JPMorgan names critical minerals chief for $1.5T push

JPMorganChase (NYSE: JPM) has appointed Andrew Frame to lead critical minerals investment efforts under its $1.5-trillion Security and Resiliency Initiative (SRI), placing him at the centre of a push to strengthen US and allied supply chains for materials essential to manufacturing, energy and defence. Frame will oversee the bank’s critical minerals strategy across extraction, refining and processing, identifying investment opportunities …

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Palladium Has Quietly Rallied While Gold and Silver Takeover the Headlines

A 47.3% wipeout in five months, a brief rebound, then another slide: that’s palladium’s 2026 so far. While gold sits above $4,000 and silver trades around $60, this is the precious metal still trying to hold a comeback. Gold and silver have spent October trading near the center of the precious-metals conversation. Palladium has had a far messier year. The …

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China, EU agree on dialogue, cars and rare earths after trade talks

China and the European Union reached an “understanding” on hybrid vehicles on Friday, as their commerce chiefs concluded talks with an agreement to strengthen dialogue, dispelling fears of a full-blown trade war. The EU’s Maros Sefcovic and China’s Wang Wentao agreed both sides would adhere to “procedures concerning company price undertakings” of hybrid cars, Beijing’s commerce ministry said, citing a …

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European Commission picks 46 new strategic critical mineral projects

The European Commission has chosen 46 strategic raw material projects to benefit from faster permitting and help in bidding for public and private funding, as the bloc races to diversify supply chains and reduce reliance on China, it said on Friday. The EU, along with other major Western economies, is heavily dependent on China for critical minerals and components such …

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Indonesia sees critical minerals boosting domestic AI industry

Deputy Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs Nezar Patria highlighted the potential of processing critical minerals such as nickel and copper to support Indonesia’s artificial intelligence (AI) industry. In a statement confirmed in Jakarta on Thursday, Nezar said Indonesia’s mineral processing should support the development of resilient, efficient and sustainable digital infrastructure. “If the world asks Indonesia to provide raw …

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Gold ETF rush defies 8.5% gold price slide

Investors poured a record amount of money into gold-backed exchange-traded funds (ETFs) last quarter even as bullion suffered its sharpest monthly drop of the year, underscoring an unusual split between ETF investors and futures traders. Global gold ETFs attracted $10 billion (C$14.3 billion) in September, lifting third-quarter inflows to a record $31 billion, the World Gold Council said Wednesday. Holdings …

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Copper, nickel prices could double by 2035

Copper and nickel prices could double over the next decade, driven by the demand in construction, energy transition and electrification, a new report by global financial services firm Coface suggests.  Aluminum, copper and nickel could face supply deficits averaging around 10% of demand by 2035 as miners struggle to bring enough new production online.  Coface’s industrial metals report is based …

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China turns on the export taps as LME zinc squeeze grinds on

China has historically been a significant net importer of refined zinc, but that looks set to change this year. Exports surged to 40 668 tons in August, the second-highest monthly tally in almost 20 years, according to the World Bureau of Metal Statistics, which collects data from official customs figures. With imports slowing to a trickle, the country was already …

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Central Bank Summer Gold Spree Continued in August

The central bank gold spree continued unabated in August, with global gold reserves increasing by a net 39 tonnes. Year to date, central banks globally have reportedly added approximately 170 tonnes of gold. The Gold Buyers The People’s Bank of China ranked as the top gold buyer in August, increasing its official reserves by another 20 tonnes. That followed on …

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