Gold price on decline ahead of Fed decision

BHP Billiton began evacuating workers from its Port Hedland export facilities early Friday.

Ruling puts and end to dispute dating back to 2013.

The besieged miner plans to lower costs at its iron ore mines after boosting total annual output for the steelmaking ingredient.

Rough diamonds sales rose to 7.1 million carats in October through December. This compares with 4.9 million carats of sales in the third quarter.

The global coal industry is being squeezed by competition from cheap gas, declining demand and clean-air regulations that have raised costs for burning the fossil fuel.

In 2015, the country’s central bank transferred around 110 metric tons of gold from Paris and just under 100 tons from New York to its Frankfurt vaults.

The miner expects an output of 710,000-740,000 tonnes for 2016 as it ramps up production at its Antucoya and Centinela Concentrates mines, as well as from its share in Zaldivar mine, which co-owns with Barrick Gold.

The ratings agency expects physical supply/demand imbalance to widen further, leaving miners in extremely weak conditions.

Bullion prices are also set for a gradual recovery this year as demand increases in Asia and mine production contracts.