- Gold prices at five-year lows adds more pressure on an already stressed gold mining industry but mine closures are not expected to happen quickly as operators instead try to continue cutting costs, even as industry all-in costs already are expected to fall to an average of ~$1,335/oz. this year, down from nearly $1,700 in 2012.
- Some significant mine closures could occur over time if gold stays near its current $1,100/oz. - as ~76% of producing gold mines are in the red at that price - but Goldcorp (NYSE:GG) CEO Chuck Jeannes says "I always warn people that [closures] are not going to happen as fast as you think they might because mine general managers are really good at keeping their mines alive."
- With Newmont Mining (NYSE:NEM) kicking off earnings season for precious metals miners tomorrow, the current five-year compound return for mining equities is the lowest since the early 1980s; analysts are watching for potential dividend cuts at GG, Barrick Gold (ABX), Centerra Gold (OTCPK:CAGDF) and Yamana Gold (NYSE:AUY).
- Plenty of analysts are predicting further declines in gold's price; Goldman Sachs' Jeffrey Currie says the worst is yet to come, and that prices could fall below $1,000 for the first time since 2009.
- ETFs: GDX, NUGT, GDXJ, GGN, DUST, SIL, JNUG, GLDX, JDST, SGDM, ASA, SLVP, SILJ, RING, JUNR, PSAU, TGLDX, GDJJ, GDXS, GDXX, GDJS