On an expedition to the North Pole, Eric Herrera discovered a bacterium that produces enzymes capable of dissolving rock to expose embedded metals, without the need for harmful chemicals. Maverick, cofounded by Herrera and Evans, has raised a $19 million seed round this year to apply the technique to copper, gold and platinum. #ForbesUnder30Read more: https://t.co/CXKN0do33ZPhoto: Sebastian Nevols for Forbes ...

Copper (HGH26) has a lot of smart features. But calling it a “doctor” is a bit too much for me. That’s the Wall Street slang for the commodity that is essential in industries such as construction, machinery, and electrical wiring. Copper has historically been highly correlated to the economy. Thus the nickname. It’s like it knows where things are trending. However, I’m starting to question that. More News from Barchart Today’s markets are so different from the ones that existed when Dr. Copper earned i ...

Summary of Key Points from the Conference Call Industry Overview - The conference call focuses on the metals industry, particularly in Europe, with a positive outlook for various metals in 2026, driven by rate cuts and demand for real assets [1][2]. Core Insights and Arguments - **Positive Outlook for Metals**: The overall outlook for metals remains strong, supported by rate cuts, potential USD weakness, and increasing investor demand for real assets. New demand sources, such as energy storage systems (ESS) batteries and data centers, are expected to contribute to copper demand growth by approximately 0.6 percentage points in 2026 [2][3]. - **Top Picks**: Uranium and lithium are highlighted as top picks due to rising contracting activity and tighter market conditions, respectively. Conversely, iron ore and zinc are viewed with more caution [1][3]. - **Supply Challenges**: Significant supply challenges are noted, including disruptions in copper mines and competition for electricity among aluminum smelters and data centers [2][3]. - **China's Demand**: China's metals demand is bolstered by its manufacturing and export model, which is expected to continue. The US energy secretary's discussions on strategic uranium stockpiling also support this outlook [2][3]. Price Forecasts - **Uranium**: Expected to benefit from rising contracting activity and disappointing supply growth, leading to price upside [3][10]. - **Lithium**: Anticipated to enter a tighter market in 2026 due to accelerated ESS demand [3][10]. - **Aluminum**: Expected to catch up with copper prices as supply constraints from China and other regions persist [3][10]. - **Copper**: Projected to rise further due to tight supply and US stockpiling, although China demand remains a concern [3][10]. - **Gold**: Expected to see smaller gains in 2026 as central bank and ETF buying slows, but rate cuts may support prices [3][10]. - **Iron Ore**: Forecasted to tip into surplus as supply growth outpaces steel demand, although high-cost mines in China may set a price floor [3][10]. - **Zinc**: LME tightness is expected to fade as mine supply growth continues [3][10]. Key Risks - **Demand Destruction Risks**: With significant price increases in the BCOM Precious Metals Index (up 66%) and Industrial Metals (up 13%), there are concerns about potential demand destruction and disconnection from cost curves [4]. - **Global Growth Slowdown**: A sustained global growth slowdown could negatively impact prices, alongside energy price weakness and elevated by-product credits that may drag down cost curves [4]. Additional Insights - **Investor Behavior**: New investments in precious metals are noted, including Tether's gold purchases and India's pension regulator's approval for gold and silver ETF allocations [2]. - **Market Dynamics**: The report emphasizes the importance of resource security and strategic stockpiling, particularly in the context of geopolitical tensions and local opposition to mining projects [28]. Conclusion - The metals industry outlook for 2026 is characterized by a positive skew, driven by various macroeconomic factors and emerging demand sources. However, potential risks related to demand destruction and global economic conditions warrant close monitoring.

The LME copper price reached a new all-time high of $11,952 on Friday (12 December), and is now trading around $11,700, marking an increase of 33% year-to-date. We upgrade our 2026 copper price forecast to $11,400 from $10,650, as we lower the probability of a refined copper tariff being implemented by H1 2026 as affordability concerns take priority. A later tariff implementation should result in a larger than expected ex-US market deficit. We have kept our 2027 price forecast of $10,750 unchanged as we exp ...

Group 1: Autonomous Driving - The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology officially announced the first batch of L3 conditional autonomous driving vehicle permits on December 15, marking a significant step towards commercialization in China [1] - Two models, suitable for urban congestion and highway conditions, will conduct road trials in designated areas of Beijing and Chongqing [1] - This development opens up policy space for the large-scale implementation and market expansion of high-level autonomous driving technology, benefiting the entire industry chain including high-precision sensors, automotive-grade chips, smart cockpits, and vehicle-road collaboration infrastructure [1] Group 2: SpaceX IPO - SpaceX has begun selecting investment banks for its IPO advisory services, with multiple banks scheduled for the first roadshow this week [2] - The internal stock pricing has reached $421 per share, leading to a valuation of $800 billion (approximately 56,442 million RMB), potentially setting a record for the largest IPO in history [2] Group 3: Precious Metals Market - Platinum futures reached a limit up on December 15, with a daily increase of 7.00%, marking the first time since its listing [3] - Meanwhile, spot silver surged over 3% to return to $64 per ounce [3] Group 4: Economic Data Releases - Multiple economic data points are set to be released, including the U.S. unemployment rate for November, non-farm employment changes, and preliminary manufacturing PMI for December [4] - Other data includes unemployment rates from the UK and Hong Kong, as well as the ZEW economic indices for Germany and the EU [4] Group 5: Industry Events and Changes - The Hang Seng Hong Kong Stock Connect software and semiconductor index will be renamed, removing several stocks effective December 16 [5] - Domestic lithium battery manufacturer Dejia Energy will increase the prices of its battery series by 15% starting December 16 [5] - The 2025 Shanghai International Robotics Industry Exhibition will take place from December 16 to 18 [5] - The 18th China Industrial Forum will be held in Beijing on December 16 [5] Group 6: Stock Dynamics - Four listed companies will face stock unlocks tomorrow, with Yandong Micro unlocking 193.279 million shares (13.54% of total shares) [7] - Several companies, including Ningbo Bank and Yili Group, will distribute dividends with record dates on December 16 and ex-dividend dates on December 17 [7] - Macjet Technology will issue 8.492 million new shares [8]

Let's get to Kevin Green to sort of break down the action as far as the setup as we head into this FOMC decision. Uh good morning to you KG. Thanks so much for joining me.I'm just wondering, you know, what are your expectations. What are you seeing there as far as volatility heading into the Fed decision. >> Yeah, I would not be surprised if we actually do trade within, let's say, a 15 point range going into the statement uh at 2 p.m. Eastern time. And that's usually something that we do see on a day like t ...

Anglo American shareholders voted in favor of the company’s combination with Teck Resources, clearing a key step toward the creation of a $50 billion metals producer focused on copper mines in Chile and Peru https://t.co/lfGBYjXUKp ...

Group 1 - The German metals company is currently in discussions with Worthington Steel [1] - It remains uncertain whether an official offer will be made [1]

Klöckner said Worthington Steel s conducting due diligence with a view to a potential takeover of the German metals company. https://t.co/t2mtA4rTU9 ...

Goldman Sachs Group Inc. injected some caution into the debate over copper’s prospects, saying its surge past $11,000 a ton will prove short-lived as there’s still more than enough metal to meet global demand. “Most of the recent copper price increase is based on expectation of future market tightness, rather than current fundamentals,” the bank’s analysts, including Aurelia Waltham, wrote in a note. “We do not expect the current breakout above $11,000 to be sustained.” Most Read from Bloomberg Copper m ...