Global Cobalt Reserves 2023
November 7th, 2024
Via Mining Visuals, a look at at where the world’s cobalt reserves are located: Cobalt is a critical mineral, essential for the production of lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles (EVs), smartphones, and other renewable energy applications. As the world transitions to greener technologies, the demand for cobalt is projected to rise sharply. At the […]
Read more »Dig, Baby, Dig: China Tightens Its Grip On The World’s Minerals
November 1st, 2024
Courtesy of The Economist, a look at how China is tightening its grip on the world’s minerals: To decarbonise the global economy and build the data centres needed for ever smarter artificial-intelligence models, the world will need lots of minerals. China wants first dibs. Last year its companies ploughed roughly $16bn into mines overseas, not including minority […]
Read more »Vietnam’s VinFast Calls Philippines ‘Important’ For Its Global Expansion
October 25th, 2024
Via Nikkei Asia, a report on VinFast’s interest in the Philippines: The Philippines and its relatively nascent electric vehicle market offer VinFast an important growth opportunity, the head of the Vietnamese automaker’s local unit said. VinFast, the automotive arm of the Vingroup conglomerate, formally entered the Philippines in June, signing contracts with four dealers, three […]
Read more »Speeding Up the Economy: The Role of Methamphetamines in the Southeast Asian Boom
October 12th, 2024
Via The Diplomat, an article on how – faced with ruthless economic demands – increasing numbers of Southeast Asian workers are turning to a cheap, addictive drug that enables them to “work without stopping:” Like many teenagers around the world, Ngo started using drugs after being encouraged by his friends. But what separates his experiences […]
Read more »The Rise of VietJet, Explained
September 20th, 2024
Via The Diplomat, an article on VietJet, the Vietnamese budget carrier which recently announced the acquisition of a $7.4 billion fleet of Airbus widebody aircraft: Low-cost Philippine airline Cebu Pacific recently announced it had signed a preliminary deal to acquire up to 152 new aircraft from Airbus at a cost of around $24 billion. It […]
Read more »Unregistered Three-Wheelers: Antidote to Philippines Traffic
September 7th, 2024
Via Rest of World, a look at how Filipinos are embracing electric three-wheelers faster than officials can regulate them Unregistered three-wheelers big enough for whole families are a popular antidote to the country’s terrible gridlock. The Philippines has been slow to adopt electric vehicles, with light EVs as the exception. Filipinos have embraced e-tricycles that […]
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.