Nasdaq Commodities

The first months of 2024 saw cobalt take a bearish stance constrained by excess supply and eroding demand.Cobalt prices faced many headwinds at the beginning of the year pulling the value of the battery metal down by 2.01 percent between January and the end of March. After starting the calendar year at US$29,134 per metric ton, prices fell to US$28,548 at the end of the three-month session.The sluggish market conditions were attributed to reduced demand from the battery sector and an oversupply of material. As a result, prices remained under pressure, with limited signs of improvement expected in the near term.“Electric vehicle and electronic batteries still comprise a large portion of cobalt demand, although the power battery production landscape in China encountered challenges in the past year,” a January report from S&P Global stated. “A notable decline in growth rates, particularly in the production of batteries with a nickel-manganese-cobalt chemistry, has led market sources to hold a cautiously optimistic outlook for Q1.” Additionally, concerns over the economic impact of the Russia-Ukraine conflict added to the market uncertainty.The first 30 days of Q2 haven’t offered relief to the cobalt market as prices continue to consolidate, falling below US$28,000 in mid-April.These tough market conditions were reflected in the share performance of the sector’s exploration and mining companies. However, despite the challenges three companies have been able to make gains in the current market.Below is a look at the three top cobalt stocks on the TSX and TSXV by share price performance so far this year. All year-to-date and share price information was obtained on May 1, 2024, using TradingView’s stock screener, and all companies listed had market caps above C$10 million at that time. 1. Electra Battery Materials (TSXV:ELBM) {"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"Corporation","name":"Electra Battery Materials","url":"https://electrabmc.com/","description":"Building North America’s First Battery Materials Park","tickerSymbol":"TSXV:ELBM","sameAs":["https://twitter.com/ElectraBMC"],"image":"https://investingnews.com/media-library/electra-battery-materials-logo.png?id=28868185&width=980","logo":"https://investingnews.com/media-library/electra-battery-materials-logo.png?id=28868185&width=210"} Company Profile Year-to-date gain: 15.38 percent; market cap: C$32.94 million; current share price: C$0.60Canada-based exploration and development company Electra states it is actively involved in processing low-carbon, ethically sourced battery materials. The company is working to develop North America's sole cobalt sulfate refinery while operating a black mass recycling demonstration plant. Black mass is obtained from end-of-life lithium-ion batteries.Electra is also progressing exploration efforts at its Iron Creek cobalt and copper project in the Idaho Cobalt Belt, and expanding its cobalt sulfate processing capabilities in Bécancour, Québec.In early February, Electra released an update on its black mass demonstration plant near Toronto. The overview noted that recent optimizations enhanced the recovery of lithium, nickel, cobalt and other essential minerals, improving the quality of saleable end products. The company also noted that further optimization studies include metal recovery from internal recycling streams, and preliminary lab results suggest positive prospects for isolating cobalt from nickel in the leach liquor.On February 9, the company received a C$5 million investment from the Government of Canada earmarked for the construction of its cobalt sulfate refinery. The refinery, situated in Temiskaming Shores, Ontario, aims to supply roughly 5 percent of the world's battery-grade cobalt essential for electric vehicles. The C$5 million grant is being dispersed through the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario.“Canada has surpassed China as the top jurisdiction in the global battery supply chain, given its strength in raw materials mining and processing,” Trent Mell, Electra’s CEO, said. “Today’s investment from the Government of Canada means that Northern Ontario will seize the economic opportunities created by Canada’s transition to a green economy.”Shares of Electra reached a year-to-date high of C$0.97 on February 15. Buy now , 2. FPX Nickel (TSXV:FPX) {"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"Corporation","name":"FPX Nickel","url":"https://fpxnickel.com/","description":"Exploring and Developing the High-margin Baptiste Nickel Project in Canada","tickerSymbol":"TSXV:FPX","sameAs":["https://twitter.com/fpx_nickel"],"image":"https://investingnews.com/media-library/otxqb-fpocf.png?id=27887947&width=980","logo":"https://investingnews.com/media-library/otxqb-fpocf.png?id=27887947&width=210"} Press Releases Company Profile Year-to-date gain: 6.67 percent; market cap: C$87.67 million; current share price: C$0.32FPX Nickel is currently advancing its Decar nickel district in British Columbia, Canada. The property comprises four key targets, with the Baptiste deposit being the primary focus, alongside the Van target.Additionally, FPX Nickel holds full ownership of three other nickel projects in British Columbia and one in the Yukon, Canada. While nickel extraction is its main focus, the company plans to produce cobalt as a by-product from future mining operations at the Baptiste site.In mid-January, FPX announced that it had secured a C$14.4 million strategic equity investment from Sumitomo Metal Mining Canada, a subsidiary of Japanese nickel miner Sumitomo Metal Mining (TSE:5713).Martin Turenne, president and CEO of FPX, noted that Sumitomo's investment is a substantial validation of FPX's Baptiste nickel project, highlighting Sumitomo Metal Mining's expertise in nickel production and supply chain diversification.Shortly after the Sumitomo news, FPX announced the “company’s three strategic investors have fully exercised their participation rights to re-establish their respective initial ownership interest in FPX’s issued and outstanding common shares.”The exercise resulted in the completion of an additional private placement, where a total of 8,981,971 common shares were issued to the strategic investors at C$0.48 per share, generating C$4,311,346 of proceeds.With approximately C$45 million on hand including the proceeds, FPX expects to be fully funded for its 2024 and 2025 activities.Shares of FPX spiked following the news and reached a year-to-date high of C$0.40 on February 5. Buy now , 3. Sherritt International (TSX:S) {"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"Corporation","name":"Sherritt International Corporation","url":"https://www.sherritt.com","description":"Sherritt International Corp is engaged in the mining and refining of nickel from lateritic ores with projects and operations in Canada, Cuba, and North America. Its segment includes Moa JV and Fort site, Metals Other, Power, and Technologies and Corporate. The Moa JV and Fort site segment includes the mining, processing, and refining of nickel and cobalt. Metals Other segment is comprised of buying, marketing and selling certain of Moa Joint Venture's nickel and cobalt production. Its Power segment constructs and operates an electricity generating plant whereas The Technologies and Corporate segment consist of the metallurgical technology business and general corporate activities. It generates maximum revenue from the Moa JV and Fort site segment.","tickerSymbol":"TSX:S","sameAs":[],"image":"https://investingnews.com/media-library/image.gif?id=29647892&width=980","logo":"https://investingnews.com/media-library/image.gif?id=29647892&width=210"} Company Profile Year-to-date gain: 5 percent; market cap: C$123.16 million; current share price: C$0.31Sherritt is a leading global player in hydrometallurgical processes for nickel and cobalt extraction. At its Moa joint venture, Sherritt is pursuing a 25 year expansion program to boost annual mixed sulfide precipitate output by 20 percent, equating to 6,500 metric tons of nickel and cobalt.On January 15, Sherritt announced it was implementing organization-wide cost-cutting measures to enhance operations in response to market conditions. Part of these efforts included a corporate restructuring and a 10 percent reduction in Canadian staff.In February the company released its 2023 results and 2024 guidance. In the report, Sherritt noted total cobalt production on a 100 percent basis was 2,876 metric tons, “slightly below their annual guidance ranges.”For 2024 ,the company is anticipating an uptick in nickel and cobalt production “due to increased feed of mixed sulphides from the Moa mine site to the refinery as a result of access to additional ore sources.”Sherritt shares marked a year-to-date high on April 10 of C$0.36. Buy now , FAQs for cobalt ​What is cobalt? Cobalt is a silver-gray metal that is often produced as a by-product of nickel and copper mining. It does not occur as a separate metal anywhere in the world, and must be produced by reductive smelting, or from the metallic ore cobaltite, which is made of cobalt, sulfur and arsenic. ​What is cobalt used for? Historically, cobalt oxides were used to impart a blue pigment to glass, porcelain and paints, hence the still-used cobalt blue paint. The metal is also used to produce superalloys, as cobalt imparts qualities such as corrosion and wear resistance, which are useful in applications such as airplanes, orthopedics and prosthetics.Today cobalt is most famously used in the rechargeable lithium-ion batteries that run everything from smartphones to EVs. ​Where is cobalt mined? The majority of cobalt production comes out of the DRC, which was responsible for producing 130,000 MT of the material in 2022. For perspective, the second largest cobalt-producing country, Russia, reported output of 8,900 MT the same year; third place Australia produced 5,900 MT of the material. As the lithium-ion battery and EV supply chains garner global attention, companies are trying to limit their exposure to cobalt produced from the DRC, which is known for human rights abuses and sometimes child labor in its mining industry. In response to this trend, many countries with cobalt are attempting to create domestic cobalt and EV supply chains in the hope of attracting companies looking to avoid DRC-sourced cobalt. This can be seen in the up-and-coming battery corridor in Ontario, Canada, as well as in the US-based Idaho cobalt belt. Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time news updates!Securities Disclosure: I, Georgia Williams, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.Editorial Disclosure: FPX Nickel is a client of the Investing News Network. This article is not paid-for content.

Investing in silver bullion has pros and cons, and what’s right for one investor may not work for another.Interest in the silver market tends to flourish whenever the silver price increases, with investors beginning to wonder if it is the right time to add physical silver to their investment portfolios. While silver can be volatile, the precious metal is also seen as a safe-haven asset, similar to its sister metal gold. Safe-haven investments can offer protection in times of uncertainty, and with tensions running high, they could be a good choice for those looking to preserve their wealth in difficult times.With those factors in mind, let’s look at the pros and cons of buying silver bullion. What are the pros of investing in silver bullion? Silver can offer protection — Silver bullion is often considered a good safe-haven asset. As mentioned, investors often flock to precious metals in times of turmoil, politically and economically. For example, physical silver and gold have both performed strongly in recent years against a background of geopolitical instability and high inflation."What you can know with absolute certainty is that good money — so physical gold, physical silver in your possession — is the single safest thing that you can do to protect yourself from all of those issues, plus so many more," Lynette Zang of ITM Trading told the Investing News Network at the 2024 Vancouver Resource Investment Conference.It’s a tangible asset — While cash, mining stocks, bonds and other financial products are accepted forms of wealth, they are essentially still digital promissory notes. For that reason, they are all vulnerable to depreciation due to actions like printing money. A troy ounce of silver bullion, on the other hand, is a finite tangible asset. That means that, although it is vulnerable to market fluctuations like other commodities, physical silver isn’t likely to completely crash because of its inherent and real value. Market participants can buy bullion in different forms, such as silver coins or silver jewelry, or they can buy silver bullion bars.Silver's cheaper and more flexible than gold — Compared to gold bullion, silver is significantly cheaper, which makes it more accessible for investors looking for an affordable entrance to the precious metals market. This can make it easier for investors to build up a portfolio over time.Another benefit is that investors who need to convert their precious metals to currency will have an easier time selling a portion of their silver portfolio than those looking to sell part of their gold. Just as a US$100 bill can be a challenge to break at the store, divvying up an ounce of gold bullion can be a challenge. As a result, silver bullion is more practical and versatile, particularly for everyday investors who need flexibility in their investments.Silver offers higher returns than gold — Silver tends to move in tandem with gold: when the price of gold rises, so too does the price of silver. Because the white metal is currently worth around 1/86th the price of gold, buying silver bullion is affordable and stands to see a much bigger percentage gain if the silver price goes up. In fact, silver has outperformed the gold price in bull markets. It’s possible for an investor to hedge their bets with silver bullion in their investment portfolio.History is on silver’s side — Silver and gold have been used as legal tender for thousands of years, and that lineage lends them a sense of stability. Many buyers find comfort in knowing that silver has been recognized for its value throughout a great deal of mankind’s history, and so there’s an expectation that it will endure while a fiat currency may fall to the wayside. When individuals invest in physical silver, there is a reassurance that the metal has value that will continue to persist. Additionally, its increasing use as an industrial metal in the energy transition has improved the metals fundamentals even further. What are the cons of investing in silver bullion? Danger of theft — Unlike most other investments, such as stocks, holding silver bullion can leave investors vulnerable to theft. And of course, the more physical assets, including silver jewelry, that reside within your home, the more at risk you are for losing significantly if a burglary takes place. It's possible to secure your assets from looting by using a safety deposit box in a bank or a safe box in your home, but this will incur additional costs.Weaker return on investment — Silver may not perform as well as other investments, such as real estate or even other metals. Mining stocks, especially silver stocks that pay dividends, may also be a better option than silver bullion for some investors. Royalty and streaming companies are another option for those interested in investing in silver, as are exchange-traded funds and silver futures. High silver demand leads to higher premiums — When investors try to buy any bullion product, such as an American silver ounce coin known as a silver eagle, they quickly find out that the physical silver price is generally higher than the silver spot price due to premiums used by sellers. What’s more, if demand is high, premiums can go up fast, making the purchase of physical silver bullion more expensive and a less attractive investment.Lack of liquidity — Silver bullion coins are not legal tender, meaning they can't be used for every day purchases. Since the metal is usually used as an investment, this isn't often an issue. However, it does mean that if silver needs to be sold in a hurry to cover expenses, investors will need to find a buyer. If you can't access a bullion dealer and are in a jam, pawn shops and jewelers are an option, but they won't necessarily pay well. How to add physical silver to your portfolio? youtu.be Mark Yaxley: Gold, Silver, PGMs — Stock Market Suffering, How to Build a Physical PortfolioInterested in adding silver to your portfolio? Watch the Investing News Network's interview with Mark Yaxley of precious metals dealer SWP. He discusses how much to buy, what products to consider and more. This is an updated version of an article originally published by the Investing News Network in 2016.Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time news updates!Securities Disclosure: I, Melissa Pistilli, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

Investing in silver bullion has pros and cons, and what’s right for one investor may not work for another.Interest in the silver market tends to flourish whenever the silver price increases, with investors beginning to wonder if it is the right time to add physical silver to their investment portfolios. While silver can be volatile, the precious metal is also seen as a safe-haven asset, similar to its sister metal gold. Safe-haven investments can offer protection in times of uncertainty, and with tensions running high, they could be a good choice for those looking to preserve their wealth in difficult times.With those factors in mind, let’s look at the pros and cons of buying silver bullion. What are the pros of investing in silver bullion? Silver can offer protection — Silver bullion is often considered a good safe-haven asset. As mentioned, investors often flock to precious metals in times of turmoil, politically and economically. For example, physical silver and gold have both performed strongly in recent years against a background of geopolitical instability and high inflation."What you can know with absolute certainty is that good money — so physical gold, physical silver in your possession — is the single safest thing that you can do to protect yourself from all of those issues, plus so many more," Lynette Zang of ITM Trading told the Investing News Network at the 2024 Vancouver Resource Investment Conference.It’s a tangible asset — While cash, mining stocks, bonds and other financial products are accepted forms of wealth, they are essentially still digital promissory notes. For that reason, they are all vulnerable to depreciation due to actions like printing money. A troy ounce of silver bullion, on the other hand, is a finite tangible asset. That means that, although it is vulnerable to market fluctuations like other commodities, physical silver isn’t likely to completely crash because of its inherent and real value. Market participants can buy bullion in different forms, such as silver coins or silver jewelry, or they can buy silver bullion bars.Silver's cheaper and more flexible than gold — Compared to gold bullion, silver is significantly cheaper, which makes it more accessible for investors looking for an affordable entrance to the precious metals market. This can make it easier for investors to build up a portfolio over time. Another benefit is that investors who need to convert their precious metals to currency will have an easier time selling a portion of their silver portfolio than those looking to sell part of their gold. Just as a US$100 bill can be a challenge to break at the store, divvying up an ounce of gold bullion can be a challenge. As a result, silver bullion is more practical and versatile, particularly for everyday investors who need flexibility in their investments.Silver offers higher returns than gold — Silver tends to move in tandem with gold: when the price of gold rises, so too does the price of silver. Because the white metal is currently worth around 1/86th the price of gold, buying silver bullion is affordable and stands to see a much bigger percentage gain if the silver price goes up. In fact, silver has outperformed the gold price in bull markets. It’s possible for an investor to hedge their bets with silver bullion in their investment portfolio.History is on silver’s side — Silver and gold have been used as legal tender for thousands of years, and that lineage lends them a sense of stability. Many buyers find comfort in knowing that silver has been recognized for its value throughout a great deal of mankind’s history, and so there’s an expectation that it will endure while a fiat currency may fall to the wayside. When individuals invest in physical silver, there is a reassurance that the metal has value that will continue to persist. Additionally, its increasing use as an industrial metal in the energy transition has improved the metals fundamentals even further. What are the cons of investing in silver bullion? Danger of theft — Unlike most other investments, such as stocks, holding silver bullion can leave investors vulnerable to theft. And of course, the more physical assets, including silver jewelry, that reside within your home, the more at risk you are for losing significantly if a burglary takes place. It's possible to secure your assets from looting by using a safety deposit box in a bank or a safe box in your home, but this will incur additional costs.Weaker return on investment — Silver may not perform as well as other investments, such as real estate or even other metals. Mining stocks, especially silver stocks that pay dividends, may also be a better option than silver bullion for some investors. Royalty and streaming companies are another option for those interested in investing in silver, as are exchange-traded funds and silver futures. High silver demand leads to higher premiums — When investors try to buy any bullion product, such as an American silver ounce coin known as a silver eagle, they quickly find out that the physical silver price is generally higher than the silver spot price due to premiums used by sellers. What’s more, if demand is high, premiums can go up fast, making the purchase of physical silver bullion more expensive and a less attractive investment.Lack of liquidity — Silver bullion coins are not legal tender, meaning they can't be used for every day purchases. Since the metal is usually used as an investment, this isn't often an issue. However, it does mean that if silver needs to be sold in a hurry to cover expenses, investors will need to find a buyer. If you can't access a bullion dealer and are in a jam, pawn shops and jewelers are an option, but they won't necessarily pay well. How to add physical silver to your portfolio? youtu.be Mark Yaxley: Gold, Silver, PGMs — Stock Market Suffering, How to Build a Physical PortfolioInterested in adding silver to your portfolio? Watch the Investing News Network's interview with Mark Yaxley of precious metals dealer SWP. He discusses how much to buy, what products to consider and more. This is an updated version of an article originally published by the Investing News Network in 2016.Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time news updates!Securities Disclosure: I, Melissa Pistilli, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

The 17 rare earth elements (REEs) are as diverse as they are challenging to pronounce. The group is made up of 15 lanthanides, plus yttrium and scandium, and each has different applications, pricing and supply and demand dynamics. Sound complicated? While the REE space is undeniably complex, many investors find it compelling and are interested in finding ways to get a foot in the door.Read on for a more in-depth look at the rare earth metals market and the many different types of rare earths, plus a brief explanation of how to start investing in this arena. What are the types of rare earths? There are a number of ways to categorize and better understand REEs. For example, they are often divided into “heavy” and “light” categories based on atomic weight. Heavy rare earths are generally more sought after, but light REEs are of course important too.Rare earths can also be grouped together according to how they are used. Rare earth magnets include praseodymium, neodymium, samarium and dysprosium, while phosphor rare earths — those used in lighting — include europium, terbium and yttrium. Cerium, lanthanum and gadolinium are sometimes included in the phosphor category as well. One aspect that is common to all the rare earths is that price information is not readily available — like other critical metals, rare earth materials are not traded on a public exchange. That said, some research firms do make pricing details available, usually for a fee. These include Strategic Metals Invest, Fastmarkets and SMM. What factors affect supply and demand for rare earths? As mentioned, each REE has different pricing and supply and demand dynamics. However, there are definitely overarching supply and demand trends in the sector. Most notably, China accounts for the vast majority of the world’s supply of rare earth metals. As the world’s leading producer, the Asian nation accounted for roughly 70 percent of rare earths production in 2023, or 240,000 metric tons (MT), with the US coming in a very distant second at 43,000 MT. After the United States, Myanmar is the third largest rare earth producer with an output of 38,000 MT last year. On top of that, China is also responsible for 90 percent of refined rare earths output. The strong Chinese monopoly on rare earths production has created problems in the sector in the past. For instance, prices in the global market spiked in 2010 and 2011 when the country imposed export quotas.The move sparked a boom in global rare earth metals exploration outside of China, but many companies that entered the space at that time fell off the radar when rare earths prices eventually sank again. Molycorp, once North America’s only producer of rare earths, is a notable example of how hard it is for companies to set up shop outside China. It filed for bankruptcy in 2015.But the story didn’t end there — MP Materials (NYSE:MP), the company that now owns Molycorp’s assets, went public in mid-2020 in a US$1.47 billion deal, and a year later was a US$6 billion company. MP Materials is now the largest producer of rare earths in the western hemisphere, with a focus on high-purity separated neodymium and praseodymium oxide; a heavy rare earths concentrate; and lanthanum and cerium oxides and carbonates.Concerns about China’s dominance are ongoing as the US/China trade war continues and as supply chain stability grows in importance. The Asian nation has tightly controlled how much of its rare earths products make into global markets through a quota system initiated in 2006. In 2023, China issued three rounds of rare earth output quotas for a record total of 255,000 MT, an increase of 21.4 percent over the previous year, reported Reuters. For 2024, analysts expect a slower rate of increase for China’s rare earth quotas of between 10 percent and 15 percent. Sharing a border with China, Myanmar is the source of at least 70 percent of its neighbors’ medium to heavy rare earth feedstock. In the first seven months of 2023, Myanmar accounted for 38 percent of China's rare earth materials imports. Not surprisingly, a temporary halt in Myanmar’s production in the late summer last year sent rare earth prices to their highest level in 20 months, as per OilPrice.com.Outside of China, one of the world’s leading rare earths producers is Australian company Lynas (ASX:LYC,OTC Pink:LYSCF), which sends mined material for refining and processing at its plant in Malaysia. The Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security and Sojitz (TSE:2768), through Japan Australia Rare Earths, inked an agreement last year to invest AU$200 million in the production and supply of heavy rare earths from Lynas, which will allow the mining company to expand its light rare earths production and begin production of heavy rare earths.In the US, MP Materials is making good use of a US$35 million Department of Defense grant with the commissioning of an NdPr separation plant in 2023, and is now working on the expansion of its downstream manufacturing operations to include alloys and magnets.Looking at demand, many analysts believe the need for rare earths is set to boom on accelerating growth from top end-use categories, including the electric vehicle market and other high-tech applications.As an example, demand for dysprosium, a key material in steel manufacturing and the production of lasers, has grown as countries increase their steel standards. Aside from that, rare earths have long been used in televisions and rechargeable batteries, two industries that accounted for much demand before the proliferation of new technologies. Other rare earth metals can be found in wind turbines, aluminum production, catalytic converters and many of the high-tech products used every day.According to Reuters, analysts are projecting a rebound in rare earths demand in the second half of 2024, particularly from the EV and wind turbine segments. As can be seen, securing rare earths supply is an increasingly important issue. In addition to traditional rare earths mining, there has been growth in the rare earths recycling industry, which aims to recover REE raw materials from electronics and high-tech products in order to reuse them in new ways. Exploring and extracting rare earth materials from deep-sea mud is one of the newest recovery methods, and it is gaining traction as more mining companies look offshore for resources. How to invest in rare earths? The possibility of higher rare earths prices in the coming years has been one of the catalysts for investors wondering how they can invest in rare earths. As it's not possible to buy physical rare earth metals, the most direct way to invest in the rare earths market is through mining and exploration companies. Investing in rare earths stocks While many such companies are located in China and are not publicly traded, there are a variety of options available on Canadian and Australian stock exchanges. Below is a selection of companies with rare earths assets or operations trading on the TSX, TSX and ASX; all had market caps of over $50 million as of April 25, 2024.Aclara Resources (TSX:ARA,OTC Pink:ARAAF)American Rare Earths (ASX:ARR,OTCQB:ARRNF)Arafura Rare Earths (ASX:ARU,OTC Pink:ARAFF)Australian Strategic Materials (ASX:ASM,OTC Pink:ASMMF)Energy Fuels (TSX:EFR,NYSEAMERICAN:UUUU)Ionic Rare Earths (ASX:IXR)LynasNeo Performance Materials (TSX:NEO,OTC Pink:NOPMF)Peak Resources (ASX:PEK)Some small-cap REE companies are also listed on those exchanges. Here’s a list of rare earths companies or companies with rare earths projects listed on the TSXV, TSX, CSE and ASX that had market caps of less than $50 million as of April 25, 2024:Appia Rare Earths & Uranium (CSE:API,OTCQX:APAAF)Avalon Advanced Materials (TSX:AVL,OTCQB:AVLNF)Canada Rare Earth (TSXV:LL,OTC Pink:RAREF)Carmanah Minerals (CSE:CARM)Commerce Resources (TSXV:CCE,OTC Pink:CMRZF)Defense Metals (TSXV:DEFN,OTCQB:DFMTF)DY6 Metals (ASX:DY6)E-Tech Resources (TSXV:REE)Geomega Resources (TSXV:GMA,OTC Pink:GOMRF)Hastings Technology Metals (ASX:HAS,OTC Pink:HSRMF)Heavy Rare Earths (ASX:HRE)Krakatoa Resources (ASX:KTA)Marvel Discovery (TSXV:MARV,OTCQB:MARVF)Mkango Resources (TSXV:MKA)Namibia Critical Metals (TSXV:NMI,OTC Pink:NMREF)Ucore Rare Metals (TSXV:UCU,OTCQX:UURAF) ​Rare earths exchange-traded funds Rare earths exchange-trade funds (ETFs) offer investors a diversified position in this market space, mitigating the risks of investing in specific companies.VanEck Rare Earths and Strategic Metals ETF (ARCA:REMX) tracks an index of global mining companies as well as refiners and recyclers of rare earth and strategic metals. Its top holdings include Lynas, MP Materials and Iluka Resources.Sprott Energy Transition Metals ETF (NASDAQ:SETM) tracks an index of US and foreign companies related to energy transition materials, including rare earths. Lynas and MP Materials are also among SETM's top holdings.Global X Disruptive Materials ETF (NASDAQ:DMAT) tracks materials companies that derive at least half of their revenues from the exploration, mining, production and refining of one or more of 10 materials categories, including rare earths. In addition to Lynas and MP, this ETF also provides exposure to multiple Chinese rare earths companies, and one of its top holdings is China Northern Rare Earth High-Tech Co (SHA:600111). This is an updated version of an article first published by the Investing News Network in 2020. Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time news updates!Securities Disclosure: I, Melissa Pistilli, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.Editorial Disclosure: Aclara Resources, Appia Rare Earths & Uranium, Carmanah Minerals, DY6 Metals, Energy Fuels, Heavy Rare Earths, and Marvel Discovery are clients of the Investing News Network. This article is not paid-for content.

Strong electric vehicle (EV) sales have been driving up demand for key battery raw materials in recent years. EVs require lithium-ion batteries to run, and each battery could contain up to 15 kilograms of cobalt.This means that as demand for EVs increases, so too will demand for cobalt — and, as one of the top four cobalt-producing countries in the world, Australia finds itself in a position to capitalise on this demand.About 74 percent of global cobalt output comes from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). However, Australia is proving to be a solid contender; though it is only responsible for 2 percent of the world’s cobalt production, it holds about 15.5 percent of global cobalt reserves. Moreover, while the DRC’s labour and mining practices have often been labeled unethical and unsustainable, Australian miners are focused on developing safer, more environmentally friendly alternatives.While cobalt prices haven't recovered from their fall in early 2023, EV demand is expected to be strong in the long term.When it comes to getting exposure to the Australian market, large players may be a good place to start. Read on for a look at the biggest cobalt stocks on the ASX sorted by market cap. All market cap and share price data was obtained on April 15, 2024, using TradingView's stock screener. 1. Ardea Resources (ASX:ARL) {"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"Corporation","name":"ARDEARES FPO [ARL]","url":"https://investingnews.com/stocks/au-arl/ardeares-fpo-arl/","description":"Ardea Resources Ltd is a mineral exploration company. It is focused on cobalt, nickel and scandium project and gold exploration.","tickerSymbol":"AU:ARL","sameAs":[],"image":"https://investingnews.com/media-library/image.jpg?id=50869270&width=980","logo":"https://investingnews.com/media-library/image.jpg?id=50869270&width=210"} Company Profile Market cap: AU$144.81 million; current share price: AU$0.73Ardea Resources' primary focus is developing its wholly owned Kalgoorlie nickel project, which the company says “hosts the largest nickel-cobalt resource in the developed world.” The project includes the Goongarrie Hub deposit.A 2023 prefeasibility study shows that Goongarrie Hub has an ore reserve of 194.1 million tonnes at 0.05 percent cobalt and 0.7 percent nickel, resulting in 99,000 tonnes of contained cobalt and 1.36 million tonnes of contained nickel. The study indicates that this resource would support an open-pit mining operation with a 40 year mine life and annual output of 2,000 tonnes of cobalt and 30,000 tonnes of nickel. Ardea is now working towards its definitive feasibility study.In its September quarterly report, Ardea provided an update on its plans. It also confirmed an increase in throughput over the prefeasibility study's 3.5 million tonnes per year due to a reduction in autoclave residence time. In late March 2024, the company shared that a detailed hydrogeology drilling program had commenced to quantify long-term water supply. Buy now , 2. Jervois Global (ASX:JRV) {"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"Corporation","name":"Jervois Global","url":"https://investingnews.com/stocks/au-jrv/jervois-global/","description":"Jervois Global Ltd is a cobalt company with nickel and copper exposure, refinery assets, and growth opportunities.","tickerSymbol":"AU:JRV","sameAs":[],"image":"https://investingnews.com/media-library/image.jpg?id=50869143&width=980","logo":"https://investingnews.com/media-library/image.jpg?id=50869143&width=210"} Company Profile Market cap: AU$64.86 million; current share price: AU$0.24Jervois Global is focused on producing battery minerals, with a specific emphasis on cobalt. Jervois boasts operations worldwide and hopes to become the only cobalt miner in the US at its Idaho Cobalt Operation (ICO). In mid-2023, the company won US$15 million from the US Department of Defense (DoD) to fund drilling at ICO as well as a bankable feasibility study for construction of a US cobalt refinery. Resource drilling began at the Sunshine deposit at the ICO project shortly after, while work on a bankable feasibility study for the cobalt refinery was launched in October. DoD-funded resource-extension drilling at the RAM deposit kicked off in March 2024.Most recently, Jervois completed its maiden JORC-compliant resource estimate for the Sunshine deposit as part of its deliverables under the DoD funding agreement. The deposit hosts inferred resources of 0.52 million tonnes at 0.5 percent cobalt, 0.68 percent copper and 0.49 g/t gold at a cut-off-grade of 0.25 percent cobalt. Buy now , 3. Cobalt Blue Holdings (ASX:COB) {"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"Corporation","name":"COBALT BLU FPO [COB]","url":"https://investingnews.com/stocks/au-cob/cobalt-blu-fpo-cob/","description":"Cobalt Blue Holdings Ltd focuses upon the development and commercialisation of the Broken Hill Cobalt Deposit, Broken Hill,...","tickerSymbol":"AU:COB","sameAs":[],"image":"https://investingnews.com/media-library/image.jpg?id=50869235&width=980","logo":"https://investingnews.com/media-library/image.jpg?id=50869235&width=210"} Company Profile Market cap: AU$56.74 million; current share price: AU$0.14Cobalt Blue Holdings focuses solely on cobalt and is enthusiastic about the metal’s ethical and environmental potential within the renewable energy market. The company owns the New South Wales-based Broken Hill project, a cobalt asset that it says adheres to Australian labour and sustainability standards, and is planning the Kwinana cobalt-nickel refinery.In November 2023, Cobalt Blue released the results of its cobalt-nickel refinery study. During Stage 1, the proposed refinery would process third-party feedstock and have a capacity of 3,000 tonnes per year of cobalt sulphate and 1,000 tonnes per year of nickel sulphate. Stage 2 would have the option to include potential feedstock from Broken Hill. The study projects stable margins throughout cobalt price fluctuations. A few days later, the company announced that its potential partner for the refinery is Iwatani (TSE:8088), a battery minerals trader. According to Cobalt Blue, if everything goes through as planned, the refinery will be constructed on Iwatani's property in Western Australia's Kwinana industrial area.Cobalt Blue provided another update on its refinery in April 2024, reporting that construction is expected to begin before 2024 is over. Buy now , 4. Kuniko (ASX:KNI) {"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"Corporation","name":"Kuniko Limited","url":"https://investingnews.com/stocks/au-kni/kuniko-limited/","description":"Kuniko Ltd is a mineral exploration company. It is engaged in the development of non-lithium battery metal projects in Scandinavia for the European market.","tickerSymbol":"AU:KNI","sameAs":[],"image":"https://investingnews.com/media-library/image.jpg?id=50869278&width=980","logo":"https://investingnews.com/media-library/image.jpg?id=50869278&width=210"} Company Profile Market cap: AU$22.96 million; current share price: AU$0.26Norway-focused Kuniko is targeting three metals key for the EV industry: cobalt, nickel and copper. The majority of its assets are in Norway, including its Skuterud cobalt project, Undal-Nyberget copper project and Ringerike battery metals project. Ringerike hosts the past-producing Ertelien nickel-copper-cobalt target.In its quarterly report for September, Kuniko highlighted significant developments, including an investment of AU$7.8 million by Stellantis (NYSE:STLA), which acquired a 19.99 percent interest in Kuniko and secured a 35 percent offtake for future production of nickel and cobalt sulfate from Kuniko's Norwegian projects for nine years.In April 2024, the company released a maiden mineral resource estimate for Ertelien showing 23.3 million tonnes of inferred resources containing 49.7 thousand tonnes of nickel, 37.3 thousand tonnes of copper and 3.3 thousand tonnes of cobalt, including high-grade sulphide resources of 4.59 million tonnes at 0.64 percent nickel equivalent and disseminated sulphide resources of 18.68 million tonnes of 0.22 percent nickel equivalent.A second-phase expansion drill program is now underway at Ertelien with an updated resource estimate to be published later in 2024. “Our aim is to demonstrate progress towards developing a Voisey Bay style resource as a potential new source of critical battery metals for European industries,” Kuniko CEO Antony Beckmand stated. Buy now , Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Australia for real-time updates!Securities Disclosure: I, Melissa Pistilli, currently hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

Investing in silver bullion has pros and cons, and what’s right for one investor may not work for another.Interest in the silver market tends to flourish whenever the silver price increases, with investors beginning to wonder if it is the right time to add physical silver to their investment portfolios. While silver can be volatile, the precious metal is also seen as a safe-haven asset, similar to its sister metal gold. Safe-haven investments can offer protection in times of uncertainty, and with tensions running high, they could be a good choice for those looking to preserve their wealth in difficult times.With those factors in mind, let’s look at the pros and cons of buying silver bullion. What are the pros of investing in silver bullion? Silver can offer protection — Silver bullion is often considered a good safe-haven asset. As mentioned, investors often flock to precious metals in times of turmoil, politically and economically. For example, physical silver and gold have both performed strongly in recent years against a background of geopolitical instability and high inflation."What you can know with absolute certainty is that good money — so physical gold, physical silver in your possession — is the single safest thing that you can do to protect yourself from all of those issues, plus so many more," Lynette Zang of ITM Trading told the Investing News Network at the 2024 Vancouver Resource Investment Conference.It’s a tangible asset — While cash, mining stocks, bonds and other financial products are accepted forms of wealth, they are essentially still digital promissory notes. For that reason, they are all vulnerable to depreciation due to actions like printing money. A troy ounce of silver bullion, on the other hand, is a finite tangible asset. That means that, although it is vulnerable to market fluctuations like other commodities, physical silver isn’t likely to completely crash because of its inherent and real value. Market participants can buy bullion in different forms, such as silver coins or silver jewelry, or they can buy silver bullion bars.Silver's cheaper and more flexible than gold — Compared to gold bullion, silver is significantly cheaper, which makes it more accessible for investors looking for an affordable entrance to the precious metals market. This can make it easier for investors to build up a portfolio over time. Another benefit is that investors who need to convert their precious metals to currency will have an easier time selling a portion of their silver portfolio than those looking to sell part of their gold. Just as a US$100 bill can be a challenge to break at the store, divvying up an ounce of gold bullion can be a challenge. As a result, silver bullion is more practical and versatile, particularly for everyday investors who need flexibility in their investments.Silver offers higher returns than gold — Silver tends to move in tandem with gold: when the price of gold rises, so too does the price of silver. Because the white metal is currently worth around 1/86th the price of gold, buying silver bullion is affordable and stands to see a much bigger percentage gain if the silver price goes up. In fact, silver has outperformed the gold price in bull markets. It’s possible for an investor to hedge their bets with silver bullion in their investment portfolio.History is on silver’s side — Silver and gold have been used as legal tender for thousands of years, and that lineage lends them a sense of stability. Many buyers find comfort in knowing that silver has been recognized for its value throughout a great deal of mankind’s history, and so there’s an expectation that it will endure while a fiat currency may fall to the wayside. When individuals invest in physical silver, there is a reassurance that the metal has value that will continue to persist. Additionally, its increasing use as an industrial metal in the energy transition has improved the metals fundamentals even further. What are the cons of investing in silver bullion? Danger of theft — Unlike most other investments, such as stocks, holding silver bullion can leave investors vulnerable to theft. And of course, the more physical assets, including silver jewelry, that reside within your home, the more at risk you are for losing significantly if a burglary takes place. It's possible to secure your assets from looting by using a safety deposit box in a bank or a safe box in your home, but this will incur additional costs.Weaker return on investment — Silver may not perform as well as other investments, such as real estate or even other metals. Mining stocks, especially silver stocks that pay dividends, may also be a better option than silver bullion for some investors. Royalty and streaming companies are another option for those interested in investing in silver, as are exchange-traded funds and silver futures. High silver demand leads to higher premiums — When investors try to buy any bullion product, such as an American silver ounce coin known as a silver eagle, they quickly find out that the physical silver price is generally higher than the silver spot price due to premiums used by sellers. What’s more, if demand is high, premiums can go up fast, making the purchase of physical silver bullion more expensive and a less attractive investment.Lack of liquidity — Silver bullion coins are not legal tender, meaning they can't be used for every day purchases. Since the metal is usually used as an investment, this isn't often an issue. However, it does mean that if silver needs to be sold in a hurry to cover expenses, investors will need to find a buyer. If you can't access a bullion dealer and are in a jam, pawn shops and jewelers are an option, but they won't necessarily pay well. How to add physical silver to your portfolio? youtu.be Mark Yaxley: Gold, Silver, PGMs — Stock Market Suffering, How to Build a Physical PortfolioInterested in adding silver to your portfolio? Watch the Investing News Network's interview with Mark Yaxley of precious metals dealer SWP. He discusses how much to buy, what products to consider and more. This is an updated version of an article originally published by the Investing News Network in 2016.Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time news updates!Securities Disclosure: I, Melissa Pistilli, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

The 17 rare earth elements (REEs) are as diverse as they are challenging to pronounce. The group is made up of 15 lanthanides, plus yttrium and scandium, and each has different applications, pricing and supply and demand dynamics. Sound complicated? While the REE space is undeniably complex, many investors find it compelling and are interested in finding ways to get a foot in the door.Read on for a more in-depth look at the rare earth metals market and the many different types of rare earths, plus a brief explanation of how to start investing in this arena. What are the types of rare earths? There are a number of ways to categorize and better understand REEs. For example, they are often divided into “heavy” and “light” categories based on atomic weight. Heavy rare earths are generally more sought after, but light REEs are of course important too.Rare earths can also be grouped together according to how they are used. Rare earth magnets include praseodymium, neodymium, samarium and dysprosium, while phosphor rare earths — those used in lighting — include europium, terbium and yttrium. Cerium, lanthanum and gadolinium are sometimes included in the phosphor category as well. One aspect that is common to all the rare earths is that price information is not readily available — like other critical metals, rare earth materials are not traded on a public exchange. That said, some research firms do make pricing details available, usually for a fee. These include Strategic Metals Invest, Fastmarkets and SMM. What factors affect supply and demand for rare earths? As mentioned, each REE has different pricing and supply and demand dynamics. However, there are definitely overarching supply and demand trends in the sector. Most notably, China accounts for the vast majority of the world’s supply of rare earth metals. As the world’s leading producer, the Asian nation accounted for roughly 70 percent of rare earths production in 2023, or 240,000 metric tons (MT), with the US coming in a very distant second at 43,000 MT. After the United States, Myanmar is the third largest rare earth producer with an output of 38,000 MT last year. On top of that, China is also responsible for 90 percent of refined rare earths output. The strong Chinese monopoly on rare earths production has created problems in the sector in the past. For instance, prices in the global market spiked in 2010 and 2011 when the country imposed export quotas.The move sparked a boom in global rare earth metals exploration outside of China, but many companies that entered the space at that time fell off the radar when rare earths prices eventually sank again. Molycorp, once North America’s only producer of rare earths, is a notable example of how hard it is for companies to set up shop outside China. It filed for bankruptcy in 2015.But the story didn’t end there — MP Materials (NYSE:MP), the company that now owns Molycorp’s assets, went public in mid-2020 in a US$1.47 billion deal, and a year later was a US$6 billion company. MP Materials is now the largest producer of rare earths in the western hemisphere, with a focus on high-purity separated neodymium and praseodymium oxide; a heavy rare earths concentrate; and lanthanum and cerium oxides and carbonates.Concerns about China’s dominance are ongoing as the US/China trade war continues and as supply chain stability grows in importance. The Asian nation has tightly controlled how much of its rare earths products make into global markets through a quota system initiated in 2006. In 2023, China issued three rounds of rare earth output quotas for a record total of 255,000 MT, an increase of 21.4 percent over the previous year, reported Reuters. For 2024, analysts expect a slower rate of increase for China’s rare earth quotas of between 10 percent and 15 percent. Sharing a border with China, Myanmar is the source of at least 70 percent of its neighbors’ medium to heavy rare earth feedstock. In the first seven months of 2023, Myanmar accounted for 38 percent of China's rare earth materials imports. Not surprisingly, a temporary halt in Myanmar’s production in the late summer last year sent rare earth prices to their highest level in 20 months, as per OilPrice.com.Outside of China, one of the world’s leading rare earths producers is Australian company Lynas (ASX:LYC,OTC Pink:LYSCF), which sends mined material for refining and processing at its plant in Malaysia. The Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security and Sojitz (TSE:2768), through Japan Australia Rare Earths, inked an agreement last year to invest AU$200 million in the production and supply of heavy rare earths from Lynas, which will allow the mining company to expand its light rare earths production and begin production of heavy rare earths.In the US, MP Materials is making good use of a US$35 million Department of Defense grant with the commissioning of an NdPr separation plant in 2023, and is now working on the expansion of its downstream manufacturing operations to include alloys and magnets.Looking at demand, many analysts believe the need for rare earths is set to boom on accelerating growth from top end-use categories, including the electric vehicle market and other high-tech applications.As an example, demand for dysprosium, a key material in steel manufacturing and the production of lasers, has grown as countries increase their steel standards. Aside from that, rare earths have long been used in televisions and rechargeable batteries, two industries that accounted for much demand before the proliferation of new technologies. Other rare earth metals can be found in wind turbines, aluminum production, catalytic converters and many of the high-tech products used every day.According to Reuters, analysts are projecting a rebound in rare earths demand in the second half of 2024, particularly from the EV and wind turbine segments. As can be seen, securing rare earths supply is an increasingly important issue. In addition to traditional rare earths mining, there has been growth in the rare earths recycling industry, which aims to recover REE raw materials from electronics and high-tech products in order to reuse them in new ways. Exploring and extracting rare earth materials from deep-sea mud is one of the newest recovery methods, and it is gaining traction as more mining companies look offshore for resources. How to invest in rare earths? The possibility of higher rare earths prices in the coming years has been one of the catalysts for investors wondering how they can invest in rare earths. As it's not possible to buy physical rare earth metals, the most direct way to invest in the rare earths market is through mining and exploration companies. Investing in rare earths stocks While many such companies are located in China and are not publicly traded, there are a variety of options available on Canadian and Australian stock exchanges. Below is a selection of companies with rare earths assets or operations trading on the TSX, TSX and ASX; all had market caps of over $50 million as of April 25, 2024.Aclara Resources (TSX:ARA,OTC Pink:ARAAF)American Rare Earths (ASX:ARR,OTCQB:ARRNF)Arafura Rare Earths (ASX:ARU,OTC Pink:ARAFF)Australian Strategic Materials (ASX:ASM,OTC Pink:ASMMF)Energy Fuels (TSX:EFR,NYSEAMERICAN:UUUU)Ionic Rare Earths (ASX:IXR)LynasNeo Performance Materials (TSX:NEO,OTC Pink:NOPMF)Peak Resources (ASX:PEK)Some small-cap REE companies are also listed on those exchanges. Here’s a list of rare earths companies or companies with rare earths projects listed on the TSXV, TSX, CSE and ASX that had market caps of less than $50 million as of April 25, 2024:Appia Rare Earths & Uranium (CSE:API,OTCQX:APAAF)Avalon Advanced Materials (TSX:AVL,OTCQB:AVLNF)Canada Rare Earth (TSXV:LL,OTC Pink:RAREF)Carmanah Minerals (CSE:CARM)Commerce Resources (TSXV:CCE,OTC Pink:CMRZF)Defense Metals (TSXV:DEFN,OTCQB:DFMTF)DY6 Metals (ASX:DY6)E-Tech Resources (TSXV:REE)Geomega Resources (TSXV:GMA,OTC Pink:GOMRF)Hastings Technology Metals (ASX:HAS,OTC Pink:HSRMF)Heavy Rare Earths (ASX:HRE)Krakatoa Resources (ASX:KTA)Marvel Discovery (TSXV:MARV,OTCQB:MARVF)Mkango Resources (TSXV:MKA)Namibia Critical Metals (TSXV:NMI,OTC Pink:NMREF)Ucore Rare Metals (TSXV:UCU,OTCQX:UURAF) ​Rare earths exchange-traded funds Rare earths exchange-trade funds (ETFs) offer investors a diversified position in this market space, mitigating the risks of investing in specific companies.VanEck Rare Earths and Strategic Metals ETF (ARCA:REMX) tracks an index of global mining companies as well as refiners and recyclers of rare earth and strategic metals. Its top holdings include Lynas, MP Materials and Iluka Resources.Sprott Energy Transition Metals ETF (NASDAQ:SETM) tracks an index of US and foreign companies related to energy transition materials, including rare earths. Lynas and MP Materials are also among SETM's top holdings.Global X Disruptive Materials ETF (NASDAQ:DMAT) tracks materials companies that derive at least half of their revenues from the exploration, mining, production and refining of one or more of 10 materials categories, including rare earths. In addition to Lynas and MP, this ETF also provides exposure to multiple Chinese rare earths companies, and one of its top holdings is China Northern Rare Earth High-Tech Co (SHA:600111). This is an updated version of an article first published by the Investing News Network in 2020. Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time news updates!Securities Disclosure: I, Melissa Pistilli, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.Editorial Disclosure: Aclara Resources, Appia Rare Earths & Uranium, Carmanah Minerals, DY6 Metals, Energy Fuels, Heavy Rare Earths, and Marvel Discovery are clients of the Investing News Network. This article is not paid-for content.

FXEmpire.com - Natural gas triggered a bullish reversal on a rise above Wednesday’s narrow range day high on Thursday before encountering resistance at 2.05 and stalling the ascent. This increases the chance that the low of 1.91 from the past week will maintain support. However,

FXEmpire.com - Natural Gas Natural Gas 020524 Daily Chart Natural gas gains ground as traders react to the EIA report, which indicated that working gas in storage increased by 59 Bcf from the previous week.

FXEmpire.com - Gold Gold 020524 Daily Chart Gold pulls back as traders continue to evaluate the recent Fed decision and comments from Fed Chair Powell.

FXEmpire.com - On May 2, 2024, EIA released its Weekly Natural Gas Storage Report. The report indicated that working gas in storage increased by 59 Bcf from the previous week.

A company's own top management tend to have the best inside view into the business, so when company officers make major buys, investors are wise to take notice. Presumably the only reason an insider would take their hard-earned cash and use it to buy stock of their company in th

FXEmpire.com - Natural Gas Technical Analysis The natural gas market has rallied a little bit during the trading session here on Thursday, but really at this point, we just continue to go back and forth and look for some type of reason to get long because you can’t really short t

FXEmpire.com - U.S. Natural Gas Market Update U.S. Natural Gas futures showed a slight increase early Thursday, in anticipation of the Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) storage report due later today. This follows a period of declining prices on Wednesday influenced by fa

To receive ag commodities update in your inbox, subscribe to the free newsletter Agricultural Commodities Focus.Serbia's corn production is forecast to remain robust in the 2024/25 marketing year, with exports anticipated to reach record-high levels, according to the latest repor

FXEmpire.com - homeMarket Overview Oil prices rebounded on Thursday after a series of losses, driven by expectations that the U.S. might replenish its strategic reserves due

The United States Federal Reserve announced on Wednesday (May 1) that it would hold its benchmark rate at 5.25 percent to 5.5 percent following its two-day Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting. In his press conference following the meeting, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell largely echoed statements from previous sessions, suggesting the committee would continue to hold rates until it had more confidence that the inflation rate was on a sustainable path to the 2 percent target set by the central bank.This was in line with analyst expectations prior to the meeting based on recent data from various government agencies. Higher-than-expected personal consumption expenditures index (PCE) data released by the US Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) on April 26 showed that inflation rates were remaining stubborn. The key indicator posted a 2.7 percent annualized growth in March, 0.2 percent higher than February’s 2.5 percent growth rate. A day earlier, the BEA released an advance estimate of Q1 2024 gross domestic product data, which reported that real GDP increased 1.6 percent on an annual basis in the first quarter, down from 3.4 percent annual growth in Q4 2023.Further muddying the waters for the Fed was a release from the Bureau of Labor Statistics on April 30, coinciding with the first day of the FOMC’s meeting, that reported a 1.2 percent increase in labor costs through the first quarter of 2024. While this data is not a key indicator for the Fed, the increase continues to show the effects of inflation within the labor market, making the situation more challenging for the central bank. Data suggests higher-for-longer interest rates Powell said the data released since the last meeting in February had given the FOMC some uncertainty, but they were committed to restoring price stability to the economy. While the agency is continuing to pause changes to its rate, Powell did say the Federal Reserve would also continue to reduce its security holdings, with the pace slowing in June.The committee came to its decision based on the stalling of inflation rates over the past several months as well as a tight labor market that, while becoming more balanced, continues to see demand exceed supply. Although much of the data pushed the agency towards a higher-for-longer policy on its rates, Powell suggested there were some bright spots in the economy, including supply and demand conditions returning to balance along with unemployment remaining relatively low at 3.8 percent. While Powell noted he doesn’t expect another rate hike, he was unwilling to state when rate cuts could be expected, suggesting that having the confidence to make cuts will take longer than expected. After the release of the policy decision, markets were mixed, with the S&P and Nasdaq falling off 0.34 percent and 0.7 percent respectively by the end of the trading day, while the Dow had a slight gain of 0.23 percent. Meanwhile, the US dollar index saw a decline, losing 0.64 percent.However, the gold price and silver price both saw gains, with gold climbing from US$2,299 in morning trading to a session high of US$2,327 and silver moving from US$26.43 to US$26.90, although both withdrew slightly. Gold has continued to trade at all-time highs in 2024, and set its latest record in early April when the gold price climbed to US$2,392. Silver has also performed strongly this year, and breached the US$29 level in the middle of last month.The next meeting for the Federal Reserve’s FOMC will take place June 11 to 12. Don't forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time updates!Securities Disclosure: I, Dean Belder, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

FXEmpire.com - Natural gas pulls back again to test recent support around the top trendline of a symmetrical triangle bottom consolidation pattern. Today’s low was 1.91 and the four-day low was also 1.91. Tuesday’s high of 2.09 was the highest price for natural gas since February

In a unanimous decision, the US Senate has greenlit legislation to halt imports of Russian uranium, escalating efforts to disrupt Russia's activities amidst its ongoing conflict with Ukraine. The Prohibiting Russian Uranium Imports Act garnered unanimous consent in the Senate and now awaits President Joe Biden's signature to become law.The ban, expected to take effect within 90 days of enactment, is also poised to significantly impact the US market, given that the nation relies on imports to fulfill 100 percent of its annual uranium needs.According to 2023 data from the US Energy Information Administration 12 percent of annual uranium imports originated in Russia, 25 percent was mined in Kazakhstan and 11 percent in Uzbekistan. Russian sources for over 90 percent of its annual uranium consumption.The bipartisan bill, which received earlier approval from the House of Representatives in December, includes provisions for waivers in the event of domestic supply shortages for nuclear reactors. Moreover, it earmarks US$2.7 billion, previously allocated in legislation, to bolster the development of the domestic uranium processing industry.Uranium serves as a critical fuel for commercial nuclear reactors, playing a vital role in electricity generation. The US ban on Russian uranium imports mirrors previous actions taken against the nation, such as the prohibition of Russian oil imports following its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, alongside the implementation of price controls on select crude and oil product exports. The ban on Russian imports, if implemented, is expected to disrupt an estimated US$1 billion annual trade flow to Russia. Replacing this supply could pose a significant challenge and potentially raise the costs of enriched uranium by up to 20 percent.The proposed statute, set to expire at the end of 2040, also includes provisions allowing the Department of Energy (DOE) to issue waivers authorizing Russian uranium imports up to export limits established in an anti-dumping agreement through 2027. However, failure to secure these waivers could lead to a significant spike in uranium prices, potentially reaching record highs.Senator John Barrasso, Wyoming's Republican senator and top figure on the Senate Energy Committee, emphasized the readiness of states like Wyoming to step in and fill the void left by Russian imports. "Our bipartisan legislation will help defund Russia's war machine, revive American uranium production, and jumpstart investments in America's nuclear fuel supply chain," added the lawmaker in a press release.President Joe Biden, who recently signed a foreign aid bill channeling significant support to Ukraine, is expected to endorse the legislation banning Russian uranium imports. ​Biden administration’s efforts to ramp up domestic uranium supply Earlier this year the Biden administration announced incentives for private companies to ramp up the production of high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU). The move comes as part of a broader effort to reduce reliance on foreign sources of nuclear fuel and stimulate the growth of the US nuclear energy sector.Last autumn, a facility in Ohio initiated the nation's first domestic production of HALEU, albeit at a small scale. Now, with the support of the federal government, efforts are underway to expand domestic production capacity. The DOE has offered private companies a minimum of US$2 million each to kickstart HALEU production, marking the second phase of a US$500 million allocation from President Biden's climate-spending law, the Inflation Reduction Act.“Boosting our domestic uranium supply won’t just advance President Biden’s historic climate agenda, but also increase America’s energy security, create good-paying union jobs, and strengthen our economic competitiveness,” said Ali Zaidi, Biden’s national climate adviser, in a statement earlier this year.The move to incentivize domestic HALEU production comes amid growing concerns over Russia's dominant position as a supplier of traditional fuel imports for American utilities. While the US and its allies have imposed sanctions on Russian oil, gas, and mining companies in response to Russia's actions in Ukraine, the state-owned Rosatom continues to be a significant source of traditional fuel imports.Edward McGinnis, former chief executive of the fuel-recycling Startup Curio, likewise raised the potential of recycling nuclear waste to complement traditional uranium mining. He earlier called on the Senate and White House to champion measures to deploy nuclear waste recycling, describing it as a win-win solution that addresses both the nuclear waste problem and the need for domestic fuel production. Don't forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time updates!Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

FXEmpire.com - Natural Gas Natural Gas 010524 Daily Chart Natural gas is losing ground amid worries about Freeport LNG’s recovery and expectations of hawkish comments from Fed Chair Powell.