Corporate Japan’s rare-earth warnings get louder as China keeps the spigot closed

A shortage of critical minerals is starting to affect the broader Japanese economy, adding a sense of urgency for Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi‘s government to find alternatives to exports that China has cut off, according to recent corporate filings. China dominates the global market for rare earths – which are crucial in making items from electric cars to weapons – and it is using those supplies as a diplomatic …

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From liquidation to consolidation: precious metals seek a floor

Key Points: Gold is attempting to stabilise rather than resume its uptrend, supported by softer US data, easing inflation concerns and a less hostile dollar and yield backdrop.  The Federal Reserve remains the key swing factor, with the next durable move likely to depend on whether rate expectations, bond yields and the dollar turn decisively lower.  Structural hard-asset demand remains …

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China’s top ETF is now gold, not stocks

Central banks just made their second-largest monthly purchase of the year. China’s biggest ETF is now a gold fund. And Citi just took a seat inside global bullion clearing. All three signals landed within five days of each other. In the space of one week, three separate parts of the global financial system all moved in the same direction: official …

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