On the lease rates:
Hi Bill:
There was a surge in silver lease rates of 20% in the near terms (from .20 to .25% in the near terms). Despite this, gold rates remain relatively high at only half of silver rates in the one and two month terms. Silver rates remain in incipient backwardation. Lease rates are still very low, as central banks attempt to encourage lease related selling but there are few takers, except those who wish to cap the price for monetary purposes and in silver, perhaps to use leased silver to satisfy delivery requirements on COMEX. With over 1000 contracts stopped, as much as 5 Moz is needed. I wish I could update this lease rate data more frequently, but Kitco source can go three or four days without updating their data.
Regards, Rhody.