July 2023

A startup aimed at commercializing a more advanced form of nuclear energy – and backed by OpenAI founder Sam Altman – is set to go public (from the Financial Times on July 11)…

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A nuclear fission start-up backed by Sam Altman is to go public through a merger with a special purpose acquisition company set up by the OpenAI chief executive in a deal that values the business at $850mn.  Oklo, where Altman serves as board chair, has agreed a transaction with AltC Acquisition Corporation, a blank-cheque company

Josh Young – portfolio manager for energy-focused investment firm Bison Interests – shares his view on the oil markets, including the implications of an impending recession and the long-term outlook for supply and demand (from Public’s Leading Indicator podcast on July 5)…

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You can view this video on Youtube via the linked timestamps below: Introduction: 0:00 What happened in 2022: 1:20 Negative Returns: 4:00 Market Psychology: 7:31 Future of Energy: 15:47 Outlook for Oil Prices: 19:09

Toyota reportedly makes a massive breakthrough in electric car battery technology (from The Guardian on July 4)…

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Toyota says it has made a technological breakthrough that will allow it to halve the weight, size and cost of batteries, in what could herald a major advance for electric vehicles. The world’s second largest carmaker was already pursuing a plan to roll out cars with advanced solid-state batteries, which offer benefits compared with liquid-based

The chart below suggests gold is one of the cheapest assets in the world today (from FFTT Tree Rings on July 21)…

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This chart from Chris Hamilton at Econimica grabbed our attention, not as an immediate indicator, but rather, as a jaw-dropping piece of context. An attempt to see the forest for the trees, if you will. 1980: Everybody hates the [US Dollar (USD)] and [US Treasury Bonds (USTs)], even as US Federal debt is 40% collateralized

The Russian government claims BRICS nations will announce a new gold-backed currency next month (from Kitco News on July 7)…

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The gold market could see new bullish momentum as the world could see a new type of gold standard. Friday, according to state-run RT, the Russian government has confirmed that Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, also known as BRICS nations, will introduce a new trading currency backed by gold. The official announcement is

Surging solar panel demand is beginning to “squeeze” silver supplies (from Bloomberg on July 2)…

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Changes to solar panel technology are accelerating demand for silver, a phenomenon that’s widening a supply deficit for the metal with little additional mine production on the horizon. Silver, in paste form, provides a conductive layer on the front and the back of silicon solar cells. But the industry is now beginning to make more

Elliott is also now targeting troubled drugmaker Catalent (from The Wall Street Journal on July 19)…

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Elliott Investment Management has built a significant stake in Catalent (CTLT) and is pushing for a shake-up on the contract drugmaker’s board. Elliott has been talking to potential director candidates about joining a slate of nominees to run in a proxy contest, people familiar with the matter said. The exact size of Elliott’s stake couldn’t