Gold rose when Globex trading resumed in New York late Thursday evening, but sold off the second the Sydney market closed for the weekend. The bottom was in London…about 7:00 a.m. NY time. From there it rose (with lots of opposition) until Globex trading was through for the weekend in New York.

The Canadian Markets managed to pull off a strong rally during Friday trading, with a new gold company sparking interest.

Gold declined from the far East through the mid-point of London trading on Friday, bottoming at $860, but caught a spark there and pushed slowly higher for the rest of the day, finishing at $870.80/oz., up $2.70. For the week, gold lost 3.5%.

Gold declined from the far East into the first hour of the New York session on Thursday, bottoming at $857 before rallying after the noon hour to finish at $868.40/oz., down $11.70. Overnight, gold has fallen off further.

Gold was slightly higher in Hong Kong and early London trading on Wednesday, then rose steadily during the NYMEX session before leveling off through the Globex and finishing at $880.10/oz., up $13.50. Overnight, gold has fallen off.

Gold had another lackluster day, slumping to $865 just after New York opened, then making its way higher in fits and starts, finishing just into positive territory at $878.00/oz., up 60 cents. Overnight, gold has fallen off.

Gold had a lackluster day, reaching only as high as $885 early in the New York session on Wednesday, then getting ground slowly down straight through the Globex to finish at $878.50/oz., down $2.80. Overnight, gold has been trending lower.

Power shortages, strikes and soaring input costs have killed the production of platinum.

Sweden and Norway’s banking systems, previously untouched by the world global credit crisis, look set to be the latest victims of the credit crunch, reports Britain’s Financial Times.

Sweden’s Riksbank said the global credit crisis increased the sensitivity of banks to other shocks, adding that it had warned that growth in the Baltic states could slow down more suddenly than expected.

Dominic Frisby in Money Week reckons the spread of the global credit crisis will benefit gold and precious metals.

For most South African miners it was a time of darkness. But on the day that Statistics SA released truly dismal 2008 first quarter figures, a stunning debutant proved the mining sector is not all gloom.