Trump, the Panama Canal and the Hong Kong Firm at the Heart of a Showdown
February 7th, 2025
Courtesy of The New York Times, a report on how the Panama Canal’s two biggest ports are operated by a Hong Kong company with global reach. The Trump administration sees a Chinese threat to U.S. security. President Trump’s claim that China controls the Panama Canal has placed a Hong Kong tycoon and his conglomerate at […]
Read more »The Brains Behind Mali’s Mining Shakeup
February 7th, 2025
Via The Africa Report, commentary on who is behind Mali’s mining shakeup: A former employee of Randgold and co-founder of the consultancy Iventus Mining, Mamou Touré plays a key role in renegotiating Mali’s mining contracts. This go-between is at the centre of a stand-off pitting his country against multinationals – Barrick Gold chief among them. […]
Read more »Trump Urges Trading Ukraine’s Rare Earth Minerals for More U.S. Aid
February 5th, 2025
Via The New York Times, commentary that Ukraine has already emphasized that by supporting its war effort, the U.S. could get access to the country’s wealth of critical minerals like lithium and uranium: President Trump said Monday he wants to strike a deal with Ukraine whereby Kyiv would supply the United States with rare earth […]
Read more »Made In Morocco: How China’s EV Battery Makers Are Powering Past Western Tariffs
February 5th, 2025
Via South China Morning Post, a report on how a Chinese-African joint venture is latest company to find way past Western trade barriers while leveraging region’s abundant battery materials: An electric vehicle (EV) battery parts maker has become the latest Chinese company to begin production in Morocco to target lucrative European and North American markets, […]
Read more »North Korea’s Economic Crisis: Solutions or More Controls?
February 4th, 2025
Via The Diplomat, a look at how a pattern of tightening market controls and soaring prices has culminated in an ambitious government intervention in North Korea – a comprehensive plan to regulate the grain trade: North Korea finds itself in the grip of a severe economic crisis marked by a dramatic currency devaluation and soaring prices, […]
Read more »Abu Dhabi Wealth Fund ADQ, Orion Team up to Invest $1.2 bln in Metals, Mining
February 4th, 2025
Via Reuters, an article on a new collaboration between ADQ around minerals: Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund ADQ has teamed up with Orion Resource Partners to form a joint venture that will invest in metals and mining, ADQ said on Thursday, as the wealth fund expands its critical minerals portfolio. Under the 50-50 JV, which […]
Read more »Focusing primarily on The New Seven Sisters - the largely state owned petroleum companies from the emerging world that have become key players in the oil & gas industry as identified by Carola Hoyos, Chief Energy Correspondent for The Financial Times - but spanning other nascent opportunities around the globe that may hold potential in the years ahead, Wildcats & Black Sheep is a place for the adventurous to contemplate & evaluate the emerging markets of tomorrow.