GOLD PRICE IN JAPANESE YEN — AUGUST 17, 2006

On Thursday, August 17, 2006, the gold spot price was C$691.03 per troy ounce in Canadian Dollars, equivalent to ¥72,074.43 JPY per ounce or ¥2,317.24 JPY per gram. Gold fell -1.78% from the previous trading session.

Currency fluctuations between CAD and JPY significantly impact the effective cost of gold for international investors. Japan is the world's third-largest economy and a significant gold consumer, particularly for jewelry and industrial applications. The Bank of Japan's ultra-loose monetary policy has historically supported higher gold prices in Yen terms, making Japan an active gold market for both institutional and retail investors.