Tuesday 31 March 2015

ZeroHedge: Specs Have Never Been More Short Gold Or The Euro.


  

  ZeroHedge reports about the record short position in Gold, which can become the catalyst for the move higher. This week sell off in gold is holding the lid on $1,200 level. All these games will end in tears one day.

ZeroHedge: Peak Gold? Goldman Calculates There Is Only 20 Years Of Gold Supply Left.

 


 
  Finally the word is out and multiplied by ZeroHedge. Let's wait when the story will hit mass media now.

Peak Gold: 10 Remarkable Gold and Silver Trends Going Into 2015.


"Gold production is expected to peak in 2015. As the next chart suggests, the discovery cycle peaked some 20 years ago, and that will only reflect as of this year in the production volumes. Combine this with the falling gold prices (currently right below the average cost of production), and the result is a series of liquidations of miners and mining projects which would lead to an even more drastic short-term decrease of gold output. Read more."


TNR Gold: Shotgun Gold Project Development in Alaska.


 "Nova Gold has published its new presentation for PDAC 2015. Now you can find more information about Alaska as mining jurisdiction and Donlin Gold type of Gold deposit. TNR Gold owns 100% of Shotgun Gold project in Alaska, which has very similar geology to Donlin Gold, according to Greg Johnson - one of the founders of Nova Gold. Read more."




ZeroHedge:

Crowded Trade 2.0: Specs Have Never Been More Short Gold Or The Euro


The Long US Dollar, Short US Treasuries trades were the 'most crowded' earlier this year and while both have derisked modestly from record highs, this week saw the net speculative position in EURUSD futures surge more negative and has never been shorter. Along similar 'strong dollar' lines, as Bloomberg reports, net long positions in Gold have dropped to their lowest since Dec 2013 and outright Gold short positions rose for the seventh week in a row to the highest since data began in 2006.

Specs have never been more short The Euro against the US Dollar...

And gold shorts have never been higher...

So everyone on one side of the Strong Dollar boat... apart from The Fed...

Charts: Bloomberg"


Warren Buffett Backed China Automaker BYD Sees Profits Jump On Stronger EV Demand.

  
International Business Times:


  We have another confirmation of the increasing demand in EV in China. Government efforts start to pay off and now we can see the new dynamic behind the headlines we have discussed before:

"Now we have the huge market for EVs, dramatically sliding lithium batteries costsand brilliant minds investing in the future. Elon Musk with Tesla Motors, Warren Buffet with BYD, James Dyson and Richard Branson with Virgin have joined the Lithium Club. It is the great energy and Richard Branson has the ability to reshape the industries like nobody else. Apple iCar is only adding to the fire and buzz about electric cars these days. Richard Branson has started the Lithium Fever in London already and International Lithium is back on the funds and investor bankers circuit now. New people are coming to study our sector and the best projects and companies will find their audience again. Top lithium producer from China with 1.2 B market cap Ganfeng Lithium is financing our J/V projects in Ireland and Argentina . With our teams on the grounds we are moving fast forward in the development of potential raw materials supply for our strategic partner."

Backed By Warren Buffett China's BYD Takes Aim At Elon Musk's Tesla Gigafactory In Battery Race.





  Our industry is getting hotter by the day. After Apple Electric iCar rumours running wild and getting more and more confirmation, we have Warren Buffett stepping into the Lithium Battery Race. Now we have Tesla with its Gigafactory, LG Chem with its Megafactory in China and Boston Power with stake holding by or strategic partner Ganfeng Lithium in Lithium Battery Race. BYD with Warren Buffett backing is making this investment landscape even more exciting. As Elon Musk has said: "All transportation, apart from rockets, will be electric" Read more."

  


International Lithium And Ganfeng Lithium: "The End Of The Lithium 'Big 3'.


  "Joe Lowry has published a very interesting article about the lithium market, major producers and rising Chinese powerhouses in lithium industry. You can find now more details on International Lithium strategic partner Ganfeng Lithium. Apple Electric iCar and Warren Buffet BYD move into energy storage to chase Elon Musk with his Tesla Gigafactory bring Lithium back onto the radar screens of investors now. Read more."


International Lithium Corp. and Ganfeng Lithium Commence Work Programs on the Avalonia and Mariana Lithium Projects.







International Business Times:

China Automaker BYD Sees Profits Jump On Stronger Electric Vehicle Demand; BMW Expects China To Soon Surpass US As Largest EV Market

The Chinese electric car market is finally gaining momentum after five years of government incentives. And as the country’s market for battery powered cars grows, one local automaker has the most to gain as urban Chinese drivers move away from gasoline: BYD Co., the Shenzhen-based maker of electric buses and new-energy passenger cars that boasts partial ownership by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc.
BYD’s share price leaped more than 7 percent on Monday, to 39.50 Hong Kong dollars ($5.09). The stock movement came after the company reported higher revenue, but a steep drop in 2014 profit, in part due to investments in increasing its battery production capabilities. Investors rallied around BYD’s forecast of a steep rise in first quarter earnings thanks to high demand for smartphone batteries, growing Chinese demand for new-energy cars and strong sales for two recently introduced (non-electric) S6 and S7 sport utility vehicles.
The company says it’s ready to focus more on new energy vehicles, which include both fully electric and plug-in electric hybrids, just as the local Chinese market for the vehicles is beginning to take off thanks to government incentives. Sales of new-energy vehicles more than tripled last year, to 74,499 units, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers. While this is a sliver of the more than 20 million vehicles bought in the country last year, the recent growth in demand is explosive, just as it is globally.
China’s electric car market, “has been elevated to the national strategy level and can look forward to invaluable opportunities for rapid development,” BYD Chairman Wang Chuan-fu said in a letter to shareholders released Sunday.
In its 2014 annual report released Sunday, BYD said profits declined by nearly 22 percent, to $69.8 million) on an 11 percent increase in revenue, to $8.92 billion. But past investment appear to be taking off. BYD says it expects first quarter profit to increase to as much as $24.2 million, from just $1.9 million in the first three months of last year.
The company claims it received more orders last year for its electric and plug-in hybrid cars than it could fulfill with its battery production capacity. Last year the BYD Qin, a plug-in-hybrid the company bills as a sedan that’s powered with “electricity for trips and gasoline for journeys,” became China’s bestselling new-energy vehicle. Much like General Motors’ Chevrolet Volt, the Qin’s appeal to a small group of consumers is its ability to travel short “trips” on electric power alone before switching to gasoline on “journeys.” The Qin boasts an electric-only range of 43 miles before it has to switch to gasoline.
Since 2010, China has tried to encourage wider adoption of electric vehicles, but the effort had yet to yield the expected results of 500,000 new energy vehicles on the road by the end of this year. In order to prime demand, three of China’s largest, smoggiest cities – Shanghai, Beijing and Tianjin – offered early last year to subsidize the purchase of Chinese electric and plug-in-hybrid cars, which helped BYD and its two main rivals in the new-energy Chinese car market, SAIC Motor and Anhui Jianghuai Automobile.
These and other incentives appear to be paying off.
Last week, the head of BMW’s China operations said his company expects that by no later than 2020, the mainland will become the world’s largest market for electric cars – a position currently held by the U.S. thanks to its own state and federal incentive programs.  Other automakers, including Volkswagen Group and Tesla Motors are taking heed at the electric car trend in China, and are gearing up for the expected growth spurt.

“We are coming with ours; others are coming as well,” Karsten Engel, BMW’s head of China operations said during an even in Shanghai last Wednesday, according to the South China Morning Post."

Monday 30 March 2015

Powered By Lithium: Translogic Reviews Tesla Model S P85D.



Technology for electric cars is here and Elon Musk has demonstrated its potential. Now big names are getting into the electric cars space.

Lithium Technology: Internet Giants Drive Into The Electric Vehicle Space.


We have the new tipping point for the electric cars mass market. 2015 is already shaping like one of the most important years for the EV market. Apple, BYD, Baidu, Alibaba, Tencent, Foxconn - with these names and capital behind them huge Chinese auto-market is the best field to cultivate new disruptive technology.


Backed By Warren Buffett China's BYD Takes Aim At Elon Musk's Tesla Gigafactory In Battery Race.


  Our industry is getting hotter by the day. After Apple Electric iCar rumours running wild and getting more and more confirmation, we have Warren Buffett stepping into the Lithium Battery Race. Now we have Tesla with its Gigafactory, LG Chem with its Megafactory in China and Boston Power with stake holding by or strategic partner Ganfeng Lithium in Lithium Battery Race. BYD with Warren Buffett backing is making this investment landscape even more exciting. As Elon Musk has said: "All transportation, apart from rockets, will be electric" Read more."

  


International Lithium And Ganfeng Lithium: "The End Of The Lithium 'Big 3'.


  "Joe Lowry has published a very interesting article about the lithium market, major producers and rising Chinese powerhouses in lithium industry. You can find now more details on International Lithium strategic partner Ganfeng Lithium. Apple Electric iCar and Warren Buffet BYD move into energy storage to chase Elon Musk with his Tesla Gigafactory bring Lithium back onto the radar screens of investors now. Read more."


International Lithium Corp. and Ganfeng Lithium Commence Work Programs on the Avalonia and Mariana Lithium Projects.




Frank Holmes: Is Yellen Or The USD Driving Gold Lower?



"Gold prices kicked off the week sharply lower as Frank Holmes is back from the Mines & Money conference in Hong Kong and discusses Fed Chair Janet Yellen’s hawkish comments Friday afternoon and the renewed strength of the U.S. dollar on this edition of Gold Game Film. Holmes notes that weakness in gold prices is a combination of Yellen’s comments spilling into this week and a stronger U.S. dollar – something he doesn’t see lasting. “The idea of rates rising in America, the dollar would just rip and the stock market would plunge,” he says. “It would plunge more in dollar value loss than one would imagine compared to gold falling to $1,000, or $900 an ounce. The wipeout in the stock market would be significantly greater.” Tune in now to see where Frank’s tossing his touchdown pass of the week. Kitco News, March 30, 2015."


ZeroHedge: Peak Gold? Goldman Calculates There Is Only 20 Years Of Gold Supply Left.

 


 
  Finally the word is out and multiplied by ZeroHedge. Let's wait when the story will hit mass media now.

Peak Gold: 10 Remarkable Gold and Silver Trends Going Into 2015.


"Gold production is expected to peak in 2015. As the next chart suggests, the discovery cycle peaked some 20 years ago, and that will only reflect as of this year in the production volumes. Combine this with the falling gold prices (currently right below the average cost of production), and the result is a series of liquidations of miners and mining projects which would lead to an even more drastic short-term decrease of gold output. Read more."


TNR Gold: Shotgun Gold Project Development in Alaska.


 "Nova Gold has published its new presentation for PDAC 2015. Now you can find more information about Alaska as mining jurisdiction and Donlin Gold type of Gold deposit. TNR Gold owns 100% of Shotgun Gold project in Alaska, which has very similar geology to Donlin Gold, according to Greg Johnson - one of the founders of Nova Gold. Read more."


Lithium Technology: Internet Giants Drive Into The Electric Vehicle Space.



  We have the new tipping point for the electric cars mass market. 2015 is already shaping like one of the most important years for the EV market. Apple, BYD, Baidu, Alibaba, Tencent, Foxconn - with these names and capital behind them huge Chinese auto-market is the best field to cultivate new disruptive technology.


Backed By Warren Buffett China's BYD Takes Aim At Elon Musk's Tesla Gigafactory In Battery Race.


  Our industry is getting hotter by the day. After Apple Electric iCar rumours running wild and getting more and more confirmation, we have Warren Buffett stepping into the Lithium Battery Race. Now we have Tesla with its Gigafactory, LG Chem with its Megafactory in China and Boston Power with stake holding by or strategic partner Ganfeng Lithium in Lithium Battery Race. BYD with Warren Buffett backing is making this investment landscape even more exciting. As Elon Musk has said: "All transportation, apart from rockets, will be electric" Read more."

  


International Lithium And Ganfeng Lithium: "The End Of The Lithium 'Big 3'.


  "Joe Lowry has published a very interesting article about the lithium market, major producers and rising Chinese powerhouses in lithium industry. You can find now more details on International Lithium strategic partner Ganfeng Lithium. Apple Electric iCar and Warren Buffet BYD move into energy storage to chase Elon Musk with his Tesla Gigafactory bring Lithium back onto the radar screens of investors now. Read more."


International Lithium Corp. and Ganfeng Lithium Commence Work Programs on the Avalonia and Mariana Lithium Projects.





Sunday 29 March 2015

Jim Rickards In Depth: What The FED Gets Wrong - No Interest Rates Increase 2015.



  This is one of the best interviews with Jim Rickards. The future will tell whether Jim Rickards is right on interest rates.  His Currency Wars have become the reality and Gold will finally reflect the fundamentals once US Dollar will finish its parabolic move. Realisation that FED cannot really raise interest rates in any meaningful way will be the catalyst for this move. China's dramatic appetite for Gold and decrease of gold output will drive the demand and supply constrains.


ZeroHedge: Peak Gold? Goldman Calculates There Is Only 20 Years Of Gold Supply Left.

 


 
  Finally the word is out and multiplied by ZeroHedge. Let's wait when the story will hit mass media now.

Peak Gold: 10 Remarkable Gold and Silver Trends Going Into 2015.


"Gold production is expected to peak in 2015. As the next chart suggests, the discovery cycle peaked some 20 years ago, and that will only reflect as of this year in the production volumes. Combine this with the falling gold prices (currently right below the average cost of production), and the result is a series of liquidations of miners and mining projects which would lead to an even more drastic short-term decrease of gold output. Read more."


TNR Gold: Shotgun Gold Project Development in Alaska.


 "Nova Gold has published its new presentation for PDAC 2015. Now you can find more information about Alaska as mining jurisdiction and Donlin Gold type of Gold deposit. TNR Gold owns 100% of Shotgun Gold project in Alaska, which has very similar geology to Donlin Gold, according to Greg Johnson - one of the founders of Nova Gold. Read more."


Saturday 28 March 2015

Powered By Lithium: Review of the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV.



Mitsubishi PHEV is very popular now in Europe and feeds the market for SUVs without any worries about the range anxiety, better batteries will bring the switch to full battery EVs. 


"The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV is the world's first Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle and has some fantastic features including impressive fuel economy and ultra low emissions. With savings on National Insurance contributions and the PHEV qualifying for 100% first year allowance against business profits, the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV is cost effective for both the company as well as company car users."

Lithium Batteries Costs Among Market Leaders Are Much Lower Than Previously Reported.


Nature Climate Change


  I would like to share this very interesting report about the dramatic decrease in lithium battery costs than previously thought. Industry insiders are already working around $300 per kWh and Tesla Gigafactory will bring us closer to $100 per kWh - the tipping point for the mass market for electric cars.

International Lithium And Ganfeng Lithium: "The End Of The Lithium 'Big 3'.


  "Joe Lowry has published a very interesting article about the lithium market, major producers and rising Chinese powerhouses in lithium industry. You can find now more details on International Lithium strategic partner Ganfeng Lithium. Apple Electric iCar and Warren Buffet BYD move into energy storage to chase Elon Musk with his Tesla Gigafactory bring Lithium back onto the radar screens of investors now. Read more."


International Lithium Corp. and Ganfeng Lithium Commence Work Programs on the Avalonia and Mariana Lithium Projects.




Koos Jansen: When Will China Disclose Its True Official Gold Reserves And How Much Is It?

  


   Koos Jansen has published another great investigative article on China's gold demand and reserves. It goes very well with the Peak Gold scenario. Apart from the news making it to the mass media it is very important that real money are buying into it already: China is on track for another record year in Gold demand. 


ZeroHedge: Peak Gold? Goldman Calculates There Is Only 20 Years Of Gold Supply Left.





  Finally the word is out and multiplied by ZeroHedge. Let's wait when the story will hit mass media now.

Peak Gold: 10 Remarkable Gold and Silver Trends Going Into 2015.


"Gold production is expected to peak in 2015. As the next chart suggests, the discovery cycle peaked some 20 years ago, and that will only reflect as of this year in the production volumes. Combine this with the falling gold prices (currently right below the average cost of production), and the result is a series of liquidations of miners and mining projects which would lead to an even more drastic short-term decrease of gold output. Read more."


TNR Gold: Shotgun Gold Project Development in Alaska.


 "Nova Gold has published its new presentation for PDAC 2015. Now you can find more information about Alaska as mining jurisdiction and Donlin Gold type of Gold deposit. TNR Gold owns 100% of Shotgun Gold project in Alaska, which has very similar geology to Donlin Gold, according to Greg Johnson - one of the founders of Nova Gold. Read more."



Koos Jansen:

BullionStar.

When Will China Disclose Its True Official Gold Reserves And How Much Is It?


Things are heating up in the Chinese gold market
First let’s go through the latest Shanghai Gold Exchange data and then we’ll continue to discuss the most recent developments regarding Chinese official gold reserves.
Friday the Shanghai Gold Exchange (SGE) released its trade report of week 11, 2015 (March 16 – 20). Withdrawals from the vaults, which equal Chinese wholesale demand, accounted for 53 tonnes, up 3.91 % from the prior week.

Screen Shot 2015-03-27 at 10.33.53 AM
Blue (本周交割量) is weekly gold withdrawn from the vaults in Kg, green (累计交割量) is the total YTD.

Year to date total withdrawals have reached a staggering 561 tonnes, up 7.3 % from 2014, up 33 % from 2013.When using the basic equation for the Chinese gold market to estimate import, we learn that up until March 20 China has net imported 412 tonnes. Add to this India has net imported about 230 tonnes over the same period, that’s 642 tonnes combined. I wonder how long the Chinese can keep up this pace of importing before physical supply from Western vaults runs dry.
Shanghai Gold Exchange SGE withdrawals delivery 2015 week 11 dips
Trading volume on the Shanghai International Gold Exchange (SGEI) has been 32 tonnes in week 11, which could have distort SGE withdrawals by 0.8 tonnes. (Read SGE Withdrawals In Perspective for more information on the relation between SGEI trading volume and SGE withdrawals)

When Will China Disclose Its True Official Gold Reserves And How Much Is It?

Lithium Technology: Energy Storage For The Grid.



  Here comes the next stage of Lithium technology development - Energy Storage for the smart grid. It will allow to integrate Solar and Wind power. Tipping point will be the reduction in lithium battery price to $100 kWh. 

Lithium Batteries Costs Among Market Leaders Are Much Lower Than Previously Reported.


Nature Climate Change


  I would like to share this very interesting report about the dramatic decrease in lithium battery costs than previously thought. Industry insiders are already working around $300 per kWh and Tesla Gigafactory will bring us closer to $100 per kWh - the tipping point for the mass market for electric cars.


Backed By Warren Buffett China's BYD Takes Aim At Elon Musk's Tesla Gigafactory In Battery Race.


  Our industry is getting hotter by the day. After Apple Electric iCar rumours running wild and getting more and more confirmation, we have Warren Buffett stepping into the Lithium Battery Race. Now we have Tesla with its Gigafactory, LG Chem with its Megafactory in China and Boston Power with stake holding by or strategic partner Ganfeng Lithium in Lithium Battery Race. BYD with Warren Buffett backing is making this investment landscape even more exciting. As Elon Musk has said: "All transportation, apart from rockets, will be electric" Read more."

  


International Lithium And Ganfeng Lithium: "The End Of The Lithium 'Big 3'.


  "Joe Lowry has published a very interesting article about the lithium market, major producers and rising Chinese powerhouses in lithium industry. You can find now more details on International Lithium strategic partner Ganfeng Lithium. Apple Electric iCar and Warren Buffet BYD move into energy storage to chase Elon Musk with his Tesla Gigafactory bring Lithium back onto the radar screens of investors now. Read more."


International Lithium Corp. and Ganfeng Lithium Commence Work Programs on the Avalonia and Mariana Lithium Projects.




Friday 27 March 2015

ZeroHedge: Peak Gold? Goldman Calculates There Is Only 20 Years Of Gold Supply Left.

 


 
  Finally the word is out and multiplied by ZeroHedge. Let's wait when the story will hit mass media now.

Peak Gold: 10 Remarkable Gold and Silver Trends Going Into 2015.


"Gold production is expected to peak in 2015. As the next chart suggests, the discovery cycle peaked some 20 years ago, and that will only reflect as of this year in the production volumes. Combine this with the falling gold prices (currently right below the average cost of production), and the result is a series of liquidations of miners and mining projects which would lead to an even more drastic short-term decrease of gold output. Read more."


TNR Gold: Shotgun Gold Project Development in Alaska.


 "Nova Gold has published its new presentation for PDAC 2015. Now you can find more information about Alaska as mining jurisdiction and Donlin Gold type of Gold deposit. TNR Gold owns 100% of Shotgun Gold project in Alaska, which has very similar geology to Donlin Gold, according to Greg Johnson - one of the founders of Nova Gold. Read more."



ZeroHedge:

Peak Gold? Goldman Calculates There Is Only 20 Years Of Gold Supply Left


Late last year, when looking at a Goldcorp slideshow, we noticed something surprising: the gold miner had forecast that 2015 would be the year when gold production would peak among the mining industry.

To be sure Goldcorp was really just pitching its own balance sheet, and was more focused on its far more levered gold-mining competitors going out of business...
... and hence facilitating "peak production" this year as one after another producer is forced to file for bankruptcy, than actually making a statement on how much gold remains to be mined in the ground. Because the last thing even the most healthy gold miner, with the lowest production cost wants, is to face a world in which their primary commodity is running out.
Which may just be this world.
According to a report issued by Goldman's Eugene King looking at commodity scarcity, the chart below "shows that there are only 20 years of known mineable reserves of gold and diamonds."
Some futher observations on gold and scarcity in general from Goldman:
The combination of very low concentrations of metals in the Earth’s curst, and very few high-quality deposits, means some things are truly scarce. Perhaps unsurprisingly, these are the so-called precious metals (and diamonds), and that their value is derived from the fact they are rare. 

Their relatively scarcity, and the market’s belief that new discoveries will be limited, is what drives the price of these super rare commodities. Take diamonds as perhaps the most extreme example. A diamond has very little intrinsic value. Its value is determined by a belief that it is rare and, for a natural diamond, unique. 

Gold has been used as a measure of wealth for more than 4,000 years, as the ancient Egyptians soon worked out that gold was not only shiny and heavy, but rare.
Of course, this analysis is meaningless in a vacuum: if the "known reserves" of gold plunge in the coming decade, no matter how many gold futures and GLD short sales are conducted by the BIS, the price will have to go up, and it will go up high enough to where a new surge of gold miners will come online and find thousands of new tons of gold reserves around the globe. 
Unless they don't, and Goldman is correct that "peak gold" may have arrived. This will be even more true if over the coming years the long overdue fiat economic panic finally washes over the globe, and a revulsion toward central bank policies forces a scramble into gold whose value (if not price since fiat currencies will be redundant) soars. 
The answer is unclear, but what is certain is that like the price of oil over the past decade and until last fall when price discovery finally became somwhat credible, what happens in the physical realm has absolutely zero marginal impact on the price of commodity which has about 100 ounces in deliverable paper contracts for every ounce in underlying. It will be only after the gold price distortions via the derivative market are eliminated that such trivial price-formation forces as supply and demand are once again relevant. ZeroHedge."