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Daily Dispatches

Russians have up to $213 billion stashed in Swiss banks

Section: Daily Dispatches

By Oliver Hirt and Brenna Hughes Neghaiwi
Reuters
Thursday, March 17, 2022

ZURICH -- Switzerland's secretive banks hold up to $213 billion of Russian wealth, the country's financial industry association estimates, as sanctions on Russia give a rare glimpse inside Swiss vaults.

The Swiss Bankers Association estimated that the banks hold between 150 billion and 200 billion Swiss francs ($213 billion) of Russian client money in offshore accounts.

Can Russia sell its huge gold pile, or put ruble on a gold standard?

Section: Daily Dispatches

By Eddie Spence
Bloomberg News
Wednesday, March 16, 2022

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-03-16/the-140-billion-question-can-russia-sell-its-huge-gold-pile

Russia spent years building a giant stash of gold, an asset that central banks can turn to during a crisis. But any attempt to sell it will now be a challenge just when it's needed most.

U.S. Mint suspends production of two silver coins, claims blanks aren't available

Section: Daily Dispatches

The virus epidemic supposedly is responsible. But the Comex claims to have plenty of metal, so why not just pay up to get it?

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United States Mint Announces Pause in Production and Sales of Morgan and Peace Dollars for 2022

From the United States Mint, Washington
Monday, March 14, 2022

LME failure with nickel puts Shanghai in charge of price discovery, trader says

Section: Daily Dispatches

London Metal Exchange Suffers Fresh Glitch as It Attempts to Restart Nickel Trading 

Neil Hume and Philip Stafford
Financial Times, London
Wednesday, March 16, 2022

The London Metal Exchange suspended electronic trading in nickel on Wednesday, just moments after the world’s main market for the metal reopened for business following a week-long shutdown.

Russian central bank leaves banking system's gold for household demand

Section: Daily Dispatches

From Reuters
Tuesday, March 15, 2022

The Russian central bank said it will suspend the buying of gold from banks from today to meet increased demand for the precious metal from households, its latest attempt to weather the storm on Russian markets in the face of Western sanctions.

"Currently, households' demand for buying physical gold in bars has increased -- driven, in particular, by the abolition of value-added tax on these operations," the central bank said in a statement.

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Craig Hemke: How 'spread' trades are used to knock gold down ahead of option expiration

Section: Daily Dispatches

4:25p ET Tuesday, March 15, 2022

Dear Friend of GATA and Gold:

The TF Metals Report's Craig Hemke, writing today at Sprott Money, details how the "trade at settlement" mechanism appears to be heavily used by "spread" traders to knock the gold price down ahead of option expirations and contract rolls, as has just happened, to discourage traders from taking delivery of actual metal.

Hemke surmises that a similarly engineered smash will be unleashed around March 28.

GATA's Steer discusses default in London Metals Exchange nickel contract

Section: Daily Dispatches

4p ET Tuesday, March 15, 2022

Dear Friend of GATA and Gold:

GATA board member Ed Steer, interviewed by Jim Goddard for "This Week in Money" at HoweStreet.com, discusses the default of the nickel contract on the London Metals Exchange, as well as the action in the monetary metals. The interview starts at the 10:35 mark at HoweStreet.com here:

Gold demand surges across the world as Ukraine war flares

Section: Daily Dispatches

By Eddie Spence and Yvonne Yue Li
Bloomberg News
via the Irish Examiner, Cork, Ireland
Sunday, March 13, 2022

Gold is playing its age-old role as a safe haven in times of wars and crises, and people all over the world are piling in.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has sent the price of everything from oil and gas to wheat and metals skyrocketing, sparking inflation fears and threatening global growth. 

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'Soviet Metals Exchange': LME irks traders by freezing nickel market, reversing $4 billion in trades

Section: Daily Dispatches

Are idiot Comex gold and silver futures traders paying attention?

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Philip Stafford and Robin Wigglesworth
Financial Times, London
Saturday, March 12, 2022

The London Metal Exchange has enraged some of the world's most influential electronic traders after it shut down its nickel market and unwound thousands of deals in response to a spike in the price of the metal.

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