accompanying the budget proposal, including the new tax proposal for the diamond industry. According to Belgium’s Minister of Finance, Van Overtveldt, the new tax system, calculated as 0.55% of turnover, will result in an additional €50 million in tax revenue,

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Euro MPs Vote to Ban Conflict Minerals

Brussels: In a surprise decision, the European Parliament recently voted to ensure that as with diamonds and other precious stones, European Union (EU) importers of tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold for manufacturing consumer goods, be certified by the EU to ensure they do not fuel conflicts OR human rights abuses in conflict areas. The decision to ban was unexpected because

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India Condemns Discriminatory Practices

Mumbai: A news report appeared in some newspapers has alleged that Harikrishna Exports declined job to a person on basis of religion. Chairman of The Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) Mr. Vipul Shah has issued a statement in this reference which says, “The Gem & Jewelry industry of India condemns discriminatory practices in employment and trading, be it

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Charges Dropped Against Rafael Marques

Luanda: The defamation case against Rafael Marques de Morais over his scathing depictions of Angola’s diamond industry has been dropped, reports JCKonline. “I confirm the withdrawal of the charges,” he said via email. Marques was being charged by leading generals in the Angolan military over his book, Blood Diamonds: Corruption and Torture in Angola, which includes tales of corruption sometime-graphic

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8.41 ct. Pink Diamond Fetches Record Price!

Hong Kong: An 8.41 ct. purplish-pink fetched $17.8 million—or $2.1 million a carat—at the Sotheby’s Oct. 7 jewelry auction in Hong Kong, setting a new record for a vivid pink at auction. The vivid purplish-pink gem “attracted keen competition,” the auction house said, before breaking the previous $10.7 million record set by a 5 ct. vivid pink stone in Hong

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Zimbabwe Running Out of Diamonds

Harare: Zimbabwe is fast running out of diamonds, the latest figures reveal. Zimbabwe diamond exports in sharp decline as alluvial stones run out. Industrial-grade diamonds dominate Zimbabwe’s gem exports, although sales sharply declined to $188 million in 2013 from nearly $658 million in the previous year due to weakening demand from the United Arab Emirates, China and Belgium as mining

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Gold Jewellery Testing Centres in India

Mumbai: To safeguard the interest of the end consumer, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is coming up with a policy by which a customer will be able to get his gold jewellery tested at the Bureau’s local office. According to the policy, in the event the purity is not as guaranteed by the jeweller, the Assaying and Hallmarking (A&H)

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Indian Diamantaires Offer Large Discounts

Mumbai: Severe liquidity problems are forcing some Indian diamond companies to offer large discounts to off-load inventory in order to pay off loans, according to Indian media reports. The liquidity issues have been sharpened further by the winding down of the Antwerp Diamond Bank (ADB), and recent reports that Standard Chartered Bank is cutting back its exposure to the diamond

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