The Week that Was – April 11-15, 2022

By Staff Writers | More Articles by Staff Writers

We at ShareCafe understand you are busy and may not have been left with enough time to keep up with the quality content we’ve been bringing you throughout the week. To make it easier to do so, here it is in one handy location. Just click on the headline and you’ll be taken straight to the story.

 

Monday 11 April, 2022

Lake Resources and Ford Motor Company Sign Non-Binding MoU (video)

Lake Resources has announced an offtake proposal for approximately 25,000 tonnes per annum of lithium from the Kachi Project in a non-binding agreement with Ford Motor Company.

 

Tuesday 12 April, 2022

Entrepreneurial Spirit Thriving in Asia (video)

Platinum’s Cameron Robertson is finding plenty of “not-so-familiar” investment opportunities in Asia at the moment, with Chinese online grocery retailer Dingdong a great example.

BlueScope Dips Another Toe in US Steel Market

BlueScope has made its second major US acquisition in six months to help bolster its growing presence in the market, especially in one of its specialities, coated steel products.

World Bank Slashes Russian Growth Forecast

The World Bank believes Russia’s economic growth will fall this year because of the invasion of Ukraine, but has also downgraded growth estimates elsewhere, citing inflationary pressures.

IGO Blinks, Raises WSA Bid Price

Sense seems to have prevailed in the end after plenty of chest puffing, with IGO Ltd relenting and upping its offer price for nickel miner Western Areas from $3.36 to $3.87 per share.

Mystery Surrounds Musk Twitter Turnaround

In a major about face, Elon Musk will not join the Twitter board, reversing course less than a week after becoming the company’s biggest shareholder and saying he would do so.

Trigg’s Potash Resources Helping Secure Australian Food Supply

Trigg Mining CEO / MD Keren Paterson discusses the global demand for potash, the difference between sulphate of potash and muriate of potash, and the company’s flagship project at Lake Throssell in WA.

 

Wednesday 13 April, 2022

Equity Income Investing: Key market drivers

Ben Lofthouse, Head of Global Equity Income at Janus Henderson, provides a summary of some of the key market drivers from the first quarter and key themes to watch going forward.

The US’ Missing Barrels – Refined Exports at Risk

The US downstream petroleum industry has adjusted and mostly thrived in response to major structural changes. Can it now meet the new missing million-barrel refining gap?

Dreaded S-Word a Real Possibility for China

A sharp rise in inflation has pushed China closer towards the worst of all economic situations – stagflation – where slowing growth and rising costs can cripple an economy.

Trade Tidbits: LYC, PLS

Updates Tuesday from two companies who have been having a fine time of it lately, and while the good news continued for Lynas, Pilbara Minerals ran into some unexpected headwinds.

Big Jump in Hedland Ore Export Numbers

The solid performance last month for companies using Port Hedland capped an equally good March quarter which saw a nice rise in prices and volumes for the key steelmaking raw material.

US CPI at Four-Decade Highs

A 41-year high for headline consumer price growth in the US of 8.5% saw shares fall after an early rise, bonds a touch firmer and the currency going nowhere fast.

Viva Energy to Upgrade Geelong Refinery

Viva Energy has given the go-ahead to a $300 million upgrade of its Geelong oil refinery to comply with new emissions limits and ensure the plant can continue operating.

 

Thursday 14 April, 2022

RBNZ Pre-empts Fed with 50 Basis Point Rate Rise

The Reserve Bank of NZ beat the US Fed Reserve to the punch yesterday, following on its move in February of this year by raising its Official Cash Rate 0.5% to 1.50%.

Black Canyon Shares Jump 25% on Manganese Find

Shares in explorer Black Canyon surged 25% yesterday on news from their prospect in WA that, if it holds true, will more than double Australia’s known reserves of manganese.

Chinese Economy Beset from All Angles

As we forecast, the widespread Covid lockdowns and high world prices for key commodities hit China’s trade performance in March and will do so again only much harder in April.

Resolution Nigh on Berkshire-Alleghany Deal

Time is up tomorrow for the $US11.6 billion bid for Alleghany Corp from Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway and, with no counter bids, it seems as it stands the deal will go through.

Three Balancing Acts that Just Got Harder

As Fidelity’s Kate Howitt reports, endeavouring to counter the effects of the Covid era is a difficult balancing act, one made even more so by the current conflict in Ukraine.

How Important is Russian Oil and Gas as Further Sanctions Loom?

As the EU considers further sanctions on Russia, Schroders looks at the importance of Russian energy supplies and asks fund manager Malcolm Melville about the implications.

Earnings Up for BoQ but Interest Margin a Concern

Bank of Queensland has lifted interim payout to shareholders by nearly 30% after ra solid rise in earnings for the February half, but a slide in its net interest margin will worry some investors.