Metals

How metals markets can limit future debacles

19 Apr 2022

UK regulators want answers after the London Metal Exchange voided nickel trades. A supply crunch in a wider range of metals means Europe’s key market can expect more crises. Regaining trust may require new leaders, but the LME can at least reduce the impact of future shocks.

Nickel deal upheaval is unfair but reasonable

11 Apr 2022

IGO’s $820 mln bid for miner Western Areas was derailed by KPMG, prompting the buyer to increase its offer by 15%. It’s unclear whether war in Ukraine will alter the nickel market longer-term. Even so, it’s refreshing to see an adviser ditch the usual rubber stamp.

China jitters, energy decoupling and Russian gold

31 Mar 2022

The war in Ukraine is spurring investors and governments to act fast. In this Viewsroom podcast, Breakingviews columnists discuss foreign cash fleeing Beijing, the West’s rapid plan to de-Russify its energy mix and Vladimir Putin’s options for his $140 billion gold chest.

Russia’s gold reserves buy Putin a few options

28 Mar 2022

The Russian leader has a $140 bln stash of the yellow metal. Using it, however, can require shell companies and middlemen. Putin’s regime may have some experience helping Venezuela turn bullion into euros. Though U.S. prosecutors will give chase, the gold trail is hard to follow.

Hong Kong may have a buyer if it wants to dump LME

18 Mar 2022

The London Metal Exchange’s nickel-trading goofs have upset customers and damaged its good name. Owner HKEX’s vision to link western and eastern markets already faced challenges. At the right price, U.S. rival ICE might get another shot at the prize it missed out on in 2012.

Shell company digs deep for Glencore copper

18 Mar 2022

Cash and potential new equity cover only half the $1.1 bln Metals Acquisition is paying to buy an Aussie mine from the commodities giant. A raft of debt and some future revenue will plug the gap. Copper’s role in the energy transition makes the financial engineering worthwhile.

Nickel gets nixed, French firms linger in Russia

17 Mar 2022

The war in Ukraine is affecting far corners of global finance. In the Viewsroom podcast, Breakingviews columnists explain how the conflict helped bring nickel trading to a halt in London. And why oil giant Total and carmaker Renault are resisting the exodus by Western companies.

LME’s nickel business is halfway out the door

16 Mar 2022

The London Metal Exchange again suspended trading in the energy transition material, a week after wiping trades. The latest mess means custom is already heading elsewhere. The LME’s best hope is that a lack of oven-ready alternative venues leads to a degree of inertia.

Nickel’s return may leave everyone underwhelmed

15 Mar 2022

The London Metal Exchange will restart trading in the commodity on Wednesday, a week after the bourse suspended the market amid epic price rises. The LME’s decision to void trades angered financial investors. New safeguards may irk traditional members it was trying to protect.

Nickel crisis puts ‘too big to fail’ back on table

15 Mar 2022

Chinese metal producer Tsingshan won Beijing's support after an $8 bln hit in a short squeeze. It’s a reminder systemic risk is not the domain of big banks alone. The more financial contagion stems from Russia's war, the likelier other governments will face a similar choice.

Rio’s Mongolian generosity reflects strategic bind

14 Mar 2022

The $120 bln miner has offered $2.7 bln to buy out minority investors in Turquoise Hill, which controls the giant Oyu Tolgoi copper mine. Rio Tinto could have paid less last year. But its lack of metals needed for alternative energy makes it vital to remove any future barriers.

Nickel’s emergency stop creates longer-term issues

9 Mar 2022

The LME suspended trading in the metal and nixed trades after prices soared. The fix avoids wider losses, and London’s idiosyncratic market may make this seem a one-off. But commodity producers fretting over Russia may now also worry about how easily they can hedge in future.

Capital Calls: White-collar crime, Rusal rejig

7 Mar 2022

Concise views on global finance: The U.S. attorney general wants to go after more individuals as well as companies for corporate crimes. Even law firm Wachtell says top bosses should pay attention; a plan to separate Rusal’s non-Russian bits looks like a challenge.

Glencore is gaining ground on its trust issues

15 Feb 2022

The $77 bln commodity giant has set aside $1.5 bln to settle graft probes. That’s better than feared. And an improving valuation suggests investors are less bothered about its desire to stick with coal. But the mineral remains sufficiently controversial to check further upside.

Rio Tinto’s cultural fix will be an uphill dig

2 Feb 2022

The $117 bln mining giant is rife with bullying and racial and sexual abuse, according to a damning report. Miners’ improved safety records show reform is possible, if hard. Investors’ apparent indifference, though, makes prioritising workplace respect even tougher.

Serbia’s Rio smash dents EU electric-car dream

21 Jan 2022

The Balkan state nixed the $120 bln miner’s lithium project on environmental grounds. A looming election and spat over tennis ace Novak Djokovic didn’t help. Belgrade’s status as an investment destination is at stake. So are European hopes for reliable local battery ingredients.

Rio and BHP wrestle with green M&A conundrum

22 Dec 2021

The two rivals are fighting over access to battery metals, including stakes in volatile startups. BHP just withdrew from a pricey battle for a wannabe nickel maker, but Rio is pressing on with an $825 mln bid for a nascent lithium firm. Investors are wise to be wary.

Rio Tinto’s new chair is an odd change agent

20 Dec 2021

The $105 bln miner has appointed Dominic Barton to run its board. China experience fits well with managing Rio’s key relationship, but scandal tainted McKinsey while he ran the consultancy. For a group trying to move on from its own controversies, it’s a strange choice.

Rio Tinto Mongolian hardball ends up looking soft

13 Dec 2021

The $105 bln miner has offered to write off a $2.3 bln loan to Ulaanbaatar linked to the Oyu Tolgoi copper project. Boss Jakob Stausholm is giving up billions of dollars in interest. But holding firm risked the company being chucked off a project that could bring in a lot more.

Chancellor: Investors unprepared for carbon crunch

18 Nov 2021

Markets aren’t effectively factoring in a potential hydrocarbons scarcity. It’s not just that the world is trying to get off fossil fuels. They’re increasingly expensive to extract as supplies reach their peak. It’s another downside risk investors need to consider.