The lingering debt crisis in Europe and the slow recovery in the U.S. have worked toward keeping the price of gold above $1,600 at the time of writing. Overall predictions for the price of gold in 2012 are between $1,700 and $2,000 per ounce. Demand for copper is being fed by China, India and Japan. This demand is having the effect of keeping copper prices above $2 per pound. Some improvement in the domestic economy has also had a stabilizing effect on copper. The jewelry and investment market for gold overseas is driven by India's consumption of approximately 45% of the world's gold production. China will likely become the largest gold market in the world in 2012 with demand from that region doubling in the next 10 years.

Despite the prices and increasing demand for copper and gold, companies such as Goldcorp that produce the metals have not seen a positive impact on their share price.

GLTA!!!!

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