GOLD

ABC's Pan Am took to the skies Sunday night and, though there was a bit of turbulence midair, there is hope for a smoother ride going forward.

Facebook isn't charging a membership fee from its users, and according to the social media site, it never will.

Goldgroup Mining Inc. said Monday it will buy Almaden Minerals Ltd.'s 30 percent stake in the Caballo Blanco project in a deal that will make Goldgroup the 100 percent owner of the Mexican gold project.

Gold prices recovered from huge overnight losses Monday before paring losses to about 1 percent. Still in the last three days the precious metal has now lost more than 9 percent of its value in its biggest three-day drop since 1983.

Mindoro Resources Ltd. said it found high-grade gold at its Lobo mine in Batangas Province, the Philippines.

The Mongolian government will seek to accelerate the timetable to increase its stake in the country's giant Oyu Tolgoi copper-gold project to 50 percent, Mining Minister Dashdorj Zorigt said on Sunday.

About 4,200 workers at Freeport McMoran Copper & Gold Inc's Indonesian mine, mainly contractors and nonunion staff, have returned to work, allowing some mining to resume, but around 8,000 remain on strike, the firm's spokesman said on Monday.

Spot gold fell 5.2 percent and silver dropped by the most in three years, extending Friday's rout as investors bolted for the ultimate safe havens of cash and the dollar.

Global mining giant Rio Tinto will respond to any request from the Mongolian government to discuss its investment in the country's giant Oyu Tolgoi copper-gold deposit, but still expects the original 2009 agreement to be honoured.

World stocks came off their lows and the euro inched up from an earlier 10-year trough against the yen on Monday as speculation that the European Central Bank might cut interest rates to help the economy countered concern over the euro zone debt crisis.

A gold necklace, recovered from the sunken Titanic’s wreck site, has been stolen from an exhibition dedicated to the ill-fated ship, in the Danish capital of Copenhagen.

European stock index futures fell on Monday, following a slump in Asian shares, and the euro slid amid skepticism that Europe's latest efforts to contain its sovereign debt crisis can prevent it from wreaking more damage on the world economy.

The latest Facebook rumor circulating online asserts that Facebook will begin charging users for membership.The rumor is gaining traction due to a chain message hoax spreading virally, although the company promises It's free and always will be.

Due to the lingering government debt crisis in Europe and a 9.1 percent U.S. unemployment rate, key economic statistics are pointing to slow-growth conditions in the U.S. for the next two quarters, and a double-dip recession is possible. Is there anything Congress can do to create jobs and get the U.S. economy moving again?

The CME Group, the world's largest commodities exchange, raised its margin requirement on trading 100-ounce gold futures by 21.4 percent, the third rise since July.

Gold prices slumped more than $100 an ounce on Friday, the biggest fall on record in dollar terms, as traders sold to cover losses, while global stocks edged up on expectations the European Central Bank will take new measures to contain the euro zone debt crisis.

In years past, gold often acted as a safe haven when stocks were falling, and it hit a record in August while equities struggled. Now, however, it's mired in its worst selloff in decades. What does it mean for investors who see gold as a core portfolio holding?

With European banks tanking and the U.S. growth rate grinding to a halt, how does the average investor protect his assets? By being focused.

Gold crashed more than $100 lower on Friday as a slide turned into a freefall, with weeks of volatility, renewed strength in the dollar and talk of hedge fund liquidation wrecking its safe-haven status.

Gold prices plummeted Friday, at one point tumbling to 15 percent below the level of three weeks ago, as investors started buying stocks and, to a lesser extent, euros. Silver is now down 25 percent from its mid-week level.

World stocks came off 14-month lows on Friday on expectations policymakers would take further action to ease the Eurozone debt crisis, while commodities fell broadly on worries about a global economic slump.