Global Materials | Industrials | Commodities

Rahul Jain

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>Lithium oversupply of ~20% persists despite recent mine headlines, keeping long-term price pressure intact.</li>
<li>CATL (300750 CH / 3750 HK) remains cushioned, with lower lithium prices enhancing its cost advantage.</li>
<li>Albemarle (ALB US) and other upstream miners face margin squeeze as oversupply caps near-term upside.</li>
</ul>


Lithium oversupply of ~20% persists despite recent mine headlines, keeping long-term price pressure intact.
CATL (300750 CH / 3750 HK) remains cushioned, with lower lithium prices enhancing its cost advantage.
Albemarle (ALB US) and other upstream miners face margin squeeze as oversupply caps near-term upside.


Lithium Oversupply Persists: CATL (300750 CH / 3750 HK) Cushioned, Albemarle (ALB US) Under Pressure

Commodities

<ul>
<li>Commodity trends remain bifurcated: gold, copper, and uranium are surging, while iron ore, and coal struggle under oversupply and weak demand.</li>
<li>Top picks: <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/zijin-mining-group-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:24628:1" rel="noopener">Zijin Mining Group (601899 CH)</a><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/shandong-gold-mining-co-ltd-4527fb98-bb5d-4d74-91fe-66f9c0224eb3" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27455:1" rel="noopener">Shandong Gold Mining (1787 HK)</a><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/jsw-steel-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:18561:1" rel="noopener">JSW Steel Ltd (JSTL IN)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/lloyds-metals-energy-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15467:1" rel="noopener">Lloyds Metals &amp; Energy (LYDM IN)</a> , <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/paladin-energy-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10117:1" rel="noopener">Paladin Energy (PDN AU)</a> </li>
<li>Top shorts: <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hindalco-industries-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:18490:1" rel="noopener">Hindalco Industries (HNDL IN)</a> , <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nippon-steel-corporation" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:961:1" rel="noopener">Nippon Steel Corporation (5401 JP)</a><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/coal-india-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:9117:1" rel="noopener">Coal India Ltd (COAL IN)</a><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tata-steel-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:20934:1" rel="noopener">Tata Steel Ltd (TATA IN)</a> </li>
</ul>


Commodity trends remain bifurcated: gold, copper, and uranium are surging, while iron ore, and coal struggle under oversupply and weak demand.
Top picks: Zijin Mining Group (601899 CH)Shandong Gold Mining (1787 HK)JSW Steel Ltd (JSTL IN), Lloyds Metals &amp; Energy (LYDM IN) , Paladin Energy (PDN AU) 
Top shorts: Hindalco Industries (HNDL IN) , Nippon Steel Corporation (5401 JP)Coal India Ltd (COAL IN)Tata Steel Ltd (TATA IN) 


Global Metals & Mining Playbook – July 2025

<ul>
<li>Rio Tinto has been confirmed as the preferred partner for Chile’s Salares Altoandinos project, marking a major step in scaling its lithium ambitions.</li>
<li>Lithium demand is expected to grow over 5x by 2040, driven by electric vehicles and energy storage, though rising supply and tech shifts may cap long-term pricing.</li>
<li>Zijin Mining is a preferred play given its diversified  -copper and gold and expanding lithium footprint &amp; lower valuation. Albemarle could  face pressure from intensifying competition, rising low-cost supply etc.</li>
</ul>


Rio Tinto has been confirmed as the preferred partner for Chile’s Salares Altoandinos project, marking a major step in scaling its lithium ambitions.
Lithium demand is expected to grow over 5x by 2040, driven by electric vehicles and energy storage, though rising supply and tech shifts may cap long-term pricing.
Zijin Mining is a preferred play given its diversified  -copper and gold and expanding lithium footprint &amp; lower valuation. Albemarle could  face pressure from intensifying competition, rising low-cost supply etc.


Rio Tinto Doubles Down on Lithium: A Late Entrant with Long-Term Intent

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One, Periscope Analytics

Brian Freitas

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One

Periscope Analytics

Periscope Analytics focuses on event-driven trades across Asia Pacific and provides comprehensive, timely and systematic coverage of index changes to major Asia Pacific indices in a structured manner.

The analysis includes forecasted inclusions and exclusions to all major Asian indices that have significant amount of tracking assets, including estimates of passive buy/sell flow on the stocks. The service also provides commentary and impact of market consultations, ground rule changes, and other events (IPOs, spin-offs, M&A) that could lead to index changes and passive flow.

Periscope Analytics works with multi-strategy hedge funds, proprietary trading firms, stat arb trading groups and long-only investors that invest and trade in the Asia Pacific region with the data being used to trade index rebalances, avoid pre-positioning and passive flow, and to time entry into and exit from stocks.

Event-Driven Trades Across Asia Pacific

Index Rebalance

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/eq-resources-limited" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:14984:1" rel="noopener">EQ Resources (EQR AU)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/core-lithium-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:14712:1" rel="noopener">Core Lithium Ltd (CXO AU)</a> will be added to the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/vaneck-rare-earth-strategic-me" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:32320:1" rel="noopener">VanEck Rare Earth/Strategic Me (REMX US)</a> at the close on 18 September.</li>
<li>The constituent changes, float changes and capping changes result in an estimated one-way turnover of 7.7% and in a round-trip trade of US$514m.</li>
<li>Other passive index trackers will be buying significant size in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/eq-resources-limited" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:14984:1" rel="noopener">EQ Resources (EQR AU)</a> and smaller size in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/core-lithium-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:14712:1" rel="noopener">Core Lithium Ltd (CXO AU)</a> at the same time.</li>
</ul>



EQ Resources (EQR AU) and Core Lithium Ltd (CXO AU) will be added to the VanEck Rare Earth/Strategic Me (REMX US) at the close on 18 September.
The constituent changes, float changes and capping changes result in an estimated one-way turnover of 7.7% and in a round-trip trade of US$514m.
Other passive index trackers will be buying significant size in EQ Resources (EQR AU) and smaller size in Core Lithium Ltd (CXO AU) at the same time.


MV Global Rare Earth/​​​​​Strategic Metals Index Rebalance: Multiple Flows for the Adds

Research from Water Tower Research, Water Tower Research

Water Tower Research

Research from Water Tower Research

Water Tower Research is a leading equity research firm that provides research on micro, small and mid cap companies.

Water Tower Research was founded by Wall Street veterans after witnessing a fundamental shift in the investment research industry with the result being a declining knowledge base among investors, a lack of awareness and a shrinking pool of fundamental research being conducted on companies across the small-cap and micro-cap spectrum. The same issues are now increasingly occurring in the mid-cap space. This sea change within the investment community is impacting not only the companies themselves but also current shareholders and potential investors. With significantly less active sell-side sponsorship by Wall Street, a substantial information gap has developed between companies and various constituents in the financial community. The net result is fewer channels for insight and information to flow between companies and investors.

Equity Research Firm

<ul><li>Political policies could affect markets across the spectrum.</li><li>The incoming administration’s more hawkish attitude when it comes to potentially destabilizing implementation of tariffs as a political rather than economic tool could result in greater volatility when it comes to commodity and finished goods pricing and availability, while its greater focus on domestic energy production and onshoring of supply chains could provide opportunities and lead to lower energy and logistics costs.</li><li><p>Lower energy and feedstock costs could drive margin improvement. </p></li></ul>

Political policies could affect markets across the spectrum.The incoming administration’s more hawkish attitude when it comes to potentially destabilizing implementation of tariffs as a political rather than economic tool could result in greater volatility when it comes to commodity and finished goods pricing and availability, while its greater focus on domestic energy production and onshoring of supply chains could provide opportunities and lead to lower energy and logistics costs.Lower energy and feedstock costs could drive margin improvement. 

WTR Small-Cap Spotlight Recap - Trends That Could Shape Chemicals and Materials Industries in 2025

United States

Albemarle Corporation produces specialty and fine chemicals.  The Company's chemicals are additives to or intermediates for plastics, polymers and elastomers, cleaning products, agricultural compounds, pharmaceuticals, photographic chemicals, drilling compounds, and biocides.  Albemarle produces the majority of its products in the United States.

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Albemarle Corp (ALB US)

Lithium Oversupply Persists: CATL (300750 CH / 3750 HK) Cushioned, Albemarle (ALB US) Under Pressure

Nikkei Asia reports CATL’s Jianxiawo mine will restart sooner than expected, pushing lithium carbonate futures down 5.7% to ~70,100 yuan/ton (–22%...

Rahul Jain

Global Metals & Mining Playbook – July 2025

Commodity trends show gold, copper, and uranium surging, while iron ore and coal struggle. Top picks include Zijin Mining Group, Shandong Gold...

Rahul Jain

Rio Tinto Doubles Down on Lithium: A Late Entrant with Long-Term Intent

Rio Tinto expands lithium ambitions - EVs & energy storage demand growth. Zijin Mining favored for diversified portfolio, Albemarle may face...

Rahul Jain

MV Global Rare Earth/Strategic Metals Index Rebalance: Multiple Flows for the Adds

There are 2 adds in Sep. The constituent, float, capping changes result in an estimated one-way turnover of 7.7% and in a round-trip trade of...

Brian Freitas

WTR Small-Cap Spotlight Recap - Trends That Could Shape Chemicals and Materials Industries in 2025

On the latest WTR Small-Cap Spotlight, we discussed our high-level views of the specialty chemicals and materials technology industries heading...

Water Tower Research

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52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

Lithium Oversupply Persists: CATL (300750 CH / 3750 HK) Cushioned, Albemarle (ALB US) Under Pressure

Nikkei Asia reports CATL’s Jianxiawo mine will restart sooner than expected, pushing lithium carbonate futures down 5.7% to ~70,100 yuan/ton (–22%...

Rahul Jain

Global Metals & Mining Playbook – July 2025

​Commodity trends show gold, copper, and uranium surging, while iron ore and coal struggle. Top picks include Zijin Mining Group, Shandong Gold...

Rahul Jain

Rio Tinto Doubles Down on Lithium: A Late Entrant with Long-Term Intent

​Rio Tinto expands lithium ambitions - EVs & energy storage demand growth. Zijin Mining favored for diversified portfolio, Albemarle may face...

Rahul Jain

MV Global Rare Earth/​​​​​Strategic Metals Index Rebalance: Multiple Flows for the Adds

There are 2 adds in Sep. The constituent, float, capping changes result in an estimated one-way turnover of 7.7% and in a round-trip trade of...

Brian Freitas

WTR Small-Cap Spotlight Recap - Trends That Could Shape Chemicals and Materials Industries in 2025

On the latest WTR Small-Cap Spotlight, we discussed our high-level views of the specialty chemicals and materials technology industries heading...

Water Tower Research

Commodity trends show gold, copper, and uranium surging, while iron ore and coal struggle. Top picks include Zijin Mining Group, Shandong Gold...

Rio Tinto expands lithium ambitions - EVs & energy storage demand growth. Zijin Mining favored for diversified portfolio, Albemarle may face...

MV Global Rare Earth/Strategic Metals Index Rebalance: Multiple Flows for the Adds