From a business perspective, 2023 could not have gone better for the hydrogen specialist based in Vancouver and London. In addition to successfully completing the first series of tests of its hydrogen fuel cell-powered light commercial vehicles under real road conditions, in which ranges of over 630 km were achieved on a single tank of fuel, First Hydrogen continues to build coverage of the entire hydrogen value chain. Regardless of this, the Canadian company's share price also suffered in the course of the general market correction in the sector. Due to the high potential and positive future prospects, the current share price should offer a long-term entry opportunity.
Rare earth metals are becoming increasingly important in today's world. In addition to their use in renewable energies to achieve climate targets, demand from the defence industry has also increased since the outbreak of the Ukraine conflict, aiming to ensure the military security of the West. However, the challenge with the procurement of critical metals is the fact that China controls the entire value chain from mining to production. Suitable deposits outside the Middle Kingdom are rare. One of the beacons of hope is the Wicheeda project in British Columbia, Canada, owned by Defence Metals. However, its potential has yet to be fully realized on the stock market. If one compares the market capitalization of Defense Metals with projects of much lower substance and at a much earlier stage of development, the massive discrepancy in the Company's valuation should be apparent at first glance.
There is currently plenty of fuel for gold investors. On the one hand, there is the technical breakout attempt at the beginning of December with prices around USD 2,150 - a new all-time high. On the other hand, there is the uncertainty caused by numerous geopolitical conflicts, which appear to be intensifying. Inflation, which is manifesting itself despite falling inflation, and the constant expansion of government debt are also fueling turmoil, particularly in the US dollar-dominated region. Added to this are the efforts of many BRICS countries to expand their sphere of influence to countries rich in raw materials and to distance themselves from the US dollar in the long term. These intentions are being driven by the China-Russia axis, which seems to be becoming more and more entrenched since the invasion of Ukraine. Anyone wishing to consider this potpourri of framework conditions in their investment strategy should look to Africa. Vast reserves of raw materials lie dormant there, and traditionally, the connection to Western investors is good. This is because they create jobs and bring critical development services to the country. The Canadian explorer Desert Gold Ventures is focusing on the Senegal-Mali-Shear Zone (SMSZ). Not without reason, as the drilling completed in 2023 has already delivered industrially usable mineralization grades in gold.
Climate transformation depends on many factors. On the one hand, countries worldwide need to agree on a common approach, and on the other, they need guidelines and standards within which people and businesses can operate. A few years ago, a tradable price for "pollution rights" was created via climate certificates. This market is now experiencing explosive growth. The Canadian provider dynaCERT has technologies for reducing CO2 emissions and knows what this billion-dollar market is all about. As part of the increasingly important international hydrogen economy, dynaCERT is using a patented technology to achieve significant emission reductions in combustion processes. Soon, tradable emission certificates will be available for this. This makes environmental protection meaningful and enjoyable at the same time.
Bayer's economic future is currently on shaky ground. The shares of the Group with its three pillars, Consumer Health, Pharma, and Agriculture, fell by almost 20% this week after a late-stage drug trial in the Pharma division was halted. In addition, a considerable compensation payment of EUR 1.5 billion in connection with the US glyphosate business has put the Leverkusen-based company in an unusually precarious position. The Company lost around EUR 7.7 billion in value in one day due to the price slide, and the share price fell to EUR 33, marking a historic low for Bayer AG shares since the financial crisis in 2009. Currently, the Bayer Group is only worth around EUR 32.77 billion. What needs to happen now for a possible way out of this dilemma? Would the often talked-about split-up of the Group be a solution for the further growth of the Group?
More than CAD 100 million in free cash flow in the quarter - a new record for the Canadian oil and gas producer Saturn Oil & Gas Inc. While geopolitical conflicts rage, the Company excels in meeting expected oil production targets while developing new properties. This is no mean feat in a political environment that aims to gradually reduce dependence on fossil fuels. However, the Canadians remain undeterred because what ultimately counts in times of crisis is a consistent and reliable supply. We take a look at the past quarter.
Fighting cancer poses major challenges for today's biotechnology. Canadian company Defence Therapeutics (DTC) has been showing great innovation and breaking new ground in recent years with its ACCUM® platform technology. Efforts are directed towards therapies in the fight against globally prevalent cancers such as lung cancer, breast cancer, and pancreatic cancer. With numerous patents and a new delivery technology, the Canadians are succeeding one hopeful step at a time. The global market for cancer therapies is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 8.4% from 2022 to 2030. Defence Therapeutics might already have a "silver bullet" in its barrel. However, various clinical phases still need to prove the encouraging results from animal trials in humans.
Accum™ enhances mRNA vaccines. To support this claim, Defence Therapeutics conducted a comparative study and reported promising results in late September: In the study, Accum™ doubled the number of antibodies compared to an mRNA vaccine without Accum™. This is a strong indication that the flexible technology, which is expected to move into two Phase I trials as a cancer vaccine and chemotherapeutic in the coming months, may also greatly benefit mRNA vaccines in the future. We look at what matters in the coming weeks and months and why Defence Therapeutics has long been in the sights of potential buyers.
Good things come to those who wait! After obstacles and delays with regard to the launch of SMARTBROKER+, interested parties were given access to the completely newly developed trading platform and thus also to the long-awaited app for the first time at the end of August as part of an Early Access phase. The capitalists put all their energy into a state-of-the-art frontend for iOS, Android and web, as well as an excellent user journey. The unbeatable price-performance ratio, however, remains the same. SMARTBROKER+ is the only provider in Germany to combine the extensive product range of traditional brokers with the extremely favorable conditions of Neobrokers.
Already last year, the investment company Altech Advanced Materials positioned itself as a company for novel battery technology. Thanks to the investments in the project companies SILUMINA ANODES and CERENERGY, it has succeeded in gaining a foothold in the growth markets for e-mobility and stationary battery storage with novel materials and groundbreaking technologies. In this context, the further goals are clearly defined. Together with the Group's partners, the Heidelberg-based company wants to make a positive contribution to the energy transition and thus participate in the rapidly growing market for battery systems. Three milestones expected before the end of this year could push the share into higher territory.