U.S. Markets March 10-16

U.S. equity indices were up sharply during the March 10-16 reporting period. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 670 points, or 10.2%, to 7,217; the S&P 500 index rose 77 points, or 11.4%, to 754; and the Nasdaq climbed 135 points, or 10.7%, to 1,404.

A number of positives combined to lift the markets. There was news of profits in several large U. S. banks, stabilizing U. S. retail sales, and an unexpected jump in February housing starts.

But the International Monetary Fund has lowered its growth forecasts for the year, with the U. S. economy expected to shrink 2.6% in 2009, and the global economy projected to contract by 0.6%.

Precious metal stock indices were also up, with the Amex Gold Bugs index adding 8.5 points, or 3.1%, to 284, and the Philadelphia Gold and Silver index gaining 5.5 points, or 4.7%, to 121.

Copper and zinc prices rose on lower inventories in London Metals Exchange warehouses. Observers said that the economic stimulus plan in China could revive demand for the metals. Higher metal prices helped boost stocks in mining companies, with Teck vaulting US$1.31 to US$4.18, and copper miner Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold adding US$4.94 to US$37.26.

Aluminum miner Alcoa also gained ground, as did diversified mining giants Vale, Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton.

Gold miner AngloGold Ashanti added US$3.34 to US$33.70. After the reporting period, Anglo American announced the sale of its remaining 11.3% stake in the company to Paulson & Co. for US$1.28 billion.

Coal major Peabody Energy added US$3.01 to US$25.15, and fellow coal miner Arch Coal rose US$1.16 to US$13.71. After losing altitude in recent weeks on falling coal prices because of sluggish demand, the coal sector enjoyed a rebound on higher oil prices.

Uranium Energy advanced US23¢ to US61¢. After the reporting period, the company announced that it had concluded an option agreement for its Grants Ridge project in New Mexico with an Australian company. Meanwhile, the spot price for uranium oxide fell US25¢ to US$43.50 per lb.

U. S. most active issues
	VOLUME	WEEK
	(000s)	HIGH	LOW	CLOSE	CHANGE
Vale* RIO	187327	14.20	12.93	13.45	+ 0.93
Alcoa* AA	157117	6.40	5.51	6.12	+ 0.73
Freeport McMo*FCX	131567	38.43	33.20	37.26	+ 4.94
Barrick Gold* ABX	75398	29.93	25.54	29.60	+ 1.64
Goldcorp* GG	63250	29.99	26.15	29.28	+ 1.07
PotashCSask*POT	58262	79.55	71.50	75.91	+ 6.60
Gold Fields* GFI	55496	12.64	10.43	12.19	+ 1.14
Mosaic* MOS	49689	45.85	40.65	41.35	+ 1.00
Newmont Mng* NEM	43886	38.83	34.40	37.47	-0.32
Peabody Enrgy* BTU	42419	26.12	22.79	25.15	+ 3.01

U. S. greatest percentage change
		VOLUME	WEEK
		(000s)	HIGH	LOW	CLOSE	CHANGE
Apolo Gold*	APLL	36	0.02	0.01	0.02	+100.0
Shoshone Silv*	SHSH	14	0.15	0.13	0.13	+ 62.5
Uranium Ener*	UEC	1373	0.62	0.36	0.61	+ 60.5
HomelandPrM*	HPMEF	40	0.03	0.02	0.03	+ 50.0
Commerce Grp*	CGCO	24	0.07	0.05	0.06	+ 50.0
Global Gold*	GBGD	14	0.19	0.12	0.19	+ 46.1
Teck B*	TCK	26170	4.34	3.03	4.18	+ 45.6
Anooraq Res*	ANO	769	0.39	0.26	0.38	+ 40.7
Gold Reserve*	GRZ	345	0.85	0.54	0.79	+ 38.6
Metalline Mng*	MMG	60	0.24	0.18	0.23	+ 35.2
Industrl Mnls*	IDSM	16	0.04	0.03	0.03	-40.0
Yellowcake Mg*	YCKM	39	0.04	0.04	0.04	-33.3
Geovic Mng*	GVCM	442	0.47	0.33	0.35	-18.6
Paramount Gld*	PZG	297	0.97	0.70	0.72	-18.1
Linux Gold*	LNXGF	107	0.05	0.04	0.05	-16.6
North Am Pall*	PAL	3680	1.34	1.03	1.13	-10.3
Almaden Mnls*	AAU	463	0.79	0.63	0.63	-10.0
Quaterra Res*	QMM	89	0.51	0.46	0.47	-9.6
Alberta Star *	ASXSF	166	0.11	0.09	0.10	-9.0
Minco Gold*	MGH	115	0.48	0.39	0.40	-9.0

U. S. greatest value change
WEEK
		VOLUME	CLOSE	CHANGE
Rio Tinto*	RTP	5608206	116.40	+ 20.26
Potash C Sask*	POT	58261805	75.91	+ 6.60
BHP Billi-BBL*	BBL	10045968	37.41	+ 5.37
Freeport McMo*	FCX	131567351	37.26	+ 4.94
BHP Billi-BHP*	BHP	36315737	41.27	+ 4.92
Agrium*	AGU	4703800	36.93	+ 4.35
AngloGold Ash*	AU	19741923	33.70	+ 3.34
Peabody Enrgy*	BTU	42419076	25.15	+ 3.01
OM Group*	OMG	2864391	17.57	+ 2.98
ASA (Bermuda)*	ASA	384172	47.34	+ 2.70
Eldorado Gold*	EGO	11667052	7.52	-0.59
Randgold Res*	GOLD	4689339	46.27	-0.55
Newmont Mng*	NEM	43886151	37.47	-0.32
Yamana Gold*	AUY	13270000	8.08	-0.27
Paramount Gld*	PZG	297172	0.72	-0.16
Keegan Res*	KGN	79700	1.75	-0.14
US Gold*	UXG	475300	1.79	-0.14
NovaGold Res*	NG	6589505	2.40	-0.14
North Am Pall*	PAL	3679842	1.13	-0.13
Alexco Res*	AXU	340574	1.12	-0.10