U.S.-listed stocks of gold mining companies weakened in early trading on Monday as bullion prices eased. Spot gold declined 0.4% to $4,696.35 per ounce, a move market participants linked to higher oil prices and the inflationary pressures they can produce, which in turn raise the prospect of interest rates remaining elevated for longer.
Top-tier miner Newmont saw its shares fall 1.5% in premarket trade. The broader group of miners listed in the United States also recorded declines across several names.
In developments on the geopolitical front, Iran issued a response on Sunday to a U.S. proposal intended to restart negotiations. The reply emphasized ending hostilities on all fronts, with particular focus on Lebanon, and included a demand for compensation for war damage. Hours later, President Trump publicly dismissed Iran's proposal via a social media post. The talks between the U.S. and Iran remained stalled, a factor noted alongside macroeconomic worries that influenced bullion and miner moves.
South African mining companies listed in the U.S. were among those that retreated. Gold Fields dropped 1.7%, AngloGold Ashanti fell 1.2%, and Harmony Gold moved down 0.8%.
Canadian-exposed miners trading on U.S. exchanges followed suit. Agnico Eagle Mines recorded a marginal decline, while Kinross Gold fell 0.7%.
Market backdrop
Market participants tied the downward pressure on bullion to rising oil prices, which can feed into inflation measures. Elevated inflation expectations raise the possibility that central banks could keep interest rates higher for longer, a dynamic that can weigh on non-yielding assets such as gold and on the stocks of companies closely tied to bullion performance.
Regional performance snapshot
- U.S.-listed major: Newmont -1.5%.
- South African miners: Gold Fields -1.7%, AngloGold Ashanti -1.2%, Harmony Gold -0.8%.
- Canadian miners on U.S. exchanges: Agnico Eagle Mines marginally down, Kinross Gold -0.7%.
The combination of commodity price moves and stalled diplomatic talks contributed to the cautious tone toward gold and related equities in the early session.