Etikett: Metals
Metals to perform on weaker USD and rising rates
Metals to perform on weaker USD and rising rates
Commodity Monthly Monitor – Metals to perform on weaker USD and rising rates
Your reference guide to commodity markets. Includes the latest outlook for each commodity sector and major developments for individual commodities.
Summary
Sentiment toward industrial metals took a leap forward.
The price of the gold driven higher on the lack of follow-up from the Fed.
Oil major producers meeting postponed but not cancelled.
Majority of agricultural commodities post strong gains.
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Summary
The recent decision to keep rates on hold by the US Federal Reserve (Fed) has saved the market from shock as the Fed Fund Futures market indicated only a very small chance of the central bank making a move. The Fed’s so-called “dot-plots” now indicate that the policy makers only expect to raise rates twice this year (down from four) and the market has shifted it expectations out to September for the next move. Recent economic data, particularly strong wage growth (accounting for the February calendar quirk) and payroll data justify more hikes and sooner. The US dollar is unlikely to respond with strength when rate hikes occur as the US dollar is perceived to be the most over-crowded trade according to recent fund manager surveys. Anticipation of the rate hike has been pushing up the USD for many years. Furthermore, in rate rising environments, contrary to popular belief, the USD dollar typically sells-off. This we believe is due to investors attempting to gauge if the first rate hike was correctly timed, as it takes a while for the economic data to roll-in to make a judgement and therefore markets tend to be in a state of limbo/fear. In this environment of a weaker USD and rising interest rates, improving economic fundamentals are likely to be beneficial for many cyclically exposed commodities. Industrial metals, which are likely to be in a supply deficit this year, trade well below marginal cost. This subsector looks to be forming a technical floor whilst demand in China has remained surprisingly resilient in recent months.
Sentiment toward industrial metals took a leap forward, with speculative positioning and prices rising across the complex. Investors appear to be paying heed to firmer fundamentals, with supply deficits expected for zinc, copper and nickel this year. US dollar depreciation and a loose policy setting should help the industrial metals rally continue.
The price of the gold driven higher on the lack of follow-up from the Fed after it embarked on a rate tightening cycle in December 2015. Investors fear that the US central bank is committing a policy error after it downgraded the number of times it expects to raise rates this year. Core inflation remains robust and real interest rates remain low, a recipe for strong gold prices. A loose policy setting helps the more industrial precious metals like platinum and palladium as auto sales will be supported.
Oil major producers meeting postponed but not cancelled. A 40% rally in oil prices indicates that expectations ahead of the original meeting were very positive. Despite the meeting being postponed to mid-April and Iran refusing to participate until its production is back to pre-sanction levels, crude oil production and rig count in the US remain at their lowest since end of 2014, lending support to oil prices.
Majority of agricultural commodities post strong gains with the exception of cotton. Reduced supply from Brazil and India supported sugar prices higher. Weak cotton imports into China dented the demand outlook for cotton sending prices lower.
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Time to revisit the commodity market
Time to revisit the commodity market
Recent price corrections bring opportunities Time to revisit the commodity market
Most commodities are trading close or below their marginal cost of production, with platinum, nickel, oil and grains the most striking examples. While in the short-term companies and mines can continue to produce even if prices are trading below marginal costs, it is not sustainable in the long term.
Unprofitable operations will have to be shut down or downsized, reducing production to contain costs. We expect the recent correction in commodity prices to be short-lived and believe commodities are attractively valued at current levels. Most of the factors that have hit commodity prices over the past month are temporary, and we believe the price correction creates tremendous opportunities for medium to longterm investors.
The state of play
US dollar strength should not hinder a price rebound as dollar strength is being driven by expectations of improving US demand. As China eases policy to boost growth, the US economy recovers and years of gradually tightening capacity start pushing up inflation, commodities should recover from current beaten down levels.
Metals
Investors focussing on global risks prompted a volatility surge across asset classes, which resulted in a sell-off across cyclical assets. Global equity benchmarks led the correction, prompting prices of several metals to fall below their marginal cost of production. Prior to the price weakness in September, industrial metals had staged a striking recovery in 2014, with a 6.4% rise in the first eight months of the year. While we believe most metals are attractively priced at current levels, we think platinum, palladium and nickel offer interesting opportunities at the moment.
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However, seasonal rains are set to disrupt nickel mining and seaborne transportation of the metal in the Philippines. Disrupted production should start to reduce elevated stockpiles, in turn buoying prices.
While the aluminium price has also fallen below its marginal cost of production and the industry has undertaken considerable steps towards a more balanced market, we believe its price is not yet ripe for a recovery. Despite recent efforts to discipline aluminium supply and the market ex-China being in a deficit, we believe further cuts will be needed to compensate for the build-up in capacity coming from China and for prices to be pushed substantially higher.
Agriculture
While wheat, soybeans and corn are all trading at multi-year lows on the back of expectations for record crops this season, Arabica coffee has rallied over 70% since the beginning of the year on supply concerns.
While the International Coffee Organisation envisages only a slight recovery for coffee in the 2014/2015 season, as a devastating leaf rust disease is likely to prompt switching to other crops, we believe the recent rally was excessive as there is no immediate shortage of coffee and prices remain well above marginal costs of production (Figure 4).
Energy
Weak global demand for oil and distillates combined with ample global supply of crude sent both Brent and WTI prices to the lowest since November 2010 for Brent and June 2012 for WTI. The geopolitical risks in some OPEC countries and the sanctions on Russia have so far very limited impact on global oil supply and failed to provide support to oil prices against market expectations. In the meantime, the OPEC members entered a price war in October, selling their oil at a discount in order to increase market share in Asia, putting further downward pressure on both oil benchmarks. The key to greater support in oil prices lies with OPEC. With oil prices hovering below most major oil producers’ budget break-even levels (Figure 5), we believe it is a matter of time before OPEC start to reduce supply. While the IEA has indicated that most oil produced is still economic at US$80/barrel, the majority of OPEC countries are estimated to require oil prices of at least US$90-US$100/barrel to balance their government budgets. While different oil fields have different breakeven costs, it is generally alleged that US shale oil, which accounts for most of oil production growth over the past few years, has a breakeven price ofUS$60-US$80 (Figure 6).
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
This communication has been issued and approved for the purpose of section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 by ETF Securities (UK) Limited (“ETFS UK”) which is authorised and regulated by the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”).
Investments may go up or down in value and you may lose some or all of the amount invested. Past performance is not necessarily a guide to future performance. You should consult an independent investment adviser prior to making any investment in order to determine its suitability to your circumstances.
The information contained in this communication is for your general information only and is neither an offer for sale nor a solicitation of an offer to buy securities. This communication should not be used as the basis for any investment decision. Historical performance is not an indication of future performance and any investments may go down in value.
This communication may contain independent market commentary prepared by ETFS UK based on publicly available information. Although ETFS UK endeavours to ensure the accuracy of the content in this communication, ETFS UK does not warrant or guarantee its accuracy or correctness. Any third party data providers used to source the information in this communication make no warranties or representation of any kind relating to such data. Where ETFS UK has expressed its own opinions related to product or market activity, these views may change. Neither ETFS UK, nor any affiliate, nor any of their respective, officers, directors, partners, or employees accepts any liability whatsoever for any direct or consequential loss arising from any use of this communication or its contents.
ETFS UK is required by the FCA to clarify that it is not acting for you in any way in relation to the investment or investment activity to which this communication relates. In particular, ETFS UK will not provide any investment services to you and or advise you on the merits of, or make any recommendation to you in relation to, the terms of any transaction. No representative of ETFS UK is authorised to behave in any way which would lead you to believe otherwise. ETFS UK is not, therefore, responsible for providing you with the protections afforded to its clients and you should seek your own independent legal, investment and tax or other advice as you see fit.
This communication is not, and under no circumstances is to be construed as, an advertisement or any other step in furtherance of a public offering of shares or securities in the United States or any province or territory thereof. Neither this communication nor any copy hereof should be taken, transmitted or distributed (directly or indirectly) into the United States.
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