Gold News: Barrick Gold Corporation (USA) (ABX), Yamana Gold Inc. (USA) (AUY), Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. (FCX)

…the macroeconomic sentiment and outlook. Macroeconomic factors in the first quarter haven’t been very encouraging, particularly as far as China is concerned. This has led to much lower copper prices year-over-year as well as sequentially and will have a negative impact on Freeport’s revenues.

Freeport McMoRan Copper and Gold Given Buy Rating at BB&T (FCX) (Daily Political)
BB&T Corporation (NYSE:BBT) reissued their buy rating on shares of Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. (NYSE:FCX) in a research report released on Monday morning, Analyst Ratings Network reports. BB&T currently has a $44.00 price target on the stock. A number of other analysts have also recently weighed in on FCX. Analysts at Citigroup Inc. (NYSE:C) downgraded shares of Freeport McMoRan Copper and Gold from a neutral rating to a sell rating in a research note to investors on Monday. They now have a $25.00 price target on the stock, down previously from $35.00. Separately, analysts at FBR Capital Markets initiated coverage on shares of Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. (NYSE:FCX) in a research note to investors on Friday, April 5th.

Barrick Gold: Is Pascua-Lama A Mine That Should Not Be Built? (Seeking Alpha)
The uphill struggle for Barrick Gold Corporation (USA) (NYSE:ABX) to finally bring the Pascua-Lama mine into production hit another snag last week when a Chilean court ordered all works on the Chilean side of the project to cease pending a decision on a complaint filed by a group of native indigenous people. Court sources quoted by Reuters anticipate the dispute to go to the Chilean Supreme Court, which could mean delays to the order of several months. The suspension is the latest in a series of setbacks to the Pascua-Lama project. Target dates for initial production have been delayed, and cost estimates had to be corrected at least twice.

Yamana Gold Rating Reiterated by Cowen (AUY) (Daily Political)
Cowen reaffirmed their buy rating on shares of Yamana Gold Inc. (USA) (NYSE:AUY) in a research note released on Monday morning, Stock Ratings Network reports. They currently have a $16.40 price target on the stock. A number of other analysts have also recently weighed in on AUY. Analysts at BMO Capital Markets reiterated a buy rating on shares of Yamana Gold in a research note to investors on Monday. They now have a $21.50 price target on the stock, down previously from $24.00. Separately, analysts at Canaccord Genuity cut their price target on shares of Yamana Gold Inc. (USA) (NYSE:AUY) from $24.00 to $20.75 in a research note to investors on Thursday, April 11th.