Gold prices retreated from early record highs near $1,900 an ounce on Monday, as a rebound in stock markets from last week's lows gathered pace, denting interest in so-called safe haven assets like German bunds and bullion.

Gold futures hit another record high of $1,898.60/oz on Monday, despite a recovery on global stock markets following one of the most volatile weeks in trading history. The precious metal rose by more than 6% last week, the most since February 2009. So far this year bullion has gained roughly a third in value. Gold's allure as an inflation hedge was boosted by renewed talk that policy-easing initiatives would be unveiled by the US Federal Reserve on Friday at an annual gathering of central bankers. A round of asset purchases that eventually became known as “QE2” were unveiled at the meeting last year.

Bloomberg reports that mining companies in Australia are spending more on miners and their relationships.

Australia’s BHP Billiton has finalised its acquisition of US shale gas producer Petrohawk, BHP announced on Sunday. BHP has secured the 97.4% of the outstanding shares in the Texan company which it did not already own, in a deal worth $12.1 billion.

OneSteel Ltd has bought iron ore assets in South Australia including Peculiar Knob from WPG Resources Ltd for AUD 346 million, as it focuses more on iron ore exports.

The battle for Macarthur Coal is poised to intensify after news that Anglo American is considering a challenge to Peabody and ArcelorMittal's $4.7 billion hostile bid. Anglos, the world's fifth most valuable miner, is studying Macarthur's finances, media reported at the weekend. Anglos has been restructuring aggressively under chief executive Cynthia Carroll (pictured) and with second quarter 2011 profits of $4 billion has the necessary cash. But a rumoured joint bid with China's Citic could turn out to be the decisive factor to beat Peabody and ArcelorMittal's offer as Citic has already built up a 24% stake in Macarthur. Miners are scrambling for coal assets and coal for power-generation has averaged about $130/tonne this year from less than $100 in 2010. Coal now accounts for 30% of global energy use, the highest since 1970.

South Africa’s Department of Mineral Resources, defending itself in court after awarding prospecting rights to a company linked to President Jacob Zuma’s son, will seek criminal charges against the plaintiff Sishen, part of Kumba Iron Ore, a company controlled by Anglo American. Kumba and Indian iron ore giant ArcelorMittal are asking the High Court to overturn the award of prospecting rights for the Sishen mine to Imperial Crown Trading 289, whose owners include Jagdish Parekh, a business partner of Duduzane Zuma. Kumba says it’s the only party eligible for the rights to the nation’s largest iron ore mine.

The Times and Democrat reports in the ancient town of Rosia Montana in Romania (pictured), tensions are running high between supporters and opponents of the proposed gold mine by Canada's Gabriel Resources. Gabriel Resources in its latest financial results showed it has accumulated over $175 million in cash and equivalents to move ahead its Transylvania project in an area where galleries used by Roman miners during the first century still exists. It has been more than a decade since the company first obtained the Rosia Montana concession, believed the be one of the richest in Europe, holding some 10 million ounces of gold and 65 million ounces of silver, and it needs several more endorsements, zoning permissions and reviews before it could start mining.

The Business Standard reports with gold prices setting new record highs every alternate day, jewellery makers are adopting various methods to minimise its use in diamond jewellery without compromising look and feel. While many have increased mechanisation and reduced manufacturing of hand-made jewellery, others are replacing gold’s weight with diamond to keep investors’ interest intact. Another option is using silver with rhodium plating. Ideally, gold content in diamond jewellery should be 35% in terms of its weight. But, many jewellers have reduced gold content massively in the first half of the calendar year to keep the prices down.