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PPLT

ETFS Physical Platinum Shares ETF

5/18/2013, 7:00 PM ET

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Friday, May 10, 11:28 AM Anglo American Platinum (AGPPY.PK) appeases labor tensions but disappoints investors by agreeing to cut fewer jobs than proposed and to keep more of its production on line as a result. Amplats now estimates 2013 platinum production at 2.2M-2.4M oz. vs. an earlier forecast of 2.1M-2.3M, feeding concerns that supply could exceed demand this year. Platinum -2.5% to $1,479.10. Comment! [Commodities]
Wednesday, March 27, 2:25 PM Russia and South Africa, which together hold ~80% of the world’s platinum-group metal reserves, reportedly plan to create an OPEC-type cartel to coordinate exports. Like OPEC, the two countries would want to be able to create a floor under platinum prices, which would help their important domestic mining industries in terms of profitability and allow them to pay poor and increasingly militant miners better wages. 7 Comments [Commodities, Global & FX]
Tuesday, February 19, 6:06 AM Anglo American Platinum (AGPPY.PK) has suspended production at all its South African operations today due to wildcat strikes after at least 13 people were injured in inter-union violence at one of its mines yesterday. The stoppage follows violent industry wide strikes last year, which cost the mining industry 15B rand ($1.68B) of lost revenue, and comes ahead of wage talks. Platinum futures +0.9%. 2 Comments [Commodities, Top Stories]
Wednesday, February 13, 4:59 PM While prices for gold and silver drift lower, platinum's premium to gold surged to a 17-month high on concern supply may fall after Zimbabwe's government seized land from the country’s biggest platinum producer Zimplats, majority owned by Impala Platinum. Commerzbank analysts expect further production outages which could increase the platinum supply deficit on the world market. Comment! [Commodities, Global & FX]
Thursday, February 7, 4:02 PM A look beneath the hood of Schwab's (SCHW) recently unveiled lineup of 105 commission-free ETFs shows an impressive breadth of asset class coverage, including currency, physical metals and equal-weight sector ETFs not previously available for commission-free trading. Notably absent: iShares single country funds, 10 of which are available among the 101 ETFs TD Ameritrade (AMTD) offers commission-free. Comment!
Thursday, January 17, 8:27 AM South Africa's mining sector could face more protests if companies cut more workers, union officials say, as Anglo Platinum's planned 14K-employee layoff shows the company isn't "putting the interests of the country at heart" and is an example of South Africa not benefiting from its minerals. Several hundred workers who had refused to work returned to allow unions to meet with the company. Comment! [Commodities]
Tuesday, January 15, 9:29 AM Platinum prices rally to three-month highs after top producer Anglo American Platinum said it would mothball two South African mines and sell another, cutting output by ~400K oz. "Anglo Platinum will not be the last company to cut output," an analyst says, expecting platinum miners to pull back 25%-30%, which would have a "severe impact" on prices. 2 Comments [Commodities, Global & FX]
Monday, January 14, 8:35 AM Anglo American Platinum expects to swing to a loss for 2012 after a strike that cut production and sales, a sign of what's to come for other strike-hit South African miners. Earnings also will be hit by a writedown from the closure of some mines deemed not viable to run. Platinum has been outshining gold of late, in part on strained supply from South Africa. Comment! [Commodities, Global & FX]
Tuesday, September 18, 2012, 12:17 PM Platinum futures take a breather after a report that Lonmin workers in South Africa have accepted the company's pay offer and will return to work. Prices in the past 30 trading days have climbed from under $1,500/oz. to above $1,700 before a sudden drop today took prices below $1,620 from over $1,670. 3 Comments [Commodities]
Friday, August 24, 2012, 4:27 PM Platinum (PPLT) prices hit a four-month high this week as spreading unrest among mineworkers in South Africa, which accounts for nearly 80% of the world’s supply, prompted investors to cover bearish positions. Yet concerns about supply disruptions come at a time of low demand for platinum; analysts believe that if the unrest recedes, prices could fall. 2 Comments [Commodities, Global & FX]
Wednesday, August 22, 2012, 9:39 AM Platinum prices jump to four-month highs as spreading labor unrest in South Africa raises the possibility that a further 40% of world production of the metal could be affected. Fears that a two-week standoff at Lonmin's Marikana mine could spread to top platinum producer Anglo-American grow, as Amplats workers have become the latest group of platinum miners to demand higher wages. Comment! [Commodities]
Friday, August 17, 2012, 8:15 AM Platinum prices add another $21 after surging $39 yesterday as the escalating confrontation between South African miners working for platinum miner Lonmin (LNMIF.PK, LNMIY.PK) and police results in at least 34 deaths. FT Alphaville's Paul Murphy suggests investors still may not be pricing in the gravity of the massacre, and that ramifications for the platinum industry could be significant. 4 Comments [Commodities]
Tuesday, October 4, 2011, 3:02 PM After a one week respite from a steep downtrend, the precious metals are off sharply again today. Gold drops back below $1,600/oz. and silver under $30 (platinum down too). GLD -3.2%, SLV -4.5%, PPLT -3.1%. Comment! [On the Move, Commodities]
Tuesday, October 4, 2011, 7:17 AM Credit Suisse raises its outlook for gold and silver, while slashing its view for platinum metals. 2012 forecast: Gold +19% to $1,850; Silver +12% to $34; Platinum -9% to $1,775; Palladium -23% to $771. Comment! [Commodities]
Monday, August 8, 2011, 9:22 AM Spot gold hits yet another all-time high of $1,715.29/oz and reaches parity with platinum for the first time since the end of 2008. "Gold's status as a near-monetary asset is giving it considerable strength while platinum's greater exposure to economic growth is...a weaker driver," say Mitsui analyst David Jollie. 1 Comment [Commodities]
Monday, April 11, 2011, 12:27 PM After a 25% gain in less than 5 months, Goldman closes one of its top trade ideas - a long basket of crude, copper, cotton/beans, and platinum. While believing the trade has additional upside potential, the risk/reward is not nearly as enticing. A few relevant ETFs: USO, JJC, BAL, PTM. 1 Comment [Global & FX]