Gold, oil and copper prices rose on positive news in the US and China.

 Sahit Muja: New York

Sahit Muja: Gold, oil and copper prices rose on positive news in the US and China.

 Oil, gold and copper futures rose on Thursday after reports showed improvement in the U.S jobs sector and in persona income.

China's manufacturing activity improved at the fastest pace in five months in February backed by a strong rebound in export orders, the latest survey by China's Federation of Logistics and Purchasing (CFLP) showed Thursday.China's purchasing managers' index for the manufacturing sector improved to reach 51 in February. 

Gold price soared$13 dollars today and oil prices rose to $108.90 on tensions over major crude exporter Iran and in the wake of positive news in China and the U.S. 

Copper prices rose earlier in the day in news from China. Copper rose more than 1 percent on Thursday.London Metal Exchange (LME) three-month copper rose
$131 or 1.54 percent to end at $8,630 per tonne.

Oil rose as the U.S. put more pressure on Iran to halt its nuclear program and improving American economic data bolstered optimism that fuel demand will climb. China's manufacturing expanded at a faster pace in February, the purchasing managers’ index rose for a third month to 51.0 from 50.5 in January.

The markets may benefit from a positive reaction to the Labor Department's report on initial jobless claims in the week ended February 25th, which showed an unexpected drop in claims.

The report showed that initial jobless claims edged down to 351,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 353,000. Economists had expected jobless claims to creep up to 355,000 from the 351,000 originally reported for the previous week.

With the drop compared to the previous week's revised figure, jobless claims are at their lowest level since coming at 347,000 in the week ending on March 8, 2008.

Sahit Muja

President and CEO

Albanian Minerals

New York