Iron Ore, Copper, Equities, Mint Finance

Umang Agrawal

Iron Ore, Copper, Equities

Deep Fundamental Analysis

Mint Finance

Mint Finance's investment research blends deep fundamental analysis with technical & quant insights. Investment strategies straddle across multiple asset classes with risk management embedded into every trade to deliver an outsized reward-to-risk ratio.

Mint Finance's research is centered around three key themes. First, energy transition and climate change. Second, artificial intelligence. Third, shifting world order with its impact across politics and monetary economics.

Commodities

<ul>
<li>Elevated portside inventories and a fresh WoW increase suggest Golden Week restocking has yet to translate into meaningful inventory drawdowns.</li>
<li>Options positioning is turning increasingly constructive, with call OI building at strikes 105 and 110. OI PCR of 0.61 reinforces the bullish bias.</li>
<li>Managed money extended its bearish positioning for a 12th straight week, trimming long exposure by ~4% while increasing short positions by ~3%. </li>
</ul>


Elevated portside inventories and a fresh WoW increase suggest Golden Week restocking has yet to translate into meaningful inventory drawdowns.
Options positioning is turning increasingly constructive, with call OI building at strikes 105 and 110. OI PCR of 0.61 reinforces the bullish bias.
Managed money extended its bearish positioning for a 12th straight week, trimming long exposure by ~4% while increasing short positions by ~3%. 


Iron Ore’s GWH Restocking Is Back in Play, But Mill Margins Lag

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>Nucor accounts for roughly 25% of U.S. raw steel production, supported by a diversified footprint spanning the United States, Canada, and Mexico.</li>
<li>Adjusted Q2 earnings are projected at USD 4.50-4.60 per diluted share, representing growth of 38% QoQ and 75% YoY.</li>
<li>AI infrastructure is creating a meaningful growth avenue for Nucor, but the company’s earnings story remains supported by diverse end markets.</li>
</ul>


Nucor accounts for roughly 25% of U.S. raw steel production, supported by a diversified footprint spanning the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Adjusted Q2 earnings are projected at USD 4.50-4.60 per diluted share, representing growth of 38% QoQ and 75% YoY.
AI infrastructure is creating a meaningful growth avenue for Nucor, but the company’s earnings story remains supported by diverse end markets.


Nucor Corp (NUE US): Are the Building Blocks for Higher Earnings in Place?

Independent research on the U.S. markets, Baptista Research

Baptista Research

Independent research on the U.S. markets

Baptista Research is an independent financial research house focused on the U.S. markets. We provide equity research as well as credit research reports on the top-listed U.S. companies with most of our focus on technology, consumer goods and services, automobiles, industrials, oil and gas, pharma, and healthcare. Our research has served more than 3000 institutional investors including mutual funds, hedge funds, banks, family offices, and various buy-side firms. We operate a research subscription service where institutions, as well as retail investors, can have priority access to all our research. We also have a wide distribution of our research reports across some of the top global financial platforms. Apart from equity research and credit research, we also provide advisory services with respect to mergers & acquisitions (M&A), private equity/ venture capital fundraising, valuation reports, and investment management services for corporates.
Baptista Research is owned and managed by Ishan Majumdar, an ex-Venture Capitalist/ Investment Banker, a Chartered Accountant, and a Masters’ degree holder in Management from HEC Paris. Ishan has nearly a decade of experience in Mergers and Acquisitions, Leveraged Buyouts (LBOs), Venture Capital Investing, Corporate Strategy, and Valuation in front-office roles at the likes of BNP Paribas CIB, Credit Agricole CIB, Groupe Danone, and TIW Private Equity. He has worked on and closed multiple acquisition deals, leveraged buyouts, and start-up investment transactions.

<ul><li>Nucor Corporation delivered a mixed performance in the fourth quarter and full year 2025, marked by some significant strategic initiatives and notable operational achievements, but also facing challenges in certain segments.</li><li>The firm recorded adjusted earnings per share of $1.73 for Q4 and $7.71 for the full year.</li><li>While the fourth quarter earnings were under pressure compared to the previous quarter, the year-over-year performance indicates a broader resilience amidst challenging market conditions.</li></ul>

Nucor Corporation delivered a mixed performance in the fourth quarter and full year 2025, marked by some significant strategic initiatives and notable operational achievements, but also facing challenges in certain segments.The firm recorded adjusted earnings per share of $1.73 for Q4 and $7.71 for the full year.While the fourth quarter earnings were under pressure compared to the previous quarter, the year-over-year performance indicates a broader resilience amidst challenging market conditions.

Nucor Corporation: How the West Virginia Mill Could Unlock Automotive Share and Margin Upside!

<ul>
<li>Chinese steel mill margins are deteriorating, raising the risk of August maintenance, lower hot-metal output and weaker iron ore demand.</li>
<li>CMRG is tightening control over China’s iron ore procurement, with restrictions hitting Australian miners and contributing to weaker shipments.</li>
<li>Across SLX’s top 10 holdings, 7/10 beat EPS estimates, while 8/10 carry positive average analyst price target upside.</li>
</ul>


Chinese steel mill margins are deteriorating, raising the risk of August maintenance, lower hot-metal output and weaker iron ore demand.
CMRG is tightening control over China’s iron ore procurement, with restrictions hitting Australian miners and contributing to weaker shipments.
Across SLX’s top 10 holdings, 7/10 beat EPS estimates, while 8/10 carry positive average analyst price target upside.


Iron Ore: Weak Steel Margins, CMRG Pressure and SLX Set Up a Tug-Of-War

CEO / Founder, Crea8

Kim-Hwa Lim

CEO / Founder

Make an Impact

Crea8

Crea8 blends AI-driven precision, big data scalability, and rigorous quantitative frameworks with seasoned human insight. By extracting actionable intelligence from vast global datasets, we eliminate emotional bias and deliver optimal risk-adjusted returns. Our hybrid approach uncovers hidden market efficiencies and ensures your capital is dynamically positioned across markets.

Cross Asset Strategy

<ul><li>Dividends are a key component of overall returns.</li><li>The strategy seeks to invest in high dividend and Shariah compliant stocks globally.</li><li>By adopting a portfolio of stocks instead of individual stocks, the strategy is diversified across countries and industries; and optimised with respect to their expected risks and returns.</li></ul>

Dividends are a key component of overall returns.The strategy seeks to invest in high dividend and Shariah compliant stocks globally.By adopting a portfolio of stocks instead of individual stocks, the strategy is diversified across countries and industries; and optimised with respect to their expected risks and returns.

Global Income (Shariah) Portfolio (18-Aug-2026)

United States

Nucor Corporation manufactures steel products.  The Company's products include carbon and alloy steel, steel joists, steel deck, cold finished steel, steel grinding balls, steel bearing products, and metal buildingsystems. Nucor also brokers ferrous and nonferrous metals, pig iron and HBI/DRI; supplies ferro-alloys; and processes ferrous and nonferrous scrap.

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Nucor Corp (NUE US)

Iron Ore’s GWH Restocking Is Back in Play, But Mill Margins Lag

Iron ore’s near-term direction remains sentiment-led, as restocking and bullish options positioning compete with weak steel margins.

Mint Finance

Nucor Corp (NUE US): Are the Building Blocks for Higher Earnings in Place?

While AI captures attention, Nucor's earnings outlook is being shaped by a much broader set of catalysts across multiple end markets.

Mint Finance

Iron Ore: Weak Steel Margins, CMRG Pressure and SLX Set Up a Tug-Of-War

CMRG is squeezing Australian iron ore miners, but without deeper Chinese steel production cuts or stronger stimulus, a sustained iron ore rebound...

Mint Finance

Global Income (Shariah) Portfolio (18-Aug-2026)

Dividends are a key component of overall returns. The strategy seeks to invest in high dividend and Shariah compliant stocks globally. By adopting...

Crea8

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

Iron Ore’s GWH Restocking Is Back in Play, But Mill Margins Lag

Iron ore’s near-term direction remains sentiment-led, as restocking and bullish options positioning compete with weak steel margins.

Mint Finance

Nucor Corp (NUE US): Are the Building Blocks for Higher Earnings in Place?

​While AI captures attention, Nucor's earnings outlook is being shaped by a much broader set of catalysts across multiple end markets.

Mint Finance

Nucor Corporation: How the West Virginia Mill Could Unlock Automotive Share and Margin Upside!

Nucor Corporation delivered a mixed performance in the fourth quarter and full year 2025, marked by some significant strategic initiatives and...

Baptista Research

Iron Ore: Weak Steel Margins, CMRG Pressure and SLX Set Up a Tug-Of-War

CMRG is squeezing Australian iron ore miners, but without deeper Chinese steel production cuts or stronger stimulus, a sustained iron ore rebound...

Mint Finance

Global Income (Shariah) Portfolio (18-Aug-2026)

Dividends are a key component of overall returns. The strategy seeks to invest in high dividend and Shariah compliant stocks globally. By adopting...

Crea8

While AI captures attention, Nucor's earnings outlook is being shaped by a much broader set of catalysts across multiple end markets.