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On the heels of record highs in Iron Ore and Steel earlier this week, as commodity demand soars on the back of economies emerging from COVID lockdowns (demand) and various supply chain/operational issues (supply); copper prices surged to an all-time high this morning as Chinese investors unleashed fresh demand following a five-day holiday.Source: Bloomberg Bloomberg Intelligence strategist Mike McGlone said that “the reaction of copper to $10,000-a-ton resistance may set the inflation vs. deflation tone for years” As Mining.com reports, the reopening of major industrial economies is sparking a surge across commodities markets from corn to lumber, with tin climbing...

Stocks rose Monday, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq hitting fresh intraday highs and adding to last week’s record levels, as market participants reacted to positive developments over a coronavirus treatment, and signs that a vaccine might be authorized in the near-term. Travel, airline and other “reopening” stocks rallied, with shares of American Airlines (AAL), Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH), Wynn Resorts (WYNN) and their peers each jumping. Apple (AAPL) shares advanced to their highest intraday level ever ahead of the stock’s four-for-one stock split. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Sunday said it issued an emergency use...

The U.S. immigrant population reached a record high of 42.4 million according to a new analysis of census data — and the growth rate of the foreign-born population is accelerating. A new Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) report shows the legal- and illegal-immigrant population grew by 2.4 million since 2010, with more than a million new arrivals in 2014. The dramatic increases in immigration are evident in both absolute numbers of the foreign born and as a share of the U.S. population. “Immigrants (legal and illegal) comprised 13.3 percent or about one out of eight U.S. residents in 2014, the...

NEW YORK (AP) -- The price of gold hit its latest record high, near $1,830 an ounce, as investors spooked by the prospect of a return to recession sought out safety Thursday in the precious metal. Gold prices have more than doubled since the recession began in late 2007. They've risen about 19 percent since the beginning of June, as European leaders struggled to keep the debt crisis from infecting the region's major economies and U.S. politicians nearly drove the country to the brink of default, prompting Standard & Poor's to cut the country's AAA credit rating. Morgan Stanley on...

NEW YORK (TheStreet ) -- Gold prices popped Tuesday as investors turned to the metal as a safe-haven asset and momentum buying pushed prices to new all-time peaks. Gold for December delivery settled $24.60 higher at $1,271.70 an ounce -- a record closing high -- at the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange. The gold price hit a record intra-day high of $1,276.50 an ounce, $10 higher than its previous high set in June. The U.S. dollar index was losing 0.91% to $81.11 while the euro was gaining 1.01% to $1.30 vs. the dollar. The spot gold price...

A new study from the Pew Research Center shows that childlessness is at a record high in America. One in five women aged 40 to 44 reported that they've never had children. Meanwhile, just 41 percent of Americans say having children is necessary to a good marriage, compared to 65 percent in 1990. The study suggests that the two trends may well arise form relaxed social pressure about having kids. In a striking shift, women with advanced degrees are bucking the no-babies trend, with a higher percentage of them having children than in years past. Though childlessness as a whole...

California's unemployment rate hits record high The rate jumped unexpectedly in July to 11.9% even as the national rate declined. By Alana Semuels August 21, 2009 California's unemployment rate took an unexpected leap in July, reaching a new high of 11.9% and bucking a trend that saw the national rate drop over the same period. The state lost a net 35,800 jobs last month, shedding more jobs than any other state, the U.S. Labor Department said today. It has lost 760,000 jobs over the last year. California is tied with Oregon for the fourth-highest unemployment rate in the nation, behind...

Gold rises to record on weak dollar By STEVENSON JACOBS, AP Business Writer 1 hour, 52 minutes ago Gold futures surged to their highest level ever Wednesday after the dollar plunged to a record low and crude oil spiked above $102 — inflationary signs that fed buying of precious metals as alternative investments. Silver continued its record-setting rally and copper also hit a fresh high. Other commodities traded mixed, with wheat extending recent gains and soybeans falling. Speaking to Congress, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke suggested the central bank will again lower interest rates to right the shaky U.S. economy,...

LONDON (AFP) - Oil prices jumped to fresh historic highs on Monday, breaching 93 dollars for the first time on mounting concerns about tight energy supplies worldwide, analysts said. Investors pushed up crude futures to new peaks as more bad news in the shape of Mexican production cutbacks came on top of already serious tensions in the Middle East. Also supporting oil prices Monday was a weak dollar and OPEC's reluctance to increase output ahead of the northern hemisphere winter when demand for heating fuel spikes. "There are supply concerns around," CMC Markets trader Nas Nijjar said. New York's main...