Iron Ore and Dry Bulk Freight, Mint Finance

Umang Agrawal

Iron Ore and Dry Bulk Freight

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.

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>Simandou’s planned 120 Mt annual output could supply about 6% of global seaborne ore by 2030, pressuring Australia and Brazil and shifting premium-grade pricing.</li>
<li>Despite Guinea’s push to diversify buyers, roughly three-quarters of Simandou’s ownership ties back to China, making most tonnage effectively committed to Chinese mills.</li>
<li>Weak Chinese steel margins and a 12% YoY drop in October output limit near-term uptake, but long-term decarbonisation trends support stronger demand for high-grade feedstock.</li>
</ul>


Simandou’s planned 120 Mt annual output could supply about 6% of global seaborne ore by 2030, pressuring Australia and Brazil and shifting premium-grade pricing.
Despite Guinea’s push to diversify buyers, roughly three-quarters of Simandou’s ownership ties back to China, making most tonnage effectively committed to Chinese mills.
Weak Chinese steel margins and a 12% YoY drop in October output limit near-term uptake, but long-term decarbonisation trends support stronger demand for high-grade feedstock.


As Simandou Opens the Floodgates, Rio Tinto Finds a New Edge in the Premium Ore Race

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>Solactive has announced the review results for the Global Lithium Index. There are two additions for the index and there will also be capping changes for some stocks.</li>
<li>Estimated one-way turnover is 26.3% and will result in a round-trip trade of US$813m. There are some stocks with over 0.5x ADV to trade.</li>
<li>The index has broken out of the secular downtrend, but investors continue to redeem units from the ETFs tracking the index.</li>
</ul>


Solactive has announced the review results for the Global Lithium Index. There are two additions for the index and there will also be capping changes for some stocks.
Estimated one-way turnover is 26.3% and will result in a round-trip trade of US$813m. There are some stocks with over 0.5x ADV to trade.
The index has broken out of the secular downtrend, but investors continue to redeem units from the ETFs tracking the index.


Solactive Global Lithium Index Rebalance: Two Adds and Capping Changes

Equity, Bottom-up Analyst, Investics Research

Sameer Taneja

Equity, Bottom-up Analyst

Investics Research

It is important to note that the information provided by Investics Research is based on publicly available data and own knowledge, which has been gathered and analyzed from a variety of sources. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information provided, it is not guaranteed to be free from errors or omissions. All forecasts and estimates are based on information that has been obtained from public sources that are considered to be reliable. The sources include but are not limited to, company announcements, exchange filings, presentations, etc. Investics does not guarantee the accuracy and completeness of the forecasts, estimates, and/or other information.

Equity Bottom-up Research

<ul>
<li>We like <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/vale-sa" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:23731:1" rel="noopener">Vale (VALE US)</a> for its exposure to high-grade iron ore (95% of EBITDA) and capital return discipline, with a current dividend yield of 8% and 3.5x EV-EBITDA. </li>
<li>The cash flows from the iron ore business could be used to invest in base metals, such as copper, nickel, etc., to enhance the portfolio. </li>
<li>The key risk remains the overhang from the Mariana Dam disaster being settled for  ~25.7 billion USD (vs. the current market cap of 50 billion USD). </li>
</ul>


We like Vale (VALE US) for its exposure to high-grade iron ore (95% of EBITDA) and capital return discipline, with a current dividend yield of 8% and 3.5x EV-EBITDA. 
The cash flows from the iron ore business could be used to invest in base metals, such as copper, nickel, etc., to enhance the portfolio. 
The key risk remains the overhang from the Mariana Dam disaster being settled for  ~25.7 billion USD (vs. the current market cap of 50 billion USD). 


VALE US: Exposure to High-Grade Iron Ore With >8% Dividend Yield

Technical Analyst, Vermilion Research

Joe Jasper

Technical Analyst

Technical and Quantitative Research

Vermilion Research

Vermilion’s objective is to deliver timely, actionable, and unique technical research to professional investors through the application of our various technical indicators.

Our research strategists seek to highlight securities which we believe are at major inflection points, based on our various technical and quantitative indicators, and offer asymmetric risk/return profiles. Our unique research methodology, centered on relative strength, enables our strategists to deliver superior investment recommendations.

Our process begins by organizing the universe of actively traded stocks into discrete sectors, then into industry groups. We then apply our technical and quantitative tools to identify developing price trends. Once attractive trends are identified within a selected sector or group, we screen for individual stocks which we believe offer the best risk/reward profile. We provide a historical perspective that often reveals, through our long-term charts, how price patterns often repeat themselves over time.

Technical Analysis

US Treasury (10 Yr Generic) / Technical Analysis

<ul>
<li>We maintain our near-term bullish outlook on S&amp;P 500 (SPX) and Nasdaq 100 (QQQ), which has remained in place since 4/22/25, aside from one week (11/19/25-11/25/25) when we were neutral.</li>
<li>Our intermediate-term bullish outlook has been in place since 5/14/25. We'll stay near-term bullish as long as crucial support levels of 6480-6520 on SPX and $580-$583 on QQQ hold.</li>
<li>Additionally, as discussed last week (12/2/25) we believe SPX, QQQ, and Russell 2000 (IWM) are in the midst of a new lockout rally, which is likely to run through early-2026</li>
</ul>


We maintain our near-term bullish outlook on S&amp;P 500 (SPX) and Nasdaq 100 (QQQ), which has remained in place since 4/22/25, aside from one week (11/19/25-11/25/25) when we were neutral.
Our intermediate-term bullish outlook has been in place since 5/14/25. We'll stay near-term bullish as long as crucial support levels of 6480-6520 on SPX and $580-$583 on QQQ hold.
Additionally, as discussed last week (12/2/25) we believe SPX, QQQ, and Russell 2000 (IWM) are in the midst of a new lockout rally, which is likely to run through early-2026


Rising Yields a Problem?; Russell 2000 Breakout; No Concern if 10Y Treasury Yield Is Below 4.2%

Derivatives and Quantitative Strategist

Gaudenz Schneider

<ul>
<li>
Context: This Insight follows up on previously highlighted relative value opportunities, using a statistical methodology based on mean-reversion to identify opportunities in paired securities.</li>
<li>
Highlights: Currently nine pair trade opportunities across four markets and six sectors persist.</li>
<li>
Why read: Statistical analysis offers a unique perspective on relative value. Gain insights into actionable statistical pair trade opportunities and monitor performance of previously highlighted pairs.</li>
</ul>



Context: This Insight follows up on previously highlighted relative value opportunities, using a statistical methodology based on mean-reversion to identify opportunities in paired securities.

Highlights: Currently nine pair trade opportunities across four markets and six sectors persist.

Why read: Statistical analysis offers a unique perspective on relative value. Gain insights into actionable statistical pair trade opportunities and monitor performance of previously highlighted pairs.


Relative Value Opportunities in Asia-Pac, Pair Trade Roundup (8 Dec)

Australia

Rio Tinto PLC operates as a mining company. The Company focuses on mining for aluminum, borates, copper, gold, iron ore, lead, silver, tin, uranium, zinc, titanium dioxide feedstock, diamonds, salt, and zircon. Rio Tinto serves clients worldwide.

Price Gauge
52-week Range	0.00 - 0.00
Market Cap (USDm)	0.00
P/E	0.00
Dividend (Yield)	0.00

Rio Tinto (RIO US)

As Simandou Opens the Floodgates, Rio Tinto Finds a New Edge in the Premium Ore Race

Simandou’s debut reshapes global supply, pits Guinea’s ambitions against China’s control, and hands Rio Tinto a strategic opening in the high-grade...

Mint Finance

Solactive Global Lithium Index Rebalance: Two Adds and Capping Changes

There are 2 adds and capping changes for the Global Lithium Index next week. Estimated one-way turnover is 26.3% and the round-trip trade is...

Brian Freitas

VALE US: Exposure to High-Grade Iron Ore With >8% Dividend Yield

We initiate coverage on VALE US, one of the world's biggest iron ore producers, with high-grade iron ore and low-cost production. The stock trades...

Sameer Taneja

Rising Yields a Problem?; Russell 2000 Breakout; No Concern if 10Y Treasury Yield Is Below 4.2%

Rising Yields a Problem?; Russell 2000 $IWM Breakout; No Concern if 10Y Treasury Yield is below 4.2%, and quite possibly 4.35%-4.50% if MOVE index...

Vermilion Research

Relative Value Opportunities in Asia-Pac, Pair Trade Roundup (8 Dec)

Statistical methodology identifies nine pair trade opportunities across four markets and six sectors, offering unique insights into relative value.

Gaudenz Schneider

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

As Simandou Opens the Floodgates, Rio Tinto Finds a New Edge in the Premium Ore Race

Simandou’s debut reshapes global supply, pits Guinea’s ambitions against China’s control, and hands Rio Tinto a strategic opening in the high-grade...

Mint Finance

Solactive Global Lithium Index Rebalance: Two Adds and Capping Changes

There are 2 adds and capping changes for the Global Lithium Index next week. Estimated one-way turnover is 26.3% and the round-trip trade is...

Brian Freitas

VALE US: Exposure to High-Grade Iron Ore With >8% Dividend Yield

We initiate coverage on VALE US, one of the world's biggest iron ore producers, with high-grade iron ore and low-cost production. The stock trades...

Sameer Taneja

Rising Yields a Problem?; Russell 2000 Breakout; No Concern if 10Y Treasury Yield Is Below 4.2%

Rising Yields a Problem?; Russell 2000 $IWM Breakout; No Concern if 10Y Treasury Yield is below 4.2%, and quite possibly 4.35%-4.50% if MOVE index...

Vermilion Research

Relative Value Opportunities in Asia-Pac, Pair Trade Roundup (8 Dec)

​Statistical methodology identifies nine pair trade opportunities across four markets and six sectors, offering unique insights into relative value.

Gaudenz Schneider

Statistical methodology identifies nine pair trade opportunities across four markets and six sectors, offering unique insights into relative value.