ab Global Research What reforms are in progress? Current reforms focusing on investor returns (dividend payments, share buybacks, information disclosures) and market cap management could help to attract 'patient capital'; reforms directed at buoying M&A could facilitate companies' growth in size and strength; deepening SOE reforms may help drive re-ratings. Also, A-share liquidity may be improved by containing IPOs and major shareholders' stake reductions, coupled with efforts to draw in long-term funds. Mo ...

Vasily Zyryanov is an individual investor and writer.He uses various techniques to find both relatively underpriced equities with strong upside potential and relatively overappreciated companies that have inflated valuation for a reason.In his research, he pays much attention to the energy sector (oil & gas supermajors, mid-cap, and small-cap exploration & production companies, the oilfield services firms), while he also covers a plethora of other industries from mining and chemicals to luxury bellwethers.H ...

Key Takeaways BASFY adapts testing method for eMobility, reflecting higher ageing resistance needs than combustion engines.BASFY shifts from air-heat tests to hydrolysis storage to assess ageing in water-glycol mixtures.BASFY's Ultramid polyamide showed properties extrapolated beyond 100,000 hours after five years of testing.BASF SE (BASFY) has mainly tested the durability of materials in air-heat environments, but is now adapting to proven methods of hydrolysis storage to ascertain ageing in water-glycol m ...

Key Takeaways Arkema S.A. has begun operations at its new Rilsan Clear transparent polyamide production unit in Singapore.ARKAY's $20M investment strengthens its leadership in high-performance polymers.Arkema leads in bio-based transparent polyamides, with Rilsan Clear grades having up to 62% bio-based carbon.Arkema S.A. (ARKAY) has announced the successful start-up of its new Rilsan Clear transparent polyamides production unit operation at its Singapore platform. The move has significantly strengthened the ...

Industry Overview - The basic materials sector includes companies involved in discovering, developing, and processing raw materials essential for other industries, closely tied to economic cycles [1] - It comprises five industries: metals and mining, chemicals, construction materials, paper and forest products, and containers and packaging [1] Recent Performance - The sector has shown mixed performance over the past year, with the S&P 500 Materials Select Sector SPDR (XLB) advancing 15.3% as of January 13 [2] - Metals and mining sectors performed well, while construction materials and chemicals lagged due to slower global growth and inflation concerns [2] - The cyclical nature of the sector makes it sensitive to global economic conditions, interest rates, and the effectiveness of China's stimulus [2] Future Outlook - The outlook for 2026 appears promising, with expected strong earnings growth for materials companies driven by pricing power from tariffs on steel and robust packaging demand [3] - Demand drivers such as electrification, infrastructure spending, and rising consumption of industrial commodities like lithium, copper, and rare earths are expected to support growth [3] Investment Opportunities - Materials funds can act as portfolio diversifiers and inflation hedges, as raw material prices often rise with inflation [4] - Well-managed materials mutual funds may capture growth while balancing risk across multiple industries within the sector [4][5] Selected Mutual Funds - **Fidelity Select Materials (FSDPX)**: Invests in companies involved in raw materials production, with a 3-year annualized return of 2.3% and a 5-year return of 7.2%, net expense ratio of 0.69%, and a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 2 [7][8] - **Franklin Gold and Precious Metals (FKRCX)**: Focuses on gold and precious metals operations, with a 3-year annualized return of 48.4% and a 5-year return of 21.1%, net expense ratio of 0.87%, and a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 2 [9][10] - **American Century Global Gold (ACGGX)**: Invests in gold-related companies, with a 3-year annualized return of 44.8% and a 5-year return of 20.1%, net expense ratio of 0.91%, and a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 1 [12]

The S&P 500 Index (SPX) has gotten off to a solid start in 2026, but history suggests next week may be more challenging. Markets will be closed on Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and since they declared it a market holiday in 1998, stocks have tended to struggle during that shortened week. In the article below, I’ll unpack the return data for the SPX for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day week and break down the results by individual trading days. I’ll also look at stocks that have tended to outperform a ...

We last wrote on Kronos Worldwide , Inc. ( KRO ) (Producer of titanium dioxide pigments (TiO2)) in May of last year, when we delved into the key metrics which make up KRO's dividend. We had already statedIndividual investor with a keen interest in deriving income from investment setups. We do this by buying undervalued profitable stocks with strong balance sheets & minimal debt. Furthermore, when the opportunity arises, we like to write calls against our positions to bring in additional income. Risk managem ...

Vasily Zyryanov is an individual investor and writer.He uses various techniques to find both relatively underpriced equities with strong upside potential and relatively overappreciated companies that have inflated valuation for a reason.In his research, he pays much attention to the energy sector (oil & gas supermajors, mid-cap, and small-cap exploration & production companies, the oilfield services firms), while he also covers a plethora of other industries from mining and chemicals to luxury bellwethers.H ...

Valued at a market cap of $58.7 billion, Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (APD) provides atmospheric gases, process and specialty gases, equipment, and related services. The Allentown, Pennsylvania-based company is expected to announce its fiscal Q1 earnings for 2026 in the near future. Before this event, analysts expect this chemical company to report a profit of $3.05 per share, up 6.6% from $2.86 per share in the year-ago quarter. The company has met or topped Wall Street’s bottom-line estimates in tw ...

创新排名的跃升，得益于衢州在科技创新领域扎实的改革举措。2025年，衢州市高规格召开科技及体 制"双创新"改革推进会，率先建立科技创新工作向人大报告制度。全国首部科创平台地方立法《衢州市 科创平台高质量发展条例》正式施行，"衢州市高能级科创平台绩效评价机制"等两项改革列入省级专项 试点。 企业创新动能持续增强。通过深化"企业出题、政府助题、平台答题、车间验题、市场评价"的科技攻关 模式，衢州全年承担省"尖兵""领雁"等重点项目11项，实施市级揭榜挂帅项目10项。新认定国家高新技 术企业161家、省科技型中小企业789家。新组建创新联合体28家，累计覆盖中小企业700余家。艾森药 业Ⅰ类创新药"奥格特韦纳胶囊"获批，成为衢州首个原研创新药。 高能级科创平台建设质效双升。衢州成功引进彭孝军院士共建研究院；衢州化工新材料研究院与巨化集 团合作孵化的液冷项目，已进入建设阶段。高端化学品中试平台、氟氯高性能合成树脂及特种单体中试 平台，入选首批国家级制造业中试平台，使衢州成为全国唯一拥有2家国家级制造业中试平台的地级 市。全年高能级科创平台成果转化60项，引进落地孵化企业47家，实现营收超6亿元。 （来源：衢州日报） ...