The expectation (or hope) with these indirect stock buybacks is that the stock will moveupwards because the shares oustanding goes down (or at least the buybacks offset the dilution from the exercise of options).
To better understand what makes the price of gold move, upwards or downwards, it is perhaps best to appreciate the relationship gold has had to the U.S. dollar historically.
However, most policymakers agree that the industry must move beyond corn ethanol, which is less efficient than the sugar-derived stuff and pushes food prices upwards.