The Week That’s Done: Mining’s financing problem, China’s triple plunge
November 4, 2023If the West wants to reduce reliance on China for minerals, it will need to invest some serious money into big mining projects—but so far, investors seem reticent. Meanwhile, risks may be lurking in the tin supply chain, Chinese EVs could threaten European aluminum, and China sees plunging IPOs, inbound FDI, and manufacturing PMI.
The Week That’s Done: Updating America’s Industrial Strategy
April 30, 2023Washington and its allies are questioning the orthodoxy of globalization. Meanwhile, Russia ropes Turkey into its nuclear orbit, China continues its attack on foreign businesses, and the global aluminum market hinges on rains in Yunnan. Plus: Risk of a Marburg epidemic and improving global health security with small vaccine stockpiles.
The US Aluminum Production Challenge and How to Fix It
March 30, 2023Without action to stabilize the aluminum industry, the United States is at risk of increasing its reliance on China, Russia and the UAE for critical infrastructures, military needs, and clean technologies. And without a robust energy supply, the US will not be able to stabilize the aluminum sector.
The Week That’s Done: Japan’s Green Hydrogen Bet
March 12, 2023Japan has recognized the strategic value of friendshoring since well before it became a buzz phrase—and a burgeoning Japan-Australia hydrogen partnership could offer lessons to other countries. Meanwhile, the US shale boom looks to be flagging, a new report raises aluminum alarms, and Europe’s China stance is hardening. Plus: Are we back to supply chain normality yet?
The Week That’s Done: October 16
October 16, 2022The international market is increasingly bifurcated and in the West, the dominant theme is shortage: Aluminum crunch, refining crunch, wheat crunch, freight crunch, LNG crunch narrowly avoided – for now. Plus, in markets, inflation persists; debt risks brew among emerging economies; and Germany's trade surplus shrinks.
Factors Briefing: Week of May 2
May 8, 2022India and China double down on coal as the global energy squeeze intensifies – and while Russian alumina supply dwindles; European automakers seek European rare earths supply, and kind of succeed; Malaysia makes moves to fill the cooking oil vacuum
