Investing

  • Northvolt Sells US Battery Plant to California Startup Lyten Amid Financial Struggles

    BY Lars Jensen
    Northvolt AB, the financially struggling European battery manufacturer, has reached an agreement to sell its US factory to Lyten, a California-based startup focused on lithium-sulfur batteries. This move is part of Lyten’s broader effort to reduce America’s reliance on China for battery production. Under the terms of the deal, Lyten will invest $50 million over...
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  • CDG and Gotion High-Tech Sign MoU to Support Electric Battery Gigafactory in Kenitra

    BY Sophia Schmitz
    The Deposit and Management Fund (CDG) and Gotion High-Tech group have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to support the electric battery gigafactory currently under development in Kenitra, Morocco. The MoU was signed on Wednesday in Hefei, China, by CDG’s CEO Khalid Safir and Gotion High-Tech’s Chairman Li Zhen. According to a press release from...
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  • Troilus Gold Secures Preliminary US$500 Million Loan Guarantee for Quebec Copper and Gold Project

    BY Lars Jensen
    Troilus Gold has secured a preliminary agreement for a US$500-million loan guarantee from Germany’s Euler Hermes Aktiengesellschaft to support its copper and gold project in Quebec. The guarantee, issued on behalf of Germany’s Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, is contingent upon Troilus signing an offtake agreement with German copper smelter Aurubis. The offtake...
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  • Li-Cycle Secures US$475 Million Loan from U.S. Department of Energy for Rochester Hub Project

    BY Lara Browne
    Lithium-ion battery (LIB) recycler Li-Cycle Holdings Corp., based in Toronto, has entered into an agreement for a loan of up to US$475 million from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The loan consists of up to $445 million in principal and up to $30 million in capitalized interest and is being provided through the DOE’s...
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  • China to Invest $5 Billion in Zambia’s Mining Industry by 2031

    BY Lara Browne
    China has announced plans to inject up to $5 billion into Zambia’s mining industry by 2031, with the goal of boosting copper and cobalt production. The investments will be facilitated through a newly established entity, the Chinese Mining Enterprise Association in Zambia, as stated by the Zambian government on November 13, 2024. The Chinese government,...
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  • VTB My Investments Updates Top 10 Russian Shares, Adds Nornickel and Drops Polyus

    BY John Davis
    Analysts at VTB My Investments have revised their list of the top 10 shares of Russian companies, adding shares of Nornickel and excluding those of Polyus. According to the broker’s latest report, the current composition of the top list includes: Nornickel, Gazprom, Astra Group, Rusal, LUKOIL, ALROSA, Moscow Exchange, Headhunter, Yandex, and Sberbank. The decision...
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  • Adani Group to Invest $5 Billion in India’s Metals Sector

    BY Sophia Schmitz
    The Adani Group plans to invest $5 billion to enter India’s metals industry, two years after its foray into the country’s cement sector, according to a report from the Mint newspaper. This move will position the conglomerate as a challenger to established players such as Vedanta Ltd., Hindalco Industries Ltd., and the Tata Group. The...
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  • Gold Prices Tumble as Dollar Strengthens Following Trump’s Election Victory

    BY Lars Jensen
    Gold prices experienced a significant drop on Monday, November 11, falling by more than 2% as the U.S. dollar strengthened in the wake of Donald Trump’s election as U.S. President. The precious metal’s value declined by $64.75, or 2.41%, closing at $2,619.23 per ounce, with prices reaching as low as $2,610.61 during the trading session....
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  • Albemarle to Cut Global Workforce Amid Lithium Price Slump

    BY Lara Browne
    Albemarle announced plans to reduce its global workforce by 6% to 7% as part of a cost-cutting effort in response to a slump in lithium prices and weakening demand. The world’s largest lithium producer revealed that around 15% of its non-manufacturing employees would be affected, according to an earnings report released on Wednesday. In addition...
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  • Novelis Reports Second Quarter Fiscal Year 2025 Results

    BY Sophia Schmitz
    Novelis, based in Atlanta, has released its financial results for Q2 FY2025. The company reported a net income of \$128 million, down 18% year-over-year. Excluding special items, net income was \$179 million, a 1% drop from the prior year. Adjusted EBITDA was \$462 million, down 5%, but up 1% excluding the \$25 million impact from...
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  • Lithium Market Faces Price Decline Amid Weaker Demand and Oversupply

    BY Lars Jensen
    The lithium market has entered a period of declining prices due to weaker demand conditions and an oversupply of lithium carbonate in key regions. In October, seaborne lithium carbonate prices in Asia dropped by 3.8%, settling at around $10,000 per metric ton, according to S&P Global Commodity Insights. This drop is attributed to the seasonal...
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  • U.S. DOE Approves $2.26 Billion Loan for Lithium Processing at Thacker Pass

    BY Lara Browne
    The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has finalized a $2.26 billion loan to support a lithium processing facility at Thacker Pass, Nevada. The loan, provided to Lithium Americas’ subsidiary, Lithium Nevada, is part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America initiative. The facility, next to the largest confirmed lithium resource in North America, will produce...
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  • UK Export Finance Supports Overseas Projects to Secure Critical Minerals for UK Industries

    BY Lars Jensen
    UK Export Finance (UKEF) will now provide financial support for overseas projects that supply critical minerals essential to major UK industries, as announced by the Chancellor. This move aims to help British industries access a stable and long-term supply of these crucial resources, including minerals like lithium, graphite, and cobalt, which are vital to sectors...
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  • Stardust Power Teams Up with MUFG to Develop Major US Lithium Refinery

    BY John Davis
    Stardust Power, an American company focused on developing battery-grade lithium products, has announced its collaboration with MUFG Bank to support the development of a major lithium refining facility in Muskogee, Oklahoma. The facility is set to become one of the largest of its kind in the United States, aiming to produce up to 25,000 metric...
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  • Gold Prices Drop Sharply Amid Profit-Taking and Strong US Data

    BY Lars Jensen
    Sharp Decline Follows Record High Spot gold experienced a significant decline on Thursday, closing down by \$43.50, or 1.56%, at \$2,743.63 per ounce. This drop followed a historic high of \$2,790.11 per ounce reached earlier in the day. Analysts cited profit-taking by investors and robust US economic data as primary reasons for the downturn. David...
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  • UK Export Finance Expands Support for Critical Mineral Projects Overseas

    BY John Davis
    UK Export Finance (UKEF) will now provide financial backing for overseas projects that source critical minerals essential to major UK industries, such as automotive, defence, and aerospace. This move aims to secure long-term access to materials like lithium, graphite, and cobalt, which are increasingly vital for emerging technologies, renewable energy, and the transition to net...
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  • Li-Cycle and Glencore Finalize Off-Take Agreement for Rochester Hub Production

    BY Lara Browne
    Li-Cycle Holdings has strengthened its partnership with global commodities giant Glencore by finalizing a commercial agreement for the off-take of mixed hydroxide precipitate (MHP) produced at the Rochester Hub. This strategic deal ensures that Glencore will take 100% of the MHP output from the Rochester facility, which includes valuable metals like nickel and cobalt. The...
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  • Expanded U.S. Tax Credit Benefits Metal Refiners, Leaves Out Pure Mining Companies

    BY Sophia Schmitz
    The U.S. government has expanded its Section 45X Advanced Manufacturing Production Credit to cover extraction and material costs, benefiting metal refiners while excluding pure mining companies. This change, part of the Inflation Reduction Act, was announced in final regulations by the Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The 45X Advanced Manufacturing Production Credit aims...
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  • Alcoa Optimistic on Aluminium Demand Amid Energy Transition

    BY Sophia Schmitz
    Alcoa is “very bullish” on the outlook for aluminium as the energy transition drives increased demand, including a shift away from copper, CEO William Oplinger said on Wednesday. Speaking at a conference in Sydney, Oplinger highlighted that demand growth will be largely driven by the energy transition, with aluminium increasingly substituting for copper in certain...
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  • Gotion to Invest $275 Million in Battery Plant in Vietnam’s Ha Tinh Province

    BY Sophia Schmitz
    Chinese battery manufacturer Gotion has announced plans to invest in a lithium battery project in Vietnam’s Vung Ang Economic Zone, located in Ha Tinh Province. Representatives from Gotion met with the Ha Tinh Economic Zone Management Authority in late October to discuss the development of this energy storage facility, which aims to optimize renewable energy...
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  • Aura Acquires Bluestone’s Cerro Blanco Gold Project

    BY Sophia Schmitz
    Aura Minerals will acquire a 100% interest in Bluestone Resources’ Cerro Blanco gold project in Guatemala and the Mita Geothermal project. The deal values Bluestone at C$0.50 per share, representing a 51% premium, with the total enterprise value reaching up to US$74.3 million. Bluestone shareholders can choose a cash payment of C$0.287 per share or...
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  • BlackRock Becomes Alcoa’s Largest Shareholder Amid Company’s Return to Profitability

    BY John Davis
    BlackRock, the world’s largest investment fund manager, has increased its stake in Alcoa, just as the Pittsburgh-based multinational records two consecutive profitable quarters. According to Bloomberg, BlackRock closed September as Alcoa’s largest shareholder, with a 9.76% stake after purchasing an additional 3.6 million shares. The firm, headed by Larry Fink, now controls a total of...
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  • Palladium Prices Surge on Threat of New Anti-Russian Sanctions

    BY Lars Jensen
    The price of palladium on the world market has surged to $1,170 per troy ounce for the first time in ten months, driven by concerns over potential new sanctions on Russian exports. On October 24, the price jumped by more than 10% in a single day, outpacing other precious metals and reflecting market fears about...
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  • Anglo American’s Copper Pivot Could Decide Its Fate Amid BHP Interest

    BY John Davis
    The speed at which Anglo American shifts towards becoming a copper-focused miner could ultimately decide its future—either continuing as an independent company or being absorbed by a larger rival, such as BHP Group. Earlier this year, BHP attempted but failed to acquire Anglo, walking away from a \$49 billion bid in May after being rebuffed...
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