NEW YORK, March 23 (Reuters) – A warning this week
from BHP Billiton that iron ore demand from
China is flattening spooked metal markets, raising fears the
world’s largest consumer of basic raw materials could be heading
for a downturn after years of stellar growth.

That fear, plus rising costs and volatile markets, will top
the agenda at the Reuters Global Metals and Mining summit next
week when executives from some of the world’s largest miners and
metal producers, including Rio Tinto Mining Ltd, Vale
SA, Posco, Norilsk Nickel UL> and
RUSAL will join Reuters in London, New York, Moscow,
Seoul, Rio de Janeiro and elsewhere to discuss the state of the
industry.

NEW YORK/LONDON (Reuters) – Gold fell on Tuesday, on track to snap a three-day winning streak, amid selling prompted by lower crude oil and U.S. equity markets and a spate of positive U.S. economic data that eroded hopes of more U.S. monetary easing.

Spot gold narrowed its losses by 1:18 p.m. EDT/5:18 p.m. GMT to $1,652.21 an ounce from $1,660.40 late Monday, having slid by nearly 3 percent so far this month.

NEW YORK, March 1 (Reuters) – A deal struck by Century
Aluminum Co and the United Steelworkers union to
restore healthcare benefits for retirees of the U.S. aluminum
producer’s Ravenswood, West Virginia smelter could lead to its
restart, the union said.

The healthcare agreement announced late Wednesday will help
to improve relations between management and the unions.
Relations have been strained since the smelter was shuttered two
years ago due to low demand and falling aluminum prices.

LONDON (Reuters) – Spot gold finished slightly lower on Thursday as investors locked in profits after bullion jumped past key resistance in early trade.

Spot gold jumped 1.11 percent to $1,729.76 an ounce, its highest level since December 8, and far surpassed both its 100- and 200-day moving averages in the morning.

LONDON (Reuters) – Gold rose more than 1 percent to a 6-1/2-week high on Thursday as stock markets, commodities and the euro all rallied after the U.S. Federal Reserve extended by 18 months its plan to keep interest rates historically low and hinted at further economic stimulus.

The day after the Fed’s announcement, spot gold jumped to its biggest one-day rise in three months, then pulled back from session highs

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Alcoa Inc (AA.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) Chairman and Chief Executive Klaus Kleinfeld expects the global aluminum market to turn into a deficit this year, as biggest consumer China closes inefficient capacity even though demand remains robust.

At a conservative estimate, the global deficit will be some 600,000 tons, he told analysts on a conference call following the release of the aluminum giant’s fourth-quarter results.

NEW YORK/LONDON (Reuters) – Gold prices slipped on Friday, tracking the euro’s declines as upbeat U.S. economic data boosted the dollar, though volumes were exceptionally light even for a market in holiday mode.

Spot gold eased to $1,604.90 an ounce by 2:44 p.m. EST from $1,605.90 an ounce at Thursday’s close.

NEW YORK/LONDON (Reuters) – Gold finished slightly lower on Thursday, falling with the euro, as investors feared European leaders were not much closer to solving the euro zone debt crisis.

Traders were reluctant to add to long positions as year-end approaches, and most long-term traders were out of the market until 2012, leaving gold prices restricted recent ranges.

NEW YORK/LONDON (Reuters) – Gold surrendered gains on Wednesday in line with the euro after a tender for cheap European Central Bank loans failed to convince investors it would ease Europe’s deep-seated debt problems, despite its greater-than-expected interest.

Spot gold was down at $1,610.89 an ounce at 1325 EST, well off an earlier high of $1,641.50 an ounce, as well as its previous close at $1,614.79 an ounce. However, it is still up more than 13 percent this year.

NEW YORK/LONDON (Reuters) – Gold prices rose to their highest in nearly a week on Tuesday as the euro rallied 1 percent versus the dollar, but volume was light and short-term traders were unwilling to take big risks before year end.

Commodities rose generally along with stock markets as investors’ focus on positive U.S. economic readings, an successful Spanish debt auction and an improved German business reading sharpened their appetite for higher risk assets.