Nasdaq Commodities

There’s more than one way to invest in copper. In addition to buying shares of copper stocks, investors can gain exposure through copper exchange-traded funds (ETFs) or copper exchange-traded notes (ETNs).For the uninitiated, ETFs are securities that trade like stocks on an exchange, but track an index, commodity, bonds or a basket of assets like an index fund. In the case of base metal copper, there are various options — an ETF can track specific groups of copper-focused companies, as well as copper futures contracts or even physical copper.ETNs also track an underlying asset and trade like stocks on an exchange, but they differ from ETFs in some ways. Specifically, ETNs are more like bonds — they are unsecured debt notes issued by an institution, and can be held to maturity or bought and sold at will. The main disadvantage to be aware of is that investors risk total default if an ETN’s underwriter goes bankrupt.The copper outlook is strong due to structural supply deficits and positive demand fundamentals, and many investors are wondering how to take advantage of this good news in the copper market.Here the Investing News Network presents five copper ETFs and one copper ETN that may be worth considering. All data was current as of April 23, 2024. Read on to learn more about these vehicles. 1. Global X Copper Miners ETF (ARCA:COPX) {"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"Corporation","name":"Global X Copper Miners ETF","url":"https://investingnews.com/stocks/arca-copx/global-x-copper-miners-etf/","description":"The investment seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Solactive Global Copper Miners Total Return Index.","tickerSymbol":"ARCA:COPX","sameAs":[],"image":"https://investingnews.com/media-library/image.jpg?id=52094677&width=980","logo":"https://investingnews.com/media-library/image.jpg?id=52094677&width=210"} ETF Profile Assets under management (AUM): US$2.12 billionThe Global X Copper Miners ETF tracks the Solactive Global Copper Miners Index, which covers copper exploration companies, developers and producers. The fund has an expense ratio of 0.65 percent.COPX currently has 37 holdings, of which the top companies include Ivanhoe Mines (TSX:IVN,OTCQX:IVPAF), Lundin Mining (TSX:LUN,OTC Pink:LUNMF) and Southern Copper (NYSE:SCCO). Buy now , 2. United States Copper Index Fund (ARCA:CPER) {"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"Corporation","name":"United States Copper Index Fund","url":"https://investingnews.com/stocks/arca-cper/united-states-copper-index-fund/","description":"The investment seeks the daily changes in percentage terms of its shares per share net asset value (NAV) to reflect the daily changes in percentage terms of the SummerHaven Copper Index Total...","tickerSymbol":"ARCA:CPER","sameAs":[],"image":"https://investingnews.com/media-library/image.jpg?id=52095085&width=980","logo":"https://investingnews.com/media-library/image.jpg?id=52095085&width=210"} ETF Profile AUM: US$193.37 millionThe United States Copper Index Fund aims to give investors exposure to a portfolio of copper futures without using a commodity futures account. It also has an expense ration of 0.65 percent.The fund tracks the performance of the SummerHaven Copper Index Total Return (INDEXNYSEGIS:SCITR), which is calculated based on certain copper futures contracts selected on a monthly basis. Buy now , 3. iShares Copper and Metals Mining ETF (NASDAQ:ICOP) {"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"Corporation","name":"iShares Copper and Metals Mining ETF","url":"https://investingnews.com/stocks/nasdaq-icop/ishares-copper-and-metals-mining-etf/","description":"The investment seeks to track the investment results of the FTSE Green Revenues Select Infrastructure and Industrials Index composed of...","tickerSymbol":"NASDAQ:ICOP","sameAs":[],"image":"https://investingnews.com/media-library/image.jpg?id=52095917&width=980","logo":"https://investingnews.com/media-library/image.jpg?id=52095917&width=210"} ETF Profile AUM: US$15.03 millionThe iShares Copper and Metals Mining ETF tracks the STOXX Global Copper and Metals Mining Index, which is composed of public companies primarily engaged in copper and metal mining. The fund has an expense ratio of 0.47 percent.More than 31 percent of ICOP's 35 holdings are based in Canada, while nearly 12 percent call Australia home; 11 percent are located in the US. The fund's top holdings include Freeport-McMoRan (NYSE:FCX), Southern Copper, Ivanhoe and major miner BHP (ASX:BHP,NYSE:BHP,LSE:BHP). Buy now , 4. Sprott Copper Miners ETF (NASDAQ:COPP) {"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"Corporation","name":"Sprott Copper Miners ETF","url":"https://investingnews.com/stocks/nasdaq-copp/sprott-copper-miners-etf/","description":"Invest in Critical Minerals Driving the Energy Transition ","tickerSymbol":"NASDAQ:COPP","sameAs":[],"image":"https://investingnews.com/media-library/image.jpg?id=52096544&width=980","logo":"https://investingnews.com/media-library/image.jpg?id=52096544&width=210"} ETF Profile AUM: US$21.3 millionSprott Asset Management bills its newly launched Copper Miners ETF as "the only pure-play ETF focused on large-, mid- and small-cap copper mining companies that are providing a critical mineral necessary for the clean energy transition." Having come to market in March 2024, this fund has an expense ration of 0.65 percent.COPP tracks 40 constituents, with more than 33 percent based in Canada, another nearly 33 percent based in the US and about 11 percent based in Chile. The fund's top holdings include Freeport-McMoRan, Antofagasta (LSE:ANTO,OTC Pink:ANFGF) and Southern Copper. Buy now , 5. Sprott Junior Copper Miners ETF (NASDAQ:COPJ) {"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"Corporation","name":"Sprott Junior Copper Miners ETF","url":"https://investingnews.com/stocks/nasdaq-copj/sprott-junior-copper-miners-etf/","description":"Invest in Energy's Power Player","tickerSymbol":"NASDAQ:COPJ","sameAs":[],"image":"https://investingnews.com/media-library/image.jpg?id=52096570&width=980","logo":"https://investingnews.com/media-library/image.jpg?id=52096570&width=210"} ETF Profile AUM: US$8.63 millionLaunched in February 2023, the Sprott Junior Copper Miners is a pure-play ETF that, as its name suggests, is focused on small copper miners. It has the largest expense ratio (0.75 percent) of the funds on this list.Of its 40 holdings, more than 55 percent call Canada home, while another 21 percent are in Australia and 6.5 percent are based out of Peru. COPJ's top three holdings are Taseko Mines (TSX:TKO,NYSEAMERICAN:TGB), Hudbay Minerals (NYSE:HBM) and Compania de Minas Buenaventura (NYSE:BVN). Buy now , 6. iPath Series B Bloomberg Copper Subindex Total Return ETN (ARCA:JJC) {"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"Corporation","name":"iPath Series B Bloomberg Copper Subindex Total Return ETN","url":"https://investingnews.com/stocks/arca-jjc/ipath-series-b-bloomberg-copper-subindex-total-return-etn/","description":"The investment seeks return linked to the performance of the Bloomberg Copper Subindex Total ReturnSM. The ETN offers exposure to futures contracts and not direct exposure to the physical commodities.","tickerSymbol":"ARCA:JJC","sameAs":[],"image":"https://investingnews.com/media-library/image.jpg?id=52096593&width=980","logo":"https://investingnews.com/media-library/image.jpg?id=52096593&width=210"} ETN Profile AUM: US$37.97 millionThe iPath Series B Bloomberg Copper Subindex Total Return ETN provides exposure to the Bloomberg Copper Subindex Total Return. According to ETF Database, "For investors seeking exposure to copper beyond physical exposure or through a mining firm, JJC is the only pure play choice available." It has the lowest expense ratio on this list, coming in at 0.45 percent.Unlike an ETF, an ETN does not own the underlying asset. Instead, an ETN functions in the same way as an uninsured bond. Investopedia states that investors take their profits when they sell the note or it reaches maturity. Buy now , This is an updated version of an article originally published by the Investing News Network in 2015.Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time updates!Securities Disclosure: I, Melissa Pistilli, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

FXEmpire.com - Natural gas advanced on Monday, reaching a high of 2.26, at the time of this writing. It was the third day in a row that it rallied. Each of the prior two days ended strong, in the top quarter of the day’s range. Earlier, it looked like today’s session may also end

FXEmpire.com - Natural Gas Natural Gas 060524 Daily Chart Natural gas tests new highs as traders focus on hot temperatures in Texas, which boost demand.

FXEmpire.com - Gold Gold 060524 Daily Chart Gold rebounds as traders focus on rising tensions in the Middle East. Israel may soon begin its operation against Hamas in Rafah, which is bullish for gold markets.

After months of negotiations, Boliden (STO:BOL) has reached an agreement with worker's unions and local management to reopen the Tara operation, which is Europe’s largest zinc mine.Tara, operated by the Sweden-based mining company, is an underground zinc and lead mine with a production capacity of 2.6 million metric tons (MT) per year, making it the largest zinc mine in the continent.Located in Navan, Ireland, the Tara mine's reopening follows its closure in July 2023 due to a combination of challenges, including unfavorable zinc price trends and operational hurdles.The accord, aimed at ensuring a more financially viable operation, includes substantial changes in work practices and productivity enhancements. Among the provisions is an optimized mining plan aimed at reducing transportation distances and maximizing metal output, with the initial production rate set at 1.8 million MT annually. This overhaul is also projected to slash the mine's normal cash cost to approximately US$1 per pound of zinc, compared to US$1.37 per pound recorded in the first half of 2023. This reduction is attributed to improved energy price outlooks, lower benchmark treatment charges and heightened productivity levels.The restructuring effort will entail a one-off cost of approximately 30 million euros, which is expected to have a negative impact in the year's second quarter. It will also involve a workforce reduction, with the number of employees set to decrease to around 400 full-time equivalents, down from over 600 prior to the care-and-maintenance period.The phased return of employees is slated to begin in Q3, accompanied by an onboarding and retraining program.Production is set to start ramping up in Q4, with full output expected by January 2025. Despite the anticipated increase in operational activity, Tara is projected to incur an estimated operating loss of 25 million euros per quarter during the second half of 2024, compared to 13 million euros per quarter during care and maintenance.Exploration efforts at the Tara Deep deposit will recommence in the latter half of 2024. Zinc’s 2023 fundamentals set stage for 2024 growth 2023 marked a period of challenges and fluctuations for the zinc market.Although prices rose rapidly to start the year, buoyed by smelter bottlenecks in Europe and dwindling London Metal Exchange (LME) stockpiles, the market soon encountered headwinds due to high supply.Tara's closure in mid-June provided a small price boost. The move, driven by a combination of low zinc prices and high mining costs, caused a 5 percent surge in zinc prices on the LME, rising to US$2,491.Prior to that bump, zinc prices had experienced a significant downturn, plummeting to US$2,248.50, their lowest point of the year, on May 31. This decline was primarily attributed to weakening demand, particularly stemming from a slump in China's real estate sector, which reverberated across the broader base metals market.European energy price reductions further compounded the situation, enabling improved economic conditions and the resumption of smelting operations, thus increasing zinc supply.This year, however, zinc prices have been rebounding, passing US$2,900 at the end of April. In March, experts attributed the metal's rise to investors unwinding significant bearish positions on the LME.“Short-covering has been the driver of recent gains,” Marex Group analyst Al Munro told Bloomberg.More recently, supply concerns have started to buoy prices. Although companies like Boliden are bringing assets back online, zinc mine output has declined for the last two years and isn't set to grow much in 2023. Meanwhile, zinc smelters are grappling with a sharp reduction in processing fees, a trend also observed in the copper market. Analysts anticipate potential further cuts as miners struggle to ramp up output to meet demand.At the end of the trading day in London, zinc was priced at US$2,903 on the LME. 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 Technical Analysis The natural gas markets have broken above the crucial $2 level, and it looks like we are probably going to continue to go higher. All things being equal, the short-term pullback should be buying opportunities that we take advantage of

FXEmpire.com - Market Overview U.S. natural gas futures saw a sharp increase on Monday, buoyed by a shift to an upward trend as indicated by intermediate and short-term trend indicators. The market’s momentum has turned positive with futures trading higher after breaking signific

FXEmpire.com - Market Overview Saudi Arabia’s decision to raise crude prices for June across the majority of regions had an impact on oil futures, signalling strong demand ex

The S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index (INDEXTSI:JX) lost 4.85 points last week to close at 581.7.This past Tuesday (April 30) and Wednesday (May 1) brought the latest meeting of the US Federal Reserve’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC). With recent data suggesting inflation has stalled and demand in the labor market has outstripped supply, the FOMC held interest rates at 5.25 to 5.5 percent, a level established in July 2023.In a statement, Fed Chair Jerome Powell said that, while increases were unlikely, the central bank still needed greater confidence that inflation was sustainably on its way toward its target of 2 percent before it would be appropriate to cut rates. In a release this past Friday (May 3), the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported slowing hiring rates in April. There were 175,000 jobs added to the economy during the month, well below analysts' estimates of 240,000 and far below the 315,000 added in March. The slower hiring pace could be an indication that the Fed’s policy rate may be starting to cool the economy.North of the border, Statistics Canada released GDP figures this past Tuesday. In the announcement, the agency reported a 0.2 percent increase to the GDP in February, a slight fall off from January’s 0.5 percent increase. However, the mining, quarrying, oil and gas extraction sector saw positive growth, increasing 2.5 percent. Gold and silver ore mining in particular was up for the third consecutive month, with gains of 4.4 percent in February. This increase in gold and silver came as multiple mines reported increased production and the country exported all-time high amounts of gold, as reported on April 4. The gold price has climbed to new record highs prices in recent months.In mining news, there were reports this past Friday that a bidding war for Anglo American (LSE:AAL,OTCQX:AAUKF) may be starting as Glencore (LSE:GLEN,OTC Pink:GLCNF) appeared to be eyeing a takeover. This follows news on April 25 that mining giant BHP (NYSE:BHP,ASX:BHP,LSE:BHP) has made its own bid for Anglo American. This past week also marked the start of operations for Canada’s Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion. The Canadian government purchased the pipeline from Kinder Morgan (NYSE:KMI) in 2018, but faced regulatory delays that caused the cost to soar to C$34 billion. Until now, producers in Alberta’s oil sands have been forced to sell oil at a discount, but the greater volume will provide improved pricing opportunities.Against this backdrop, how have small-cap mining companies performed on the TSX Venture Exchange this past week? Below are the top five gainers. Read on to learn what's been moving their share prices. 1. HighGold Mining (TSXV:HIGH) {"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"Corporation","name":"Highgold Mining","url":"https://investingnews.com/stocks/tsxv-high/highgold-mining/","description":"HighGold Mining Inc is a mineral exploration company focused on high-grade gold projects located in North America. Its flagship asset is the high-grade Johnson Tract Gold Project located in south-central Alaska, USA. The company also controls a portfolio of gold projects in the greater Timmins gold camp, Ontario, Canada that includes the Munro-Croesus Gold property, which is renowned for its highgrade mineralization, and the large Golden Mile and Golden Perimeter properties.","tickerSymbol":"TSXV:HIGH","sameAs":[],"image":"https://investingnews.com/media-library/image.jpg?id=52177623&width=980","logo":"https://investingnews.com/media-library/image.jpg?id=52177623&width=210"} Company Profile Weekly gain: 58.62 percent; market cap: C$41.25 million; current share price: C$0.46Explorer HighGold Mining is advancing its flagship Johnson Tract property near the south coast of Alaska.The project’s two primary deposits, the high-grade JT deposit and the Elias zone, along with nine other mineral prospects, cover 12 kilometers of strike length on the 21,000 acre property.A July 2022 technical report shows contained resources of 598,000 ounces of gold, 673,000 ounces of silver, 43.1 million pounds of copper, 51.5 million pounds of lead and 400.8 million pounds of zinc.HighGold shares saw significant gains this past Thursday (May 2), following an announcement that it had entered into a definitive agreement with Contango Ore (NYSEAMERICAN:CTGO). Contango plans to acquire HighGold for total consideration of C$0.55 per share and an equity value of C$51 million based on the current exchange rate. Under the terms, HighGold will have the right to appoint one director to the combined company’s board of directors. Buy now , 2. Africa Energy (TSXV:AFE) {"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"Corporation","name":"Africa Energy","url":"https://investingnews.com/stocks/tsxv-afe/africa-energy/","description":"Africa Energy Corp is an oil and gas company based in Canada. The company has exploration assets in South Africa and Namibia. The operations of the company include Block 11B/12B and Block 2B in South Africa as well as Petroleum Exploration License 37 in Namibia.","tickerSymbol":"TSXV:AFE","sameAs":[],"image":"https://investingnews.com/media-library/image.jpg?id=52177643&width=980","logo":"https://investingnews.com/media-library/image.jpg?id=52177643&width=210"} Company Profile Weekly gain: 53.85 percent; market cap: C$133.74 million; current share price: C$0.10Africa Energy is a South Africa-focused oil and gas exploration and development company.Its flagship asset is block 11B/12B located approximately 175 kilometers off the south coast of South Africa. The block covers an area of 18,734 square kilometers and depths between 200 meters and 1,800 meters.Africa Energy holds a 4.9 percent stake in the joint venture project through its 49 percent ownership of Main Street 1549, which itself owns 10 percent of the asset. The remaining partners are project operator TotalEnergies (NYSE:TTE), which holds a 45 percent stake; Qatar Petroleum, which has a 25 percent stake; and CNR International (TSX:CNQ,NYSE:CNQ), which has a 20 percent stake.In December 2020, the company announced testing at the site had reached 33 million cubic feet per day of natural gas, 4,320 barrels of condensate per day and 9,820 barrels of oil equivalent per day, but said the figures were limited due to surface equipment limitations.The most recent news from the project came on March 27, when Africa Energy released its 2023 year-end results. In the announcement, the company said it had been negatively impacted by a US$114.2 million non-cash loss due to changes in base assumptions for discount rate, future development and operating costs.However, it also noted the joint venture is contemplating accelerating the project through development and using nearby infrastructure to supply natural gas and liquid petroleum products to help provide energy to South African markets. Buy now , 3. Sage Potash (TSXV:SAGE) {"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"Corporation","name":"Sage Potash","url":"https://sagepotash.com/","description":"Potentially the largest deposit closest to production in the US ","tickerSymbol":"TSXV:SAGE","sameAs":["https://twitter.com/Sage_Potash"],"image":"https://investingnews.com/media-library/image.png?id=42087683&width=980","logo":"https://investingnews.com/media-library/image.png?id=42087683&width=210"} Press Releases Company Profile Weekly gain: 40 percent; market cap: C$11.55 million; current share price: C$0.21Sage Potash is a potash exploration company currently working to advance its portfolio of mineral holdings in Utah’s Paradox basin in the US. Historic oil and gas exploration in the basin dating back a century discovered the potential for the potash beds, but they were too deep for mining methods at the time. Sage has since confirmed their presence through its own exploration.In a revised technical report from February 2023, the company reported an inferred mineral resource estimate of up to 159.3 million metric tons (MT) of in-place sylvinite from the upper potash bed and up to 120.2 million MT of sylvinite from the lower potash bed. Shares in Sage saw gains this past week following an announcement on Thursday that it will be undertaking a private placement of 13.5 million shares to raise gross proceeds of C$1,822,500. The company said it will use the proceeds to advance its mineral properties and for general administrative expenses. Buy now , 4. Eco Atlantic Oil and Gas (TSXV:EOG) {"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"Corporation","name":"Eco (Atlantic) Oil & Gas","url":"https://investingnews.com/stocks/tsxv-eog/eco-atlantic-oil-gas/","description":"Eco (Atlantic) Oil & Gas Ltd is an oil and gas exploration and development company. The company focused on the identification, acquisition, and development of petroleum opportunities around the world. Its project includes Orinduik Block; Cooper Block (PEL 030); Sharon Block (PEL 033); Guy Block (PEL 034) and Tamar Block (PEL 050) in Guyana and Namibia.","tickerSymbol":"TSXV:EOG","sameAs":[],"image":"https://investingnews.com/media-library/image.jpg?id=52177646&width=980","logo":"https://investingnews.com/media-library/image.jpg?id=52177646&width=210"} Company Profile Weekly gain: 38.24 percent; market cap: C$77.74 million; current share price: C$0.235Eco Atlantic is an oil and gas exploration company working to advance offshore projects in Namibia, South Africa and Guyana.The company’s projects include a 100 percent working interest in the Orinduik block, which is a 1,345 square kilometer area in the Guyana-Suriname Basin, and a 85 percent working interest in four offshore petroleum licenses in Namibia over a 28,593 square kilometer area.The company also holds a 50 percent and 20 percent working interest in two projects off the coast in South Africa’s Orange Basin.The company did not release news last week, but its share price still increased significantly to end the period. Buy now , 5. Reconnaissance Energy Africa (TSXV:RECO) {"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"Corporation","name":"Reconnaissance Energy Africa Ltd.","url":"http://www.reconafrica.com","description":"Reconnaissance Energy Africa Ltd is an oil and gas company engaged in the exploration and development of oil and gas in NE Namibia and NW Botswana. It holds 90% interest in a petroleum exploration license in northeast Namibia and 100% interest in a petroleum exploration license in northwest Botswana which covers the entire Kavango sedimentary basin. The Kavango Basin offers large scale conventional play types.","tickerSymbol":"TSXV:RECO","sameAs":[],"image":"https://investingnews.com/media-library/image.gif?id=29648294&width=980","logo":"https://investingnews.com/media-library/image.gif?id=29648294&width=210"} Company Profile Weekly gain: 36.9 percent; market cap: C$200.30 million; current share price: C$1.15Reconnaissance Energy Africa is an oil and gas exploration company working to advance petroleum licenses in the Kavango Sedimentary Basin in Northeast Namibia and Northwest Botswana. The company’s two licenses cover an area of approximately 34,325 square kilometers.In its most recent update on April 18, Reconnaissance announced it will begin drilling the first Damara Fold exploration well in June of 2024. The company said it is targeting 163 million barrels of prospective oil resources and 834 billion cubic feet of prospective natural gas resources.The company has not released any further updates. Buy now , FAQs for TSXV stocks ​What is the difference between the TSX and TSXV? The TSX, or Toronto Stock Exchange, is used by senior companies with larger market caps, while the TSXV, or TSX Venture Exchange, is used by smaller-cap companies. Companies listed on the TSXV can graduate to the senior exchange. ​How many companies are listed on the TSXV? As of September 2023, there were 1,713 companies listed on the TSXV, 953 of which were mining companies. Comparatively, the TSX was home to 1,789 companies, with 190 of those being mining companies.Together the TSX and TSXV host around 40 percent of the world’s public mining companies. ​How much does it cost to list on the TSXV? There are a variety of different fees that companies must pay to list on the TSXV, and according to the exchange, they can vary based on the transaction’s nature and complexity. The listing fee alone will most likely cost between C$10,000 to C$70,000. Accounting and auditing fees could rack up between C$25,000 and C$100,000, while legal fees are expected to be over C$75,000 and an underwriters’ commission may hit up to 12 percent.The exchange lists a handful of other fees and expenses companies can expect, including but not limited to security commission and transfer agency fees, investor relations costs and director and officer liability insurance. These are all just for the initial listing, of course. There are ongoing expenses once companies are trading, such as sustaining fees and additional listing fees, plus the costs associated with filing regular reports. ​How do you trade on the TSXV? Investors can trade on the TSXV the way they would trade stocks on any exchange. This means they can use a stock broker or an individual investment account to buy and sell shares of TSXV-listed companies during the exchange's trading hours. Data for this 5 Top Weekly TSXV Performers article was retrieved at 1:00 p.m. PST on May 3, 2024, using TradingView's stock screener. Only companies with market capitalizations greater than C$10 million prior to the week's gains are included. Companies within the non-energy minerals and energy minerals were considered.Article by Dean Belder; FAQs by Lauren Kelly.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.Securities Disclosure: I, Lauren Kelly, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

FXEmpire.com - Last Week’s Natural Gas Market Recap Last week witnessed an uptick in natural gas cash prices, propelled by reduced production activities and increasing temperature forecasts, which also lent support to the futures market. U.S. natural gas futures exhibited minimal

FXEmpire.com - Natural gas breaks out to a new trend high of 2.16 on Friday and it is on track to close strong, in the upper quarter of the day’s range. If it does, a continuation higher heading into next week looks to be on the table. The weekly chart is also set to end strong f

Pan American Silver (TSX:PAAS,NASDAQ:PAAS) has announced the sale of its 100 percent interest in La Arena, including the La Arena gold mine and the La Arena II project in Peru, to Singapore’s Jinteng Mining.Jinteng is a subsidiary of Zijin Mining Group (OTC Pink:ZIJMF,SHA:601899).Zijin will pay US$245 million in cash upfront and grant Pan American a life-of-mine gold net smelter return royalty of 1.5 percent for La Arena II upon the deal closing. Additionally, upon the commencement of commercial production from La Arena II, a further contingent payment of US$50 million in cash will be made.Pan American expects the deal to be finalized in the third quarter of 2024."With the sale of La Arena, we continue to deliver on our strategy to optimize our portfolio, following the Yamana transaction, while maintaining future upside through the retention of royalties," President and CEO Michael Steinmann stated in a company press release on Wednesday (May 1). "Proceeds from the transaction will further strengthen our financial position and allow us to deliver on our capital allocation priorities of investing in high-quality assets, debt reduction and returning capital to our shareholders."The La Arena property, situated in the La Libertad province of Peru, has seen significant development under Pan American's ownership since its acquisition of previous owner Tahoe Resources in 2019.Despite the sale of La Arena, Pan American Silver retains a strong foothold in the sector, with interests in exploration and development projects across the region. The company is planning expansions at its Huarón silver mine, also in Peru.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 030524 Daily Char Natural gas rebounds as short sellers rush out of their positions. Several attempts to settle below the $2.00 level yielded no results, and some traders are ready to bet that the market has bottomed out.

FXEmpire.com - Gold Gold 030524 Daily Chart Gold settled near the $2300 level as traders reacted to the weaker-than-expected Non Farm Payrolls report and rising U.S. Unemployment Rate.

FXEmpire.com - Natural Gas Weekly Technical Analysis All things being equal, this is a market that I think is going to continue to go sideways. But this past week has been rather positive. It doesn’t really matter though. We could see things turn right back around. Quite frankly,

FXEmpire.com - Natural Gas Technical Analysis It looks like natural gas markets are going to be comfortably consolidating going forward. And although we are testing the highs at this point in time, I don’t know that much has changed. It doesn’t look like we’re going to break out

FXEmpire.com - U.S. Natural Gas Futures Remain Stable Amidst Consolidation U.S. natural gas futures showed minimal movement, indicating a near-flat trend, following an unsuccessful attempt to sustain a rally sparked by yesterday’s surge in prices. The market’s indecisive behavior

FXEmpire.com - Market Overview Oil prices saw a modest rise due to OPEC+’s potential extension of output cuts. However, the market is poised for significant weekly declines,

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.

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.