NEW YORK (Reuters) – AK Steel (AKS.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) posted a third-quarter net loss on Tuesday, with soaring raw material costs and a plant shutdown undermining the effect of higher steel prices.

The West Chester, Ohio-based company also said it expects stagnant conditions to lead to another operating loss in the fourth quarter.

NEW YORK, Oct 18 (Reuters) – Brazilian mining giant Vale
(VALE5.SA: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) (VALE.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) will need $26 billion to $28 billion over
the next two years to complete projects it has already started
and plans to focus new investments on copper and fertilizers,
the company’s CEO said on Monday.

Roger Agnelli said the company’s complete investment plan
for 2011 would be released within two weeks.

NEW YORK/LONDON (Reuters) – Gold moved back toward its all-time high on Monday, despite late gains in the dollar, as investors prepared for what many see as a likely second round of economic stimulus by the U.S. Federal Reserve.

The U.S. dollar regained strength against the euro and yen in late buying by investors who viewed its recent decline as too far, too fast. <USD/>

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Alcoa Inc (AA.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), the largest U.S. aluminum producer, expects both its Aviles smelter in Spain and its alumina refinery in Sao Luis, Brazil to be running at full capacity by the end of the year.

Company executives also said on Thursday that the world’s biggest alumina producer is changing the way it prices its alumina, an intermediate material used to produce aluminum.

NEW YORK/LONDON (Reuters) – Gold hit a record high of $1,300 an ounce on Monday, extending a two-week rally of fresh records on concerns over an economic recovery, before easing off session highs as the dollar rose.

Silver tracked the yellow metal higher, rising to a 30-year high but also slipped from the previous high. Silver has gained nearly 30 percent so far this year.

NEW YORK, Sept 20 (Reuters) – Century Aluminum Co (CENX.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz)
continues to negotiate terms of a labor contract that expired
last month for its idled aluminum smelter at Ravenswood, West
Virginia, but no details have been decided about a plant
restart, a United Steelworkers union representative said on
Monday.

The Monterrey, California-based primary aluminum producer
idled its 170,000-tonne-per-year aluminum smelter at Ravenswood
in February 2009, and has given no indication about when it
might be turned back on.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Gold prices steadied at moderately lower levels below $1,250 an ounce on Friday as the yen slid against the dollar and investors continued to unwind safe-haven plays made this week, but analysts said the IMF’s late Thursday gold sale lent support.

Spot gold at $1,245.85 an ounce was down by 3:38 p.m. EDT (1938 GMT) from Thursday’s closing bid at $1,248.27 an ounce. It fell to $1,236.55 an ounce, its lowest in a week.

NEW YORK/LONDON (Reuters) – Gold prices swooned further in late trading on Thursday, adding to losses in light volume as some investors unwound safe-haven trades, setting off automatic sell orders on the way down.

Earlier, gold prices came off modestly when U.S. weekly filings for unemployment benefits fell by more than forecast and the U.S. international trade gap shrank by more than anticipated, but losses were limited.

NEW YORK/LONDON (Reuters) – Gold was little changed late on Wednesday after some investors unwound risk-aversion plays that had sent prices near record highs early, opting instead for rallying assets such as oil and industrial metals.

Spot gold was bid at $1,256.05 an ounce by 3:28 p.m. EDT (1928 GMT) against $1,253.10 late in New York on Tuesday. It hit a session high of $1,262.25, near the record peak of $1,264.90 set on June 21.

NEW YORK/LONDON (Reuters) – Gold ended with healthy gains on Tuesday after rising early to its highest level since late June, as renewed concerns about the European banking system sent investors seeking safe-haven assets.

Gold bullion was up to $1,256.90 an ounce by 3:31 p.m. EDT (1931 GMT) from $1,249.55 an ounce in late Monday trade. Earlier, it hit a high of $1,259.80.