The government has opened registration to confirm and use benefits under the additional Thailand Helps Thailand Plus (60/40) scheme through the Paotang app starting October 1, 2026. Recipients will receive 1,000 baht in assistance over the course of the project, which runs for two months from October 1 to November 30, 2026. The state pays 60% and the public pays 40%, with the government co-payment capped at 200 baht per person per day. Those who have already linked G Wallet simply need to open the Paotang app, select the Thailand Helps Thailand Plus (60/40) banner, read the conditions and press the registration button. Those who have previously cancelled or never linked G Wallet must first sign up for G Wallet before they can confirm their eligibility. On gold prices, after surging past 4,500 dollars per ounce earlier in September, the metal has now pulled back below 4,200 dollars per ounce. InnovestX Securities sees gold remaining under short-term pressure from high real yields after the market increased its weighting on expectations that the Fed may raise interest rates again in October, and recommends holding existing positions rather than chasing additional purchases. Kasikorn Securities sees the outlook for the second half of 2026 as still dependent on the Middle East situation and the Fed's interest rate policy. StoneX takes a cautiously positive view for the fourth quarter, assessing that central bank gold buying remains a key support, and technically the 4,400 dollars per ounce resistance level must be watched; a break above could open the way to test 4,500 and 4,700 dollars. Key support sits around 4,100 to 4,120 dollars and 4,000 dollars. In the latest situation on October 1, 2026, InterGold recommends a strategy of waiting to buy at support, seeing global gold support at around 4,130 dollars per ounce and resistance at 4,230 dollars, equivalent to domestic gold prices of about 66,000 and 66,900 baht respectively.
Gold Eyes Eighth Straight Positive Year as Fed, Bond Yields and Central Bank Buying Take Center Stage
Domestic gold prices are on track to post a positive return for an eighth consecutive year. As of October 8, 2026, gold prices had risen by about 900 baht, and looking back at October data over the past five years, from 2021 to 2025, gold rose in four of those years and fell in only one, delivering positive returns in 80% of the period under review. In 2025, prices surged by 3,000 baht to 61,400 baht, while 2024 was the only year to decline, falling 500 baht. Gold nonetheless climbed to a yearly peak of around 81,950 baht before correcting. On the morning of October 8, 2026, 96.5% gold bars were bought back at 65,650 baht and sold at 65,850 baht. The key supporting factor is the direction of Federal Reserve monetary policy, after U.S. nonfarm payrolls for September rose by only 29,000 and the unemployment rate climbed to 4.2%, prompting the market to sharply scale back expectations for an October rate hike. Meanwhile, a World Gold Council survey of 74 central banks found that 45% plan to increase their gold holdings over the next 12 months, the highest share since the survey began in 2018, and China added about 740,000 ounces, or roughly 23 tonnes, to its gold reserves in September, a 23rd consecutive month of increases. Pressures still come from U.S. bond yields, Brent crude oil prices back above 100 dollars a barrel, and technical signals after prices broke below support at 4,200 dollars an ounce on September 28. Gold must break through 4,200 dollars to confirm a short-term recovery and 4,540 dollars to confirm a medium- and long-term uptrend.
GOLD · Monetary · Positive Gold is supported by scaled-back Fed rate-hike expectations after weak September payrolls and rising unemployment, alongside record central-bank gold buying.
Aura Minerals Hits Record Q3 Output of 95,557 Gold Equivalent Ounces
Aura Minerals reported record preliminary Q3 2026 production of 95,557 gold equivalent ounces, its highest-ever quarterly and nine-month output across six operating mines. The result was driven by sharp gains at MSG and strong performances at Borborema and Aranzazu. The company said production and sales growth remained strong even after adjusting for metal prices, while construction and development at the Era Dorada project continued on schedule. Aura Minerals also recently secured a new US$200 million syndicated loan facility to help finance supplier payments and prepay production costs while advancing its growth pipeline. The company's narrative projects $2.3 billion in revenue and $1.0 billion in earnings by 2029, requiring 21.0% yearly revenue growth and roughly a $701 million earnings increase from $298.6 million today.
AUGO · Supply · Positive Record Q3 output of 95,557 gold equivalent ounces driven by gains at MSG, Borborema and Aranzazu, with Era Dorada development on schedule.
AUGO · Capital · Positive Secured a new US$200 million syndicated loan facility to finance supplier payments and prepay production costs.
Caledonia Mining Cuts 2026 Blanket Output Guidance, Raises Cost Outlook
Caledonia Mining lowered its full-year production guidance for the Blanket mine in Zimbabwe and raised its cost outlook after third-quarter gold output fell 11% year over year to 19,106 oz. The company attributed the decline to a shortage of compressed air at certain high-grade, high-volume mining areas and the temporary retention of gold within the processing circuit, and said it expects production to normalize during the fourth quarter as two new compressors have been deployed and the last two have been released from port and are being transported to the mine. For fiscal 2026, Caledonia cut Blanket production guidance to a range of 69,000-72,500 oz from a previous outlook of 72,000-76,500 oz, implying fourth-quarter production at Blanket of 19,800-23,300 oz. Reflecting the lower expected volumes, the company raised full-year on-mine cost guidance to $1,700-$1,900 per oz sold from a prior view of $1,600-$1,800 per oz sold, and hiked all-in sustaining cost guidance to $2,650-$2,850 per oz sold from an earlier forecast of $2,500-$2,700 AISC. CEO Mark Learmonth said that although guidance for 2026 has been revised to reflect the third-quarter performance, Blanket remains a robust and cash-generative operation. Shares fell 2.6% in Friday's trading.
Discovery Mining Reports Pamour Drill Results From 52 Holes, Some Beyond Current Pit Design
Discovery Mining Ltd. reported past drilling results from 52 holes at the Pamour Mine that confirm and expand existing open-pit mineral resources across multiple zones, with numerous high-grade gold intersections both within and beyond the current resource shell. Several of the strongest Pamour intercepts sit just outside the current pit design, hinting that future resource updates could reframe the scale and configuration of this core asset. The company also recently received key environmental and land use permits for Cordero in Mexico, reducing permitting risk around a future growth project. Discovery Mining's narrative projects $1.7 billion in revenue and $400.5 million in earnings by 2029, requiring 16.0% yearly revenue growth and a $158.9 million earnings increase from $241.6 million today, while some optimistic analysts assume revenue of about US$2,600,000,000 and earnings of about US$695,000,000 by 2029. The company's forecasts yield a CA$14.86 fair value, a 29% upside to its current price.
GOLD · Supply · Positive High-grade gold intercepts at Pamour, some beyond the current pit design, point to expanded gold resources, a positive supply signal for gold.
McEwen to Sell Ontario Properties to Discovery Mining in $55M Cash-and-Stock Deal
McEwen agreed to sell its Fuller and Paymaster properties in Timmins, Ontario, to Discovery Mining subsidiary Dome Mine for $55M, comprising $5M in cash and $50M in Discovery common shares. The sale includes Lexam VG Gold's wholly-owned Fuller property, its 60% interest in the Paymaster property held in joint venture with Dome, and a surface rights parcel owned by VG Holdings; both properties are part of McEwen's Fox complex land position in the Timmins mining district. McEwen said it plans to use the sale proceeds to invest across its operations and development projects to support a goal of producing 250K–300K gold equivalent oz annually by 2030 with minimal to no share dilution. The company said its operations and development at the Fox complex will remain centered on the Froome, Stock and Grey Fox properties. McEwen shares gained 4.5% in Friday's trading.
Critical Materials & Supply Chain › Precious Metals Capital
MUX · Capital · Positive McEwen agreed to sell its Fuller and Paymaster properties for $55M in cash and Discovery shares, funding operations and development with minimal dilution.
Gold Surges on Weaker Dollar, Oil Falls After Trump Confirms No Attack on Iran
Gold prices rebounded today, supported by falling oil prices and a weaker dollar. As of 19:50 Thailand time, spot gold was up 41.81 dollars, or 0.90%, at 4,173.33 dollars per ounce, while COMEX December gold futures rose 49.60 dollars, or 1.19%, to 4,206.60 dollars per ounce. Meanwhile, global crude oil prices tumbled more than 1%, with Brent crude falling below 103 dollars per barrel and West Texas crude dropping below 91 dollars per barrel, after President Donald Trump confirmed via Truth Social that the United States will not attack Iran before the November 3 midterm elections and that talks with Iran are making progress. At the same time, investors increased their bets that the Fed will hold interest rates steady at its October meeting, after the U.S. services index fell to 54.9 in September, below expectations of 55.2 and down from 55.4 in August. The CME Group's FedWatch Tool indicates that investors assign an 80.6% probability that the Fed will keep rates at 3.75-4.00% at its October meeting, and a 70.2% probability that the Fed will raise rates by 0.25% to 4.00-4.25% at its December meeting. Investors are watching next week's releases of the consumer price index and producer price index ahead of the Fed's monetary policy meeting on October 27-28.