Singapore 30/03/2012 - Gold prices firmed during Friday afternoon trading in Asia as the euro made gains against the dollar ahead of a eurozone finance ministers' meeting that may nearly double the bailout capacity of the single currency bloc.

Claims for unemployment benefits fell to the lowest since April 2008 and consumer confidence reached the second-highest level in four years, indicating the labor-market recovery is helping sustain demand.

Oil rose in New York, trimming a third weekly drop, as investors bet that sanctions on Iran will tighten and that yesterday’s decline, the biggest this year, was exaggerated.

Iran and its leading oil buyers, China and India, are finding ways to skirt U.S. and European Union financial sanctions on Iran by agreeing to trade oil for local currencies and goods including wheat, soybean meal and consumer products.

Singapore 29/03/2012 - Gold prices edged higher during Thursday afternoon trading in Asia as the euro rebounded against the dollar and bargain hunters emerged after yesterday's small correction in commodities, but low crude oil prices weighed on the market.

The precious metals slipped lower Wednesday in line with wider markets as month/quarter-end book squaring together with the absence of fresh risk appetite prompted players to par their positions. The complex closed near the day’s lows, settling down a net 1.5% after gold failed to conquer resistance around $1700 while the industrial precious metals struggled under negative technical outlooks as platinum failed to break above trend-line resistance around $1664 while palladium dipped to its lowest in 10-weeks touching $643

London 29/03/2012 - Yesterday's lack of follow through buying for the second day after Bernanke’s comments on Monday, suggest concerns over China’s growth are gaining traction. Copper is heading back towards the lower end of its range, as is aluminium, zinc and tin, while lead and nickel extended lower.

* Gold hits a high above $1,664, then slips * Coming Up: U.S. weekly jobless claims; 1230 GMT

Fonterra Cooperative Group Ltd. (FCG), the world’s largest dairy exporter, plans to boost investment in dairy farms and plants in China and other emerging markets as rising demand pushes milk prices higher in the next decade.

Cotton demand in China, the largest user, may rebound this year, increasing imports and stemming a decline in prices, said Zhang Hongxia, president of Hong Kong- listed Weiqiao Textile Co.

Oil traded near the lowest close in almost a week in New York after U.S. inventories surged and Western countries discussed tapping emergency reserves.

Oil dropped from the highest close in more than a week in New York as investors bet that rising U.S. stockpiles signal fuel demand may falter in the world’s biggest crude-consuming nation.

Myanmar’s emergence as Asia’s next tiger economy is more potential than reality as a rush of investors finds little to spend money on besides a limited supply of hotel rooms after six decades of isolation.

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke said unemployment remains too high, the recovery in the U.S. economy isn’t assured and policy makers don’t rule out any further options to boost growth.

STANDARD BANK DAILY