gold coins and bullion
Centennial Precious Metals, Inc: Serving Gold Coin & Bullion Investors Since 1973
(Home Page) (How to Buy Gold) (Gold Coin Images) (Daily Market Report) (Live Gold Price)
(First-time Buyers) (News & Views) (ABCs of Gold Book) (Gold IRA) (Buy Gold Coins Online)
(Live Gold Coin Prices)

Online Information Packet
(About Us)

 

Welcome to the USAGOLD Gold Discussion Archives. The archives of this gold discussion forum are a treasure trove of information to educate investors about protecting their wealth through portfolio diversification with private gold ownership. The discussion forum also covers the wider issues of the past, present, and future role of gold in international monetary policy and the dynamics of the modern gold markets...

(Discussion Forum Hall of Fame)

(The Gold Trail)

("Thoughts!" by ANOTHER)

The opinions posted by all guests are expressly their own and do not necessarily represent the views of the management or staff of USAGOLD - Centennial Precious Metals. The hosting of the public discussion shall therefore not be construed as an endorsement by USAGOLD - Centennial Precious Metals of any of the opinions posted here.

 

FORUM ARCHIVES
Select date of the archive you wish to view

Month Day Year
Archives date back to September 22, 1998


WELCOME TO THE ARCHIVES!

(View Today's Discussion) (View Previous Day's Discussion) (View Next Day's Discussion)

ARCHIVED DISCUSSION FROM 2/25/2005
All times are U.S. Mountain Time

(Yesterday's Discussion.)

2023 (2/25/05; 23:22:17MT - usagold.com msg#: 129665)
Withdrawals from IRA account containing gold
I have a question on withdrawals from an IRA account containing gold. Suppose I had bought $100,000 worth of gold for my IRA account. That's all that is in the account. No stocks, bonds, etc. When I reach the age to start making yearly withdrawals (I believe the minimum is 59 1/2 years old) what happens to the gold in the account. Is it sold (converted to US dollars) so that I can make a withdrawal? Or can I withdraw actual physical gold from the IRA?
Does anyone know the answer?
Have a great weekend.


TownCrier (2/25/05; 20:41:54MT - usagold.com msg#: 129664)
Gonlyold, IRAs
With an IRA, the government is trying to provide an inducement of the behavior of investing or saving with the incentive of letting you pursue that course of action with the added purchasing power of today's dollars that are a fraction of your pre-tax income.

What you said about finding yourself in a higher tax rates in the future can't strictly be taken as true, even in light of inflation, because Congress has the power and, in fact, does shift the various tax brackets and marginal tax rates around according to their public policy agenda at any given time.

And in fact, the most recent times have run counter to your suggestion -- the size of the lowest tax brackets have been enlarged (generally a consistent nod to inflation under either Democrat or Republican administrations), and also the marginal rate of tax has been decreased (thanks to the Republican agenda to let you keep more of your original earnings -- even while swelling federal spending like the most determined of Democrats would).

If there is a downside to be acknowledged for IRAs, and this applies REGARDLESS of what you have in it (gold or otherwise), it is that in participating in the government-sponsored program you have effectively tied up this money and put it at the whim and mercy of any future Congress and potential tax policy changes -- including penalties for pre-retirement withdrawal of your OWN money. On top of legislative uncertainty, that's the single element that I find most distasteful.

Adding gold to your portfolio under any terms is better than no gold at all, but choosing gold ownership under your own terms is the best course, without question.

R.


Gonlyold (2/25/05; 18:45:01MT - usagold.com msg#: 129663)
OOPS on the spelling
I need a spell checker.

Gonlyold (2/25/05; 18:42:16MT - usagold.com msg#: 129662)
IRA's
@Spotlight, msg #129633 & Town Criew, msg #129637.

Some time ago I posted a synopsis of investing in IRA's. No one here disagreed with it. Have things changed?

Briefly, the idea of putting money or gold into an IRA account is to defer paying taxes until a later date. You would defer paying taxes now, at a time in your life when supposedly you have a high income level and would be paying tax at a hgher rate. Instead, you would pay the taxes when you withdraw the money at retirement and again, supposedly, when you are brainwashed, er...I mean lead to believe that you will require less money to live on. With less money needed to live on, you would be in a lower tax bracket and consequently would pay less taxes.

This sounds good until you consider inflation. With inflation, it will cost you more money to live on during retirement than in your earlier years. That's the deception. Then the government makes more money on your higher tax rate. Also, they make additional money in the form of penalties if you have to cash in some of those IRA accounts early to cover emergencies like loosing a job, business falires, etc. Imagine them making money on your money and on your hardships!

So putting money or gold into an IRA does not seem like a good idea. There's nothing wrong with buying gold. Go for it! I think gold is a good place to store value. Buy it and hold on to it. Just reconsider those deceptive IRA's.

Does anyone diaagree?


slingshot (2/25/05; 15:35:11MT - usagold.com msg#: 129661)
Great Day to be a Goldbug!
Lot's to read and plenty to digest that can put the grey matter into overdrive. I visit a few castles that have extensive commentary but I find that which is expressed at these sites hardly ever enters the workplace conversation. UNTILL TODAY! The topic was Real Estate. Oh, we have seen the prices climb as high as Mount Everest, BUT TODAY, the mood was DOWN SIZING. Yepper, the unloading of houses and land. Going from that 2500 sq. ft. home to 1200 sq. ft. Not only that it was the rush to lock in interest rates on a fixed percentage. I can tell you the real estate agent was called a few derogatory words as my fellow workers felt he was dragging his feet.
Mr. Greenspan.
"Tell me, tell me, tell me the answer. You may be a lover but you ain't no dancer."
"Helter Skelter" Beatles, White Album.

Slingshot-------------<>


TownCrier (2/25/05; 14:34:56MT - usagold.com msg#: 129660)
Crude resists weekend liquidation, stays above $51
http://www.borsaitalia.it/fwa-cgi-bin/news.pl?id=1109360926nN25151352&tit=NYMEX%20crude%20ends%20steady%20above%20$51,%20products%20fall&type=internazionali&ling=EN
NEW YORK, Feb 25 (Reuters) - U.S. crude futures ended on a steady note Friday, staying above $51 a barrel, defying expectations that the overbought market would suffer a sell-off before the weekend.

Indeed, near the close, prompt delivery crude prices spiked to just under $52, peaking at $51.90 before the buying subsided.

Traders noted a bullish support Thursday from the view that top oil exporter Saudi Arabia appears getting comfortable with higher prices.

U.S. Treasury Secretary John Snow said late on Thursday that high prices are a worry for the United States, the world's largest petroleum consumer.

"Oil prices are too high. I'm not happy about (oil prices) one bit," Snow said on Business Talk Radio.

^----(from url)----^

By rights Snow has no basis for complaint about high prices because, if everything were indeed on the up and up, a marketable good, such as oil, in having a high price would just passively be demonstrating how little your currency is worth.

From this angle, look again how ridiculous his statement must appear in the eyes of the world markets:
"Oil prices are too high. I'm not happy about (oil prices) one bit."

The market is saying back, "Don't blame us that you have a small currency. What's more, it's getting smaller with each passing year!"

Seeing where dollars are headed, for your own savings, choose gold.

R.


USAGOLD Daily Market Report (2/25/05; 14:20:50MT - usagold.com msg#: 129659)
Page Update!
http://www.usagold.com/DailyQuotes.html
The Daily Gold Market Report has been updated.

If you are considering investments in gold we invite you to request our free introductory information packet detailing the products and services offered by USAGOLD ~ Centennial Precious Metals. We welcome your inquiry and look forward to working with you.

Friday Market Excerpts

COMEX gold futures ended up having a consolidation session Friday, settling with a tiny gain, analysts said.

The rest of the metals complex finished lower, however.

"The disconnect (between these metals and gold) has to do with first notice day," said George Gero, senior vice president with Legg Mason Wood Walker.

"That means you either have to get out by Monday or make or take delivery, or put up full cash. When that happens prior to a weekend, people tend to liquidate."

April gold climbed 40 cents to $436.10.

"It was just a consolidation type of trade," said Frank Lesh, futures analyst with Rand Financial Services. "When you look around, the dollar was down a little and up a little, but there was no big move. So there was not a lot of impetus for the gold trade today (Friday)."

Nevertheless, said other contacts, the metal zigzagged some with the currencies.

The euro was weaker during the early part of the day, and so was gold.

Then, the single European currency recovered, and so did gold.

After tumbling from around $449 in late December to a mid-January low of $411.50, sentiment appears to have improved for April gold, said Paul McLeod, vice president for precious metals at Commerzbank.

The metal early this week got above a layer of resistance at $430, where rally attempts had stopped repeatedly in late January. After moving above this level, the market remained above it all week.

"In a broader sense, it feels like the sentiment has turned," he said. "During the first six weeks of the year, there was a bearish sense in the marketplace. We had (talk about possible) IMF sales and other stories.

"Gold has turned around the last two weeks. Gold feels like it has a little more momentum to the upside and we could see higher prices in March."

----(see url for 24-hr newswire, market prices)----


TownCrier (2/25/05; 13:50:36MT - usagold.com msg#: 129658)
February's Special -- the 20 Franc Collection
http://www.usagold.com/gold/special/grp.html
I've just been told that the allotment has SOLD OUT. I expect the raffle winners will be notified early next week.

Congratulations to all who got in early on this month's special!

Whenever they come up for sale, often these older coins, such as the Louis-Philippe and the Louis XVIII, prove to be quite popular.

So the next time the staff at Centennial can assemble an offer like this at these prices, you can expect them to be snapped up by value-minded investors. Don't delay if you see something you'd like to call your own!

As always, call anytime for great prices on standard gold coins and bullion, and don't be shy about inquiring into the availability of anything unique that might have turned up on any given day. I've added some unique beauties to my own portfolio just by asking during the course of a regular purchase or conversation.

Give it a try!
1-800-869-5115

Randy


TownCrier (2/25/05; 13:01:08MT - usagold.com msg#: 129657)
Indians buy more gold for profit
http://www.business-standard.com/bsonline/storypage.php?&autono=181816
Kolkata, February 26, 2005 -- Rising bullion prices was no deterrent to the Indian gold jewellery segment in India as as sales soared...
 
The World Gold Council (WGC) said good economic growth pushed up demand in India for both jewellery and retail investment by 49 per cent and 32 per cent in tonnage terms respectively in Q3.
 
In 2004, total consumer demand rose 17 per cent.
 
WGC said consumers became comfortable with gold prices in excess of $400/oz. and in fact increasingly expected prices to rise further, and therefore bought gold driven by anticipation of a price rise.

"Indeed the price rise appears to have added strength to the investment case for buying gold whether in coin, bar or jewellery form."

WGC said rural areas in states where people were hurt by the devastating tsunami saw a rise in gold sales as a financial safe haven.
 
Distribution of financial aid to victims fuelled gold buying...
 
"With day-to-day needs generally met by NGOs, the purchase of gold jewellery, which can be worn permanently on the person, is regarded as a safe way of holding money until it can be used constructively in rebuilding lives..."

^-----(from url)-----^

Holding the item as tangible property (wealth) instead of holding any form of IOU ensures that the quality of your offer on any world market at any future day is beyond repudiation. Paper tokens of contract cannot reliably make the same claim -- hence the prudence of gold ownership, whether you find yourself in India or America.

R.


Goldilox (2/25/05; 12:17:30MT - usagold.com msg#: 129656)
US bankruptcies ‘to surge’ amid junk bond deluge US bankruptcies ‘to surge’ amid junk bond deluge
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,16849-1497723,00.html
snip:

From James Doran, Wall Street Correspondent

THE US is heading for a surge in bankruptcies and a dramatic increase in corporate debt default as the number of companies with bonds rated at the lowest end of the junk bond scale reaches record levels.

More than 45 per cent of newly issued junk bonds are rated CCC, according to bond market analysts at Standard & Poor's (S&P), a dramatic increase since 2003 when 30 per cent of the junk bond market was made up of companies that were a notch away from default.

"Whenever the proportion of new issuances trading at triple C rises above 30 per cent, there is cause for concern," said Diane Vazza, head of global fixed income research at S&P.

If a company's debt is rated at CC or CCC, there is a 30 per cent likelihood that it will fail within a year, Ms Vazza said, and means the greater the number of companies rated at the bottom of the junk bond scale, the greater the number of defaults in the next 12 months.

-Goldilox

More "financing" of less than stable companies. Who is the "bailout of last resort" for all these moneygrams?

After all, government debt ratings are heading south even faster.


USAGOLD / Centennial Precious Metals, Inc. (2/25/05; 12:15:12MT - usagold.com msg#: 129655)
Here's just one of the great coins (minted 1814-1824) available only until Monday.
http://www.usagold.com/gold/special/grp.html


gold Louis XVIII


USAGOLD / Centennial Precious Metals, Inc. (2/25/05; 11:57:45MT - usagold.com msg#: 129654)
Time is running out. Get in on the raffle to win Napoleonic gold!
http://www.usagold.com/gold/special/grp.html


gold 20 franc coins


Rimh (2/25/05; 11:57:44MT - usagold.com msg#: 129653)
Gandalf
Yes, another tough day for da boyz.... Seems to be more and more tough days with less and less effect. Perhaps the increasing comments and actions as noted by TC is making the game 'too' obvious......

Gandalf the White (2/25/05; 11:39:39MT - usagold.com msg#: 129652)
OOPS ! --- The ESF Boyz did not do to WELL today ! <;-)
http://charts-d.quote.com:443/1002980432830?User=demo&Pswd=demo&DataType=GIF&Symbol=DX00Y&Interval=10&Ht=600&Wd=800&Display=2&Study=MA&Param1=13&Param2=0&Param3=&FontSize=10
The US$ Chart is ending the week in a sorry state.
GO YELLOW !!


Cavan Man (2/25/05; 10:59:12MT - usagold.com msg#: 129651)
R Powell
Flat pointing to inverted sometime this year; means de-celerating US economy. Mauldin says beast case is "muddle through" and I think he has nailed it.

R Powell (2/25/05; 10:18:44MT - usagold.com msg#: 129650)
Flattening yield curve
from MRCI's delayed day quotes...

5 year note yield...3.910
10 year note yield...4.270
30 year .............4.642

So the market will only pay lenders 0.36 percent more to lend for 10 years rather than for 5...? What is the government's number on yearly inflation...and how accurate is that..? Any thoughts..?
rich


Cavan Man (2/25/05; 07:11:17MT - usagold.com msg#: 129649)
Chuck Butler on USD Strength and US "growth"
"Well... The dollar continued to come back VS the currencies yesterday, but as I look at the euro this morning, it still has posted a better than 1-cent gain this week... So, all is not lost! The dollar began to rally a bit yesterday after London went home on some strange news that the annualized U.S. economic growth, as measured by GDP, will be stronger than previously thought... So what? As I've explained many times before... A country that has the Trade/Current Account Deficit problem that the U.S. has, doesn't benefit from a strong economy if it is consumer driven, because that just means the Trade Deficit will continue to spiral out of control! And if the economic growth is driven by government defense spending like what we've experienced here in the last two years, what benefit does that add to the economy? We make bombs by machines, and then blow them up... We buy materials to make the bomb and add to our budget deficit..."

J-Bullion (2/25/05; 07:07:59MT - usagold.com msg#: 129648)
Benchmark on iron ore set to rise
Goldilock,

In regard to your post, don't worry Brazil didn't get a 90% increase in iron ore prices. They only got 71%. See the clowns at CNBC will now say that steel prices actually declined this year 19% from what the analysts were expecting. See how easy that is to spin.

Good luck to all. Wonder what happens when this inflationary wave we are in finally overwhelms the comex with their silver/gold paper games.

Time will tell.


Max Rabbitz (2/25/05; 06:43:19MT - usagold.com msg#: 129647)
GFMS Data for 2004
http://www.gold.org/value/stats/statistics/gold_demand/
Data compiled by GFMS for the World Gold Council shows supply and demand up to the fourth quarter of 2004. Mine production down 4.4%, dehedging increased. Curious that the official sector sales of 497 tonnes was heavily weighted to the 4th quarter where 234 were "sold." Just in time for the stock rally and gold price drop. I wonder where they found it?

Cavan Man (2/25/05; 06:23:16MT - usagold.com msg#: 129646)
Please excuse spelling and grammar errors!
In a hurry...

Cavan Man (2/25/05; 06:21:55MT - usagold.com msg#: 129645)
Monsieur Trichet's THOUGHTS
Was published in the editorial section of the WSJ yesterday. His opinion is worth a read FWIW. Tp paraphrase regarding "old Europe": There may be snow on the rooftop, but there's fire in the furnace.

Belgian (2/25/05; 05:32:34MT - usagold.com msg#: 129644)
@Sundeck
I very much like your "stress testing" view ! And indeed, good Sir, a hell of a lot of stress-testing is being done during this last decade. And exclusevily on the dollar but on many other hot items as well.
I think that "testing the waters" before jumping is somewhat closer than the more positive sounding, stress testing .
What will happen when (not if) X-percent of the dollar-holders jump into the water. Is there an euro - gold lifeboat, great enough for the jumpers !? Will Chavez or Iran swim alone ? How will China's satelites and Japan react when China decides (unilaterally) to do what hasn't been expected ?
How warm do the waters have to be before having enough jumpers ? Or how much dollar-weakness and oil-strength, must become visible before doing something radical about it ? Is this testing period part of the orderly phase of the transition ?
Keep it coming, Sundeck.


Sundeck (2/25/05; 03:59:06MT - usagold.com msg#: 129643)
South Korea "stress testing" the FX market?
Was the recent South Korean central bank rumour/utterance, re "diversifying" its foreign reserves, an incautious blunder or a deliberate ploy to "stress-test" the FX market?

It must be of interest amongst large holders of US treasury assets to know just how sensitive the price of their assets are to real or suspected sell-offs. What better way to gauge the response than to employ a bit of stress-testing...

In the engineering world, stress-testing is a tried and true means of determining strain (and likely failure) in a structure when a given load is applied. For example, when the Sydney Harbour Bridge was completed, it was stress-tested by shunting railway rolling stock out onto the bridge in increasing numbers while measuring the resulting deformation of the arch. The measured deformations would have given credibility and confidence to the engineering calculations regarding the load-carrying ability of the bridge.

Alas...structural engineering calculations, though imperfect, are a lot more accurate and reliable than any "equivalent economic" calculations concerning the effects on the "value" of the US-dollar when it is put under selling stress. In the FX market, there are "actual" stresses (resulting from sales) and there are "perceptual" stresses, resulting from market perceptions of some imagined future event.

Irrespective of whether the South Korean cetral bank was deliberately stress-testing the market or otherwise; the 1% drop in the dollar upon a ***mere hint*** that some of their US assets may be replaced would seem to suggest that the FX market is a bit "highly strung" at the moment. ....and South Korea is only the fourth largest holder of US treasuries.

It is going to be "fun" to see how these large positions unwind over time...

:-)


Goldilox (2/25/05; 03:52:13MT - usagold.com msg#: 129642)
Raising rates
@ Sundeck

Whenever I hear about resource-rich CBs raising rates against a falling dollar, it suggests to me that more markets will begin pricing their goods in other currencies, and abandon the dollar as a trading benchmark at some point. 60 years of trashing developing nation's currencies may be coming home to roost.

Maybe the offshore trading markets that are springing up are just a hint at what is to come. Wall Street has had its way with markets a little too long for some folks' liking, and many are reluctant to volunteer for more.

BOJ may have the reserves to swallow a $200B currency loss, but not many others can absorb that kind of sewage backup before stinking rather profusely.

-Goldilox


Sundeck (2/25/05; 03:26:43MT - usagold.com msg#: 129641)
SA miners having trouble making ends meet...
http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/topstories.aspx?ID=BD4A22742
Snip:

"...
25 February 2005
5000 jobs at risk as DRD warns of closures
John Fraser

Resources Editor

THE jobs of 5600 workers at DRDGOLD's unprofitable Klerksdorp mines are on the line after the company announced plans yesterday to retrench workers and close shafts.

DRDGOLD announced the "restructuring" initiative as its auditors KPMG warned that the company might have insufficient cash resources "to meet its current obligations".
..."

Sundeck: The strong Rand is wreaking havock on some SA miners...difficult to see how world gold production is going to increase much with SA (the world's major producer) miners being screwed by the exchange rate. It will probably get worse as the US dollar slides.

Other major producers (Australia in particular) are going to have problems staying competitive if their currencies appreciate much more against the US-dollar as it utters its death rattle...and the Australian Reserve Bank is talking about ***raising*** Australian interest rates???? Incomprehensible....in the light of the present FX carry trade and Australia's current-account deficit...IMO.


Goldilox (02/25/05; 01:13:10MT - usagold.com msg#: 129640)
Disclaimer
Just so no one misunderstands, I am not advocating investment in any of the raw materials mentioned in the preceding posts, as I leave that sort of advice to those more qualified than I.

Given a plethora of demand warnings, we should, however, witness some very interwoven effects in the upcoming months on POG, POS, currencies, geopolitical alignments, and other more topically related items.

Whether "to da Moon" or just prudent investment for safety, Au and Ag outta start looking pretty good right soon to a few more folks than our regular "Negro Modelo" connoisseurs.


Goldilox (02/25/05; 00:54:04MT - usagold.com msg#: 129639)
Benchmark Iron Ore Prices Set to Rise
http://www.financialsense.com/fsu/editorials/dancy/2005/0224.html
snip:

Once each year the major iron ore producers negotiate with their major steelmaking clients to set a price per ton to be paid for the ensuing year. Under this arrangement world iron ore prices increased 10% in 2003, then 18.6% more in 2004, as prices for iron ore are pushing highs not seen in a decade.

Brazil's Companhia Vale do Rio Doce, or CVRD, the world's biggest iron ore miner, has set the benchmark for global prices for the last two years in agreement with European steel manufacturing titan Arcelor.

Many expected CVRD to seek a 20% to 25% price increases on the 2005 supply contracts currently being negotiated, a very healthy gains considering pricing in the immediate past.

Surprised might not be the term to describe the reaction when CVRD began negotiations last month. They asked for a 90% price increase for the raw material in the year starting April 1st amid booming worldwide demand for steel used in the construction, homebuilding, and automotive industries. While the actual agreed to increase most likely will be below this level, the gain very well could be the largest increase in 25 years – and a much larger increase than expected.

"I don't think it's at the top of the cycle," said John Brinzo, the chairman and chief executive of Cleveland Cliffs, which has been mining iron ore from Michigan and other parts of North America since 1891. "I think it has got a good way to run and I'm not so sure we're going to see a traditional cycle in steel this time," he said. Brinzo's comments were made when Cleveland Cliffs announced the acquisition of an Australian mining company last month, an addition it hopes to utilize in meeting growing Chinese ore demand.

In addition to tight iron ore markets, China's growth has also created short supplies of alloys such as zinc, along with metallurgical coal used in the steelmaking process. All in all, a very positive environment for investors in the basic material sectors.

-Goldilox

With basic materials skyrocketing, how long does the FED believe that we will continue to see an environment where manufacturers don't pass on their cost increases?

Yowie Zowie! No wonder Rogers and Faber keep screaming "RAW MATERIALS" to whomever will listen. Oil prices may get much more airtime, but they are all primed and on the launching pad.

"T minus ??? and counting. . ."



Goldilox (02/25/05; 00:31:20MT - usagold.com msg#: 129638)
Venezuela says ExxonMobil tax hike not negotiable
Rueters (from e*trade)

By Matthew Robinson

CARACAS, Venezuela, Feb 24 (Reuters) - Venezuela will not negotiate with U.S. oil major ExxonMobil (XOM,Trade) its decision last year to increase taxes paid on extra-heavy oil upgrading projects, Energy Minister Rafael Ramirez said on Thursday.

ExxonMobil, partnered with Venezuela's state oil firm PDVSA on the Cerro Negro upgrader, has been pushing for meetings with the government since authorities lifted a tax holiday on the projects in October.

"This is not negotiable," Ramirez told reporters when asked about possible negotiations with ExxonMobil on the tax hike.

Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez in October announced a surprise increase in taxes on oil output from four extra-heavy crude ventures in the Orinoco region. The left-wing leader dismissed the earlier tax accord as unfair.

The measure sparked concern among market participants over the future of foreign investment in the OPEC member. But the government said the move was a sovereign decision it was willing to explain to companies.

The Orinoco projects join PDVSA with major oil firms including ExxonMobil, ConocoPhillips ((COP.N)) and France's Total ((TOTF.PA)), and produce more than 500,000 barrels of oil a day.

Crude from the Orinoco region is too heavy to be processed in normal refineries and must be upgraded or blended.

The Orinoco venture tax holiday had allowed international oil companies for years to pay very low initial rates -- as low as one percent -- to help them cover high start-up costs. They must now pay 16.6 percent on output.

"Mobil Cerro Negro wishes to explore an amicable resolution and has requested a meeting with the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum to commence consultations on this matter," an ExxonMobil spokeswoman said in a statement.

"The government of Venezuela guaranteed the reduced royalty rate as a way to attract investment and aid initial project economics. Cerro Negro relied on the reduced royalty rate when making its investment," she said.

Ramirez said ExxonMobil was alone in its complaints on the tax hike. "We hope that we can have a conversation with them in private ... to clear up whatever doubts they have," he said.

Venezuela, the world's No. 5 oil exporter and a major supplier of crude oil to the United States, will earn millions in extra revenue from the new tax, analysts said.

Venezuelan officials say the increase was legal under terms signed in the 1990s. They say the projects, planned when oil prices were at around $15 a barrel, have generated huge earnings amid soaring global crude prices.

-Goldilox

Chavez axing the low tax "initial investment" agreements is a move that must have the US "Oil admin" fuming. No wonder they label him a "destabilizing" force.

However, the move hasn't seemed to affect XOM, which has recently surpassed GE as the largest capitalization in the world, and continues its rise. It is so pitiful to watch the CNBC team groan as they acknowledge the fact that they have slipped to number 2.


TownCrier (02/25/05; 00:27:54MT - usagold.com msg#: 129637)
spotlight, gold IRAs
http://www.usagold.com/IRA.html
There's nothing wrong with gold in an IRA. I refer you to the URL listed above. George is your IRA man at USAGOLD-Centennial if you need an in-depth discussion on the matter.

R.




ViewYesterday's Discussion.


Permission to reprint is hereby granted where the USAGOLD name is cited along with our web address, mailing address and phone number. For electronic reproductions, citing the post heading and the http://www.usagold.com/cpmforum/ website address as the source is sufficient.

usa gold coins and bullion
Centennial Precious Metals
Gold coins & bullion since 1973

P.O. Box 460009
Denver, Colorado 80246-0009

We educate first-time investors!

We invite you to contact our trading desk
for quotes and purchase information.

Buy gold in U.S. 1-800-869-5115
Buy gold in EU 00-800-8720-8720

6:00am to 6:00pm MtnTime; Mon-Fri

admin@usagold.com

Remember: It's your purchase of gold from USAGOLD-Centennial Precious Metals that nourishes these pages


Search over ten years of golden archives

Click to verify BBB accreditation and to see a BBB report.
USAGOLD Rated A+

Monday March 15
website support: sitemaster@usagold.com
site map - privacy policy
The USAGOLD logo and stylized gold coin pile are trademarks of Michael J. Kosares.
© 1997-2010 Michael J. Kosares / USAGOLD All Rights Reserved