#PrivateEquity for #Mining falls to 8-year low

Only four unlisted funds closed last year, raising a combined $300 million for investing in the mining sector. That's down from $2.5 billion in 2018 and nowhere near the peak of 2012, when eight funds procured a combined $4.2 billion

Tembo Capital's second mining fund accounted for the bulk of last year's fundraising. The London-based fund, which focuses on junior and mid-tier mining projects primarily in Africa, closed on $177 million in March. 

There are currently 14 funds in the market targeting the mining sector, seeking a combined $7 billion in capital. 

As of June last year, mining and metals fund managers held $4.9 billion in dry powder (funds ready to be deployed). These funds also hold $15 billion worth of investments in the sector that still have to be exited.

 See the whole article on mining.com here: https://www.mining.com/private-capital-raised-for-mining-falls-to-8-year-low/

As #Gold prices rose in 2019, investors jumped into #ETF’s | World @GoldCouncil



Huge rise in ETF inflows almost equalled the sharp drop in consumer demand in 2019

The net result was a marginal 1% decline in annual demand to 4,356t.

Global reserves grew by 650t – the second highest annual total.

Low/negative interest rates and geopolitical uncertainty fuelled this growth, while the gold price rally also attracted momentum-driven inflows.

Highlights

Annual gold demand in 2019 dips 1% to 4,355.7t

Total fourth quarter demand fell 19% y-o-y to 1,045.2t. Two main contributors to the y-o-y drop were jewellery and physical bar demand, both of which reacted to the elevated gold price. In US dollar value terms, the decline in Q4 demand was much shallower – down just 3% to US$49.7bn.

Inflows into global gold-backed ETFs and similar products pushed total holdings to a record year-end total of 2885.5t. Holdings grew by 401.1t over the year, with 26.8t added in Q4. Inflows were heavily concentrated in Q3 as the US dollar gold price rallied to a six-year high.

Central banks were net buyers for a 10th consecutive year: global reserves grew by 650.3t (-1% y-o-y), the second highest annual total for 50 years. Purchasing in Q4 of 109.6t was 34% lower y-o-y, although this was partly a reflection of the sheer scale of buying in 2018. 

China and India held sway over global consumer demand.

#Palladium, #Rhodium, #Platinum #PGM’s

LONDON (Reuters) - A rally in rhodium, a precious metal used to reduce vehicle emissions, has exploded into high gear, with surging demand and an uncertain supply outlook pushing prices up 40% in just three weeks to near record highs.

Rhodium RHOD-LON is used to neutralise nitrous oxides in car exhausts, and increasingly stringent emissions regulations, particularly in China, are forcing auto makers to use more of the metal.

Demand is expected to outstrip supply this year and supplies are being disrupted by power outages at South African mines which produce more than 80% of mined rhodium.

Prices have rocketed to $9,975 an ounce from $6,040 at the start of January - ten times their level through the mid-2010s and within a whisker of an all-time high of $10,050 in 2008.

"It's being driven by insatiable demand from Asia," said Scotiabank analyst Nicky Shiels.

"There is also a supply side trigger with power cuts in South Africa. That injects a certain amount of fear into the market and in a small, opaque market that can have a huge impact," she said.

(Graphic: Rhodium, palladium and platinum prices - here)