Fed Officials Signal Potential Rate Hike, Impacting Precious Metals

[SMM Daily Review: Market Cautious Ahead of CPI Data, Silver Consolidates on a Weak Note] SMM, October 14: US Fed officials struck a hawkish tone in succession, and the market awaited guidance from US September CPI data, leaving precious metals under pressure. In the spot market, downstream wait-and-see sentiment was strong, and buying sentiment was not boosted by the decline in futures. Transactions were mainly concluded at parity after price negotiations, with overall trading sluggish.

[SMM Gold Flash] Caledonia Mining announced that Blanket Mine in Zimbabwe produced 17,030 oz in Q3 2026, down 10.9% from 19,106 oz a year earlier, while nine-month output fell to 49,158 oz from 58,846 oz. The company attributed the quarter’s shortfall to inadequate compressed-air capacity in deeper high-grade areas and commissioning problems that left about 1,100 oz of free gold temporarily held in the plant. It cut 2026 production guidance to 69,000–72,500 oz from 72,000–76,500 oz. The disruption raises near-term unit-cost pressure: Caledonia lifted on-mine cost guidance to US$1,700–1,900/oz and AISC guidance to US$2,650–2,850/oz. Two of four new compressors had been deployed by 9 October, and management expects to recover the retained gold from mid-October after added elution capacity is commissioned. Those Q4 improvements remain forecasts; the verified development is lower Q3 output and revised guidance, not a completed production recovery.