At times, as in his latest bid, he is five or 10 moves ahead of everybody else.

Gold dropped $1 in London to a late bid of $440.50 an ounce.

Several other companies won the latest bid for the contract.

The effort is China's latest bid to raise its profile as a great power.

Six-month bill rates fell by a similar amount, to a late bid of 7.47 percent.

Earlier in London, silver fell to a late bid of $4.14, from $4.24.

In London silver rose to a late bid of $4.46, from $4.37.

The latest bid for its stock was a penny a share.

Silver was unchanged in London at a late bid of $4.38.

But in London the metal slipped to a late bid of $4.13 from $4.14.