SCARCE SUPPLIES
Consolidation push to continue as key raw material gets scarce: 11 small cap cement stocks which fit the bill and may see some action
In less than a month, two cement majors clearly showed their intent. The intent is to grow through an inorganic route. One by complete acquisition, the other by taking a large stake in the company. Another common thing, both of them are focussed on the southern part of India, where the cement companies have a history of being under pressure. So why are they looking toward southern India? The answer lies in something else. It is one of the key raw materials that have become scarce and that is what is leading to a situation where big players clearly know that if they have to grow their capacities they have to pick on companies which have access to that critical raw material. This aggressive consolidation is likely to continue and it is the smaller players which are likely to be targeted.
Ivory Coast bans some cocoa sales in another threat to market
Ivory Coast takes steps to secure scarce cocoa supplies for local processors, potentially restricting bean exports and tightening the global market.
Indian seafarers remain most abandoned at sea for another year
For two consecutive years, Indian seafarers have faced the highest rates of abandonment, with 411 individuals already left stranded on ships within the initial six months of the current year. According to a report from TOI, a total of 116 vessels and 1,672 seafarers have been abandoned so far in this year.
What is bitcoin's 'halving', and does it matter?
As bitcoin's price reaches new heights, attention is turning to its upcoming "halving" and whether it is playing a role in its ascent.
Oil slips after rally last week on Middle East, tight supply
Oil prices slipped on Monday as investors indulged in some profit-taking after both benchmarks ended last week about 6% higher on Middle East tensions and as refining outages squeezed refined products markets.
China, in comic strip, warns of 'overseas' threats to its rare earths
The comic strip, published on Sunday on the State Security Ministry's official WeChat account, showed security officers uncovering "suspicious" exploration and mapping activities by a group of people supposedly doing survey work for real estate development. No foreign government or agencies were named in the comic strip, and the ministry did not specify any measures to counter foreign "interest" in China's rare earths.
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Gaza hospitals warn that thousands could die if supplies run out as Israeli ground offensive looms
Medics in Gaza have warned that hospitals could run out of fuel and basic supplies, potentially resulting in thousands of deaths as civilians struggle to find food, water, and safety. Israeli forces, supported by US warships in the region, are positioning themselves for a broad campaign to dismantle Hamas. A week of airstrikes has failed to stop militant rocket fire into Israel.
Production halt in Parsa East & Kanta Basan block in Chhattisgarh results in scarce fuel supply in Rajasthan
The production halt at the Parsa East & Kanta Basan block in Chhattisgarh has led to a shortage of coal supply in Rajasthan, a state that is due to hold elections next month. The chief ministers of both states have been discussing the issue. The coal mine in Chhattisgarh is owned by Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited (RRVUNL). The environment ministry has approved the use of land for mining operations, but tree felling and handover of forest land are still pending.
Shippers bet on green methanol to cut emissions, supply lags
Maersk said methanol-powered ships with dual-fuel options cost about 10%-12% more than conventional ships, but the price difference should become insignificant in the longer run once developers achieve economies of scale.
A new job for electric vehicles: Powering homes during blackouts
Homeowners are beginning to turn their electric vehicles (EVs) into sources of backup power as the grids that supply electricity struggle to deal with the extreme weather linked to climate change. Experts predict that EVs will soon become more than transport options, serving multiple functions, including generating power for the home. Pedro Pizarro, of Edison International, said that by soaking up power when it’s abundant and releasing it when it’s scarce, EVs can become “a bigger rubber band to absorb the shocks”. This trend is expected to cut the reliance on fossil fuels and reduce carbon emissions.
Want to grow fruits & vegetables in cities? Become a beekeeper
Most research on crop pollination has focused on rural areas, leaving us with limited information about urban settings. While the role of insect groups like flies and wasps in crop pollination has only gained recognition relatively recently.
The Fed has paused. How long will Europe's central bank keep raising rates in a shaky economy?
The European Central Bank is expected to raise interest rates by a quarter-percentage point on Thursday as inflation continues to plague consumers, with analysts predicting a further hike in July. Although higher rates fight inflation, they can also weaken the economy and raise the risk of recession. However, the ECB is focused on targeting inflation, which is far above its goal of 2%. Even though overall inflation decreased from 7% in April, core inflation is still high at 5.3% and coming down only slowly. The Fed decision to pause its interest rate hikes doesn't preclude more increases, and two further hikes are possible this year.
Delhi's water crisis to be resolved within 2-3 years: CM Arvind Kejriwal
Arvind Kejriwal said the DJB's water supply capacity has increased from 850 MGD in 2015 to 1,000 MGD now and that he has set an ambitious target to further enhance it to a range of 1,200-1,300 MGD within two to three years.
Why Panama Canal is the new challenge for supply chains
Just as the world’s delivery bottlenecks are easing, Panama’s drought and worrisome weather patterns elsewhere threaten to revive some of the chaos of 2021, when a surge in shipping costs and consumer demand resulted in shortages of goods, helping to drive US inflation to a four-decade high.
Food of the future: The business and economy of super grains
Once known as inferior coarse grains, millets are now known as super grains for the huge health, economic and environmental benefits they offer. The United Nations, the government, fitness experts, startups, FMCG giants and almost everyone who is health conscious is talking of millets.
Deadly chaos as Pakistanis scramble for scarce donations
In all, 16 people have been killed in chaos at charity distributions, shocking Pakistan, especially during the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan, a time for giving and spiritual reflection. But this year, economic malaise seems to be eroding society's ability to cope.
World Water Day: Why water scarcity is linked with health issues and women empowerment
According to the UN, approximately 2 billion people worldwide do not have access to safe drinking water.
Fed’s all-clear on global supply chaos spurned by logistics watchers
Fed has said that the stress on the global supply chains has eventually returned to normal, in fact below normal levels.
World’s riskiest markets stumble into crisis with dollars scarce
In some of the world’s most vulnerable developing nations, the situations on the ground are dire. Shortages of dollars are crimping access to everything from raw materials to medicine. Meanwhile governments are struggling with their debts as they chase rescue packages from the International Monetary Fund.
How to effectively apply AI to supply chain processes to yield transformative results
Innovations in big data storage, cloud computing, and graphical processing units have enabled businesses to incorporate AI into their mainstream products and services.
'Abnormal' anti-dumping duty should not be levied on VSF: SIMA to Finance Minister
The government has been taking various path-breaking policy initiatives to address the raw material structural issues, especially the man made fibres (MMF), the future growth engine of the Indian textile industry, by removing the anti-dumping duty levied on various raw materials, polyester staple fibres, acrylic fibre and VSF, SIMA Chairman Ravi Sam said in a letter addressed to the Finance Minister.
Start-ups still attractive albeit with a new start
These factors, coupled with macro-economic headwinds including the liquidity tightening, has left start-ups who are still burning cash at a crossroads. So, what is different about the public market investor sentiments from the private investors? Well, while public markets investors want start-ups to be more disciplined in their spend, private investors take a long-term growth perspective of business and are more patient.
Lithium frenzy sees China ceramics hub refocus on battery metals
The ceramics producers of Gao’an city in China’s Jiangxi province are a prime example. About 15% of the city’s plants have switched from churning out their traditional products to making lithium briquettes that can be further processed into chemicals used in battery production
Charting the global economy: UK turmoil; world economy stumbles
The economic damage from the shutdown of Russian gas flows is piling up fast in Europe and risks eventually eclipsing the impact of the global financial crisis.
Lessons from Henry Ford about today's supply chain mess
Ford is heavily dependent on a single supplier of chips located more than 7,000 miles away, in Taiwan. With chips scarce throughout the global economy, Ford and other automakers have been forced to intermittently halt production.
US consumer prices jump 6.2% in October, a 30-year high: Government
It was the largest annual jump in the consumer price index (CPI) since November 1990 and driven by increases in gasoline, automobile and food prices, according to the Labor Department data.
Rise of the robots speeds up in pandemic with U.S. labour scarce
Labor shortages and rising wages are pushing U.S. business to invest in automation. Some economists have warned that automation could make America’s income and wealth gaps worse.
Maersk’s green shipping plan runs up against scarce cooking oil
Maersk consumes about 12 million tons of marine oil per year, roughly equal to all the oil produced in the world in one day.
Tata Motor’s cost focus means little when chips are scarce
The focus on cost control can be gauged from the fact it saved 150 million at JLR, by curbing variable marketing expenses and implementing a 10% reduction per car in vehicle cost. In the domestic market, the commercial vehicle business was able to remain in Ebitda breakeven even after revenue dropped to nearly half of the March quarter.
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