Metals Correspondent, LiveMetalPrice.com
James Crawford is a financial journalist and metals market analyst with over a decade of experience covering commodity markets. He has reported on gold, silver, platinum group metals, and critical minerals through multiple market cycles, including the 2020 pandemic price shock, the 2021 rhodium peak, and the ongoing energy transition metals boom. He contributes daily market analysis and price commentary to LiveMetalPrice.com, drawing on COMEX data, CFTC positioning reports, and primary source interviews with market participants.
James holds a BSc in Economics from the University of Toronto and has completed the CFA Institute's Investment Foundations certificate. His methodology prioritises primary data sources — COMEX settlement prices, LBMA morning and afternoon fixings, CFTC Commitments of Traders reports, and World Gold Council demand surveys — over secondary commentary. Every article published under his byline undergoes editorial review for factual accuracy before publication. When errors are identified after publication, corrections are issued within 24 hours with a timestamped note at the foot of the article.
Education
BSc Economics, University of Toronto
Certification
CFA Institute Investment Foundations
Experience
10+ years commodity journalism
Specialisation
PGMs, critical minerals, supply-side analysis
James's analysis draws on COMEX and LBMA price data, CFTC weekly Commitments of Traders reports, World Gold Council ETF and demand data, Silver Institute annual surveys, South African Chamber of Mines production reports, and statements from major mining company quarterly filings. All price data is cross-referenced against at least two independent sources before publication.
Corrections policy: factual errors identified after publication are corrected with a timestamped note added to the bottom of the article within 24 hours. Substantive corrections are also noted in the article's summary description.
Despite Monday's pullback in gold prices and fading near-term rate-cut expectations, institutional positioning data, central bank reserves growth, and gold IRA demand all point in the same direction: patient investors are using dips to build, not exit.
Read articlePalladium fell 3.6% on Monday, May 4, 2026, leading losses across all major precious metals as a stronger dollar, profit-taking after recent highs, and renewed caution ahead of Federal Reserve communications weighed on the complex.
Read articleETF flows turned sharply positive in April as institutional investors rebuilt precious metals allocations ahead of what major banks now forecast could be a sustained move toward $5,000 gold.
Read articlePlatinum surged 5.5% on May 1, 2026, leading a broad advance across all major precious metals as dollar weakness, soft U.S. manufacturing data, and ongoing central bank demand combined to lift the complex.
Read articleGold surpassed $3,500 per troy ounce for the first time, driven by record central bank purchases and persistent safe-haven demand amid global economic uncertainty.
Read articleSilver gained 9.4% in April versus gold's 6.1%, as solar panel manufacturers and electronics makers competed for tightening physical supply.
Read articleGallium spot prices climbed to $580 per kilogram after China extended its export permit requirement through year-end, escalating the critical minerals supply chain crisis.
Read articleElectric vehicles, wind turbines, and grid infrastructure require two to five times more copper than their conventional counterparts. The supply math is challenging.
Read articleGold broke above $3,400 for the first time while silver, platinum, and palladium all posted weekly gains. Full data and market commentary for the week of April 7, 2026.
Read articleSouth Africa's Chamber of Mines reports a 6.2% decline in gold production for Q1 2026, as Eskom load-shedding and aging underground infrastructure continue to constrain output at major Witwatersrand operations.
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