Platinum Gold Ratio Just Breached 20 Year Low 0.78 Catalytic Demand Price South Africa Jewelry

The recent dive in platinum prices is forcing miners to turn to shallow, highly mechanized new mines.  "65% of South Africa’s platinum operations are unprofitable at current prices".  Making matters worse is the price of electricity - up threefold since 2008.  In 2014 South African platinum production dropped 10% to less than four million ounces - by comparison the country produced 4.8 million ounces in 2011.

But industry demand remains strong having eclipsed eight million ounces last year for just the second time in history, and with South Africa being home to 95% of global reserves, production issues in the country will swing supply/demand in the wrong direction in upcoming years.

platinum versus gold

Demand - platinum is more widely used industrially (catalytic/automotive as well as laboratory equipment)

Supply - depends more on recycling than any other metal - 2.1 vs 5.7 million ounces (total demand ~ 8M ounces per year).  But there are concerns over production - demand for platinum is known to fall during times of economic uncertainty which is more true today than at any other time in past fifty years.  Volkswagen diesel scandal is also weighing down prices - diesel vehicles may not be as popular in the future meaning less demand for catalytic converters - which account for 40% of platinum demand.

Just last month an HSBC metals analyst said he expects "platinum to trade above gold next year"  A discounted platinum price will boost jewelry demand allowing it to take market share away from gold.


Analysts see platinum at $1150 in 2016, $1300 in 2018.

Lithium Ion Battery Usage Soars, China Takeover, Growth Stocks Companies

Lithium demand is projected to rise very quickly over the next few years, possibly doubling within a decade. Consumption has the potential to increase even further if electric vehicles become commonplace; sales of Ford hybrid electric vehicles fell between 2010 and 2012 but set a new record in 2013: 65,326 (previous record is 35,496 set in 2010); total US sales for 100% electric vehicles +230% to 46,148; sales at Tesla TSLA keep going up-  Lithium Exploration Group LEXG is expected to be a key lithium contributor at Tesla's newest giga plant, the biggest lithium-ion factory in the world.
Don't forget about lithium-ion battery usage in aerospace: the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner operates on lithium-ion batteries- A key advantage of these batteries is a long battery life.

Bolivia knows this and is currently putting in place the infrastructure needed for companies to make the batteries within its own borders - a very wise move since there is a considerable amount of value added in the secondary industry.

This is especially important in GDP calculations:  If all of the parts forming a product are made elsewhere but assembled in China when exported, China gets credit for the whole thing despite having made no part of it. This has become a problem with respect to high-value US imports of electronics such as computers and mobile phones.

Lithium maintains a strong position in the industry, but investors must also be aware of the risks posed by alternative batteries - the Ryden dual carbon battery is just one example that's raising eyebrows.  It requires only 90 seconds to charge fully versus 30 minutes for lithium-ion.  It also has much improved battery life.

China Is Investing Heavily In Australia but Are Outright Takeovers In Anyone's Interest ?

In April, China made it easier for domestic companies to complete foreign takeovers:  up to $1 billion takeover deals don't  require government approval.  Virtually all of the takeovers have gone through smoothly with one exception:  Westside Corp Ltd asx:WCL rejects $164.5 million bid by China's Landbridge Group.

• Just this month
• Aquila Resources AQA owner of the $7 billion West Pilbara Iron Ore Project, got bought out by privately held Baosteel Group of China for $1.4 billion.  If I were an Australian shareholder I'd ask myself, will Baosteel bring over its own employees to run the mine ?  But shareholders were compensated well ($400 million was paid to former Aquila executive chairman) so the deal encountered no opposition.
• Another takeover this month (May 2014) has PanAust Limited asx:PNA going to Guangdong Rising Assets Management.  A 45% premium makes the transaction hard to resist ($1.4 billion $2.30 per share vs $1.58).
• The current gold price is posing challenges for Bullabulling Gold GGG:  hard time developing the Bullabulling Gold project.  Financing is not a problem for Zijin Mining of Xiamen, China and that gives it leverage in negotiating a deal.  The $24 million takeover is by Norton Gold ask:NGF, Zijin's Australian division.
• Earlier this year
• Carabella Resources CLR of Brisbane was taken over by Kingho Energy Group in a bid that was initially hostile (offer increased to $71 million in January).  The deal gives Kingo Energy control of Grosvenor West, a mega project that remains undeveloped due to high capital expenditure/development costs.

Big Gold Projects Propel Stocks Higher

High development costs ($1.77 billion) for Cadia East had led to construction delays, resulting in years of waiting for the underground mine (largest in Australia) to become operational.. but the extra capex is about to pay off nicely for Newcrest.  Cadia East will boost annual Cadia Hill gold production from under 400,000 oz to over 800,000 ounces (at a competitive cash cost).

Effect of Cadia East news on Newcrest Stock ytd +36%  6 months  +22%  1 month +0.1% vs Newmont NEM +2%  -9%  -8%, Barrick ABX  -6%  +1%  -10%

Canada's version of Cadia East is Kerr Sulpherets Mitchell, a 44.7 million ounce gold-250 million ounce silver-molybdenum mine that's 100% owned by Seabridge Gold.  Keep a close eye on ANY news reguarding its development:  Seabridge stock is due for a big jump in price.

China Agrees to $340 Natural Gas Price, It's A Done Deal 

The 30-year $400 billion deal reached last week between Russia and China will obviously impact the amount of natural gas China imports from other countries, but if you're Australia you shouldn't be too concerned :  Chinese companies already own interest in a number of Australian natural gas projects:  Curtis LNG project is 25% owned by Chinese company.  The Russian deal calls for Gazprom to sell 38m mmcf per year at the fixed rate of $340 per mmcf which is cheap, especially when you compare it to what the Europeans are paying for it.  Whatever happens though, don't expect Russia to ever play hardball with China when it comes to keeping the gas flowing - Russian government gets 6% of its revenue from natural gas exports.  A lot of the growth in Australia's natural gas industry is happening in the northern region.

Growth Stocks

Caterpillar CAT
Even though revenue and earnings declined slightly quarter on quarter, quarter to quarter earnings were stronger being up 4.7% to $922 million.  Pushing this hot stock higher is its earnings beating estimates: $1.61 vs $1.23.

Freeport McMoran FCX
eps beat analyst estimates : 49 cents versus 41 cents

MTR Corp MTRJY is the second largest land owner in Hong Kong.  little risk, lots of upside.  maintains AA+ rating at R&I.

Grocery Stocks On The Move Carrefour Group CA, Sysco SYY, Sobeys

Food stocks Sysco syy, Carrefour Group and Empire Company Limited provide opportunity for investors at a time when there's not much to be enthusiastic about. 

In Canada a weaker dollar is akin to an interest rate cut discouraging spending in that country.
In the mining industry, weaker gold and silver prices cut into profit margins last year, leading to weaker results (eight of the world's tens largest gold companies reported a drop in earnings last year).

Weak jobs numbers in the United States affects the world's biggest consumer market, making companies involved in the clothing industry riskier investments, and now bank stocks could be hit as a result of ongoing uncertainty in Cyprus.  Confiscating people's bank accounts will undoubtedly cause many in Europe to keep their money out of banks since many of Europe's largest financial institutions are based in Italy and Spain, two countries that could follow Cyprus's example if the Troika's new bailout rules are instituted elsewhere.  Will banks like Banco Santander allow money from client account to be taken in order to pay down national debts ?

 But Grocery Stocks Are Different!

People don't have a choice when it comes to eating.  Stockpiling food isn't something most will be considering either since people are increasingly health concious which makes them reliable on perishable foods (since the alternative is food that's loaded with unhealthy preservatives). 

Grocery stocks have grown nicely over the last year despite the inability of many to hike prices in step with price inflation (Tesco for example reported +1.8% increase in same-store sales for the three months ended January 5, 2013 despite lower market share and lower sales of frozen food).  Also in the UK: grocery industry market growth +3.7% lags general inflation +4.3%.

This month, Empire Company Limited (emp.a) reported a drop in gross profit margin (24% to 23%) and a 32% decline in cash equivalents as well as 6% decline in net earnings but the stock remained in positive terroritory despite that (+12% last three months). The food division, Sobeys profited 8% more but that was because the food division includes gas stations (236 Shell gas stations purchased last year). Sobeys is the second largest grocery retailer in Canada but third largest in Canada's biggest market, Ontario.


Carrefour Group (euronext:ca) is another example of a solid growth stock.  In 2012 the food retailer profited 3.3 times more than the previous year (€1.233 billion) despite a sales increase of just 0.5% and a decline in ebit of -1.6%.  It turns out the company's assets are more valuable that people think !  CEO Georges Plassat has been been busy steering the company in a more profitable direction.  He thought that operating in 30 countries was too demanding and so Carrefour started selling off assets, starting with Greece.  Competition in the countries Carrefour has been exiting is high and that makes its businesses attractive to potential buyers.  Colombian operations were sold for $2.5 billion which represents 20 times enterprise value/ebitda, investors liked the return and the stock moved higher.  In 2012 Carrefour pulled out of five countries.  The money from the asset sales helped the company pay down net debt (€6.9 billion to €4.3 billion).  The next country Carrefour is contemplating leaving is Turkey and you be sure the return it will get for assets there will be at a premium.
Carrefour also has an insurance division that has exposure to South America (35% of 1b net banking income is from Argentina and Brazil).  Carrefour stock price +10.85% last three months, +32.31% last six months.