Melting gold price leaves African Barrick exposed

The price of gold slipped to a five-month low this week following upbeat US employment data - that revealed another stronger than expected monthly rise in employment. Positive economic data is widely anticipated to bring forward a tightening of monetary policy by the US Federal Reserve - known as 'tapering'. But that will lessen the attraction of holding precious metals and, consequently, the yellow metal has retreated from $1,400 (£865) an ounce in August to $1,230 an ounce in December. That's near the key $1,200 an ounce support level last reached in 2010.