In an interview with the business and financial news channel CNBC in Tokyo, investment legend Warren Buffett described the Chinese market leader in electric cars as an "extraordinary company." Nevertheless, Berkshire Hathaway, the investment firm he manages, reduced its stake again, for the tenth time, since last August. The market reaction was enormous, with the stock losing more than 5% at times. The setback offers new opportunities because, fundamentally, everything is going according to plan at BYD.
With a gold price of USD 2,032, there was a noticeable jolt through the precious metal community at the beginning of April. This is because the price came very close to the important mark of USD 2,050, the double high from 2020 and 2022. In addition to manifested inflation, poor economic development and emerging crises in the financial sector, there are currently many reasons that speak for higher precious metal prices. Especially in times of political instability, investors are looking for a "catastrophe hedge" in their portfolio. Over the past 25 years, gold has gained 8.6% per annum, offsetting any loss of purchasing power. Now the technical barriers are in place - if they fall, there is no stopping producers like Barrick Gold.
High inflation, geopolitical risks and political upheavals are the breeding ground for rising precious metal prices. A key driver for the rising demand for gold is the price development on the foreign exchange market. Due to the recent disappointing economic data and recent turbulences in the banking sector following the bankruptcy of several regional banks in the US, the US dollar has depreciated significantly. As a result, gold is becoming cheaper on the world market, which is boosting demand. In March 2023, the bankruptcy of Credit Suisse noticeably startled investors and pushed the price of the troy ounce near the old high from 2011. The technical breakout is still to come, but momentum is high and the underlying conditions promise a new cycle for precious metals - good news for Globex Mining's portfolio. Over 200 projects are delivering cash flow and need to be revalued by the market!
Yesterday after the close of trading in Canada, Defence Therapeutics announced the launch of its mRNA vaccine program against cancer. This will involve combining mRNA molecules with Accum™ technology and will be followed by the comparison of the mRNA-Accum™ combination with naked mRNA. The background to the scientific investigation is that mRNA injected into the body is often destroyed as part of immune responses and other processes. Defence Therapeutics believes these processes are absent when combined with Defence's patented Accum™ technology. We look at what the latest news means, where Defence stands right now and what questions investors still need to be answered concerning the Defence Therapeutics share.
Hardly any other sector of the economy was hit as hard by the Corona pandemic as the travel industry and experienced dislocations on an unprecedented scale. Without government rescue packages, the world's largest fully integrated tourism group, TUI, would hardly have survived this crisis of the century. Since the openings and the end of the lockdowns, the number of bookings has increased noticeably. More than 500,000 customers booked a TUI vacation over Easter, and booking numbers are expected to return to pre-Covid levels for the summer. The Group's strategy is clearly defined and focuses operationally on profitable growth in the Vacation Experiences and Markets & Airlines divisions. On the other hand, reducing debt, refinancing and strengthening the balance sheet is at the top of the Hanover-based company's agenda. The ongoing capital increase is now intended to take the first step toward recovery. But questions and uncertainties remain.
The war in Ukraine has been raging for over a year, and an end is nowhere in sight. On the contrary, while peace talks and a diplomatic solution would be the favored solution for many, politicians continue to focus on armament and the supply of heavy weapons. One of the main beneficiaries is the Düsseldorf-based arms manufacturer Rheinmetall, whose share price has risen by 190% since the start of the Russian invasion and has even made it into Germany's highest stock market segment, the DAX. Despite a consistently good news flow with new orders, partnerships, and the construction of a maintenance center in Romania, the all-time high of EUR 281.30 could no longer be held. Looking at the chart, this could result in a longer correction.
Interest rates and inflation have remained at a high level for several months. Due to the constant loss of purchasing power, wage and salary payments will likely have to be increased more than employers would like following various strikes. This could set in motion a wage-price spiral leading to further price indicator increases. Precious metals are a classic hedge against monetary devaluations, as they have been for 100 years. It should only be a matter of time before gold and silver can rise to new record highs. We see the current timing as an excellent entry point into the precious metals. Tocvan Ventures is making great strides in Mexico, and the share price is finally showing muscle.
Trucks with diesel engines have been essential to our economy for many years. Despite their benefits, however, internal combustion engine trucks increase air pollution, contributing to global warming and poor public health. With climate change targets, the transportation industry is retooling and increasingly switching to alternative powertrains. In the light commercial vehicle sector, more and more manufacturers are turning to hydrogen and fuel cell technology. In Europe alone, around 29 million vans must be converted to avoid being taken off the road by 2030. First Hydrogen, a company expected to take market share from the established players with a unique strategy, was launched around two years ago. Now the Company, based in Vancouver and London, is taking the next step, again with a heavyweight.
Since the resurgence of the banking crisis in 2023, precious metals have again been in high demand among investors. In anticipation of a further manifestation of inflation, investors are looking with hope for value stability. The fact is that since the end of the 1990s until today, gold could achieve 8.6% growth per year, more than any other asset class over such a long period. The criterion "value stability" is therefore historically proven because gold appreciated strongly in the last 100 years also against any form of paper money. Gold has already gained about 8% since the beginning of 2023. Commodity fund manager Leigh Goehring is pessimistic and even expects a "decade of inflation". We are looking at an interesting gold project in Western Mali with outstanding prospects.
When corporations want to collaborate with biotech innovators, it is like an accolade - big companies usually take longer to commit. Defence Therapeutics' most recently announced collaboration with French state-owned Orano raises eyebrows for several reasons. Find out what the cooperation in the field of nuclear medicine is all about and what potential could arise from the collaboration.