Fintech PR
Platinum deficit forecast for 2023 now over 1 million ounces on strong automotive and industrial demand growth and flat supply
- Total demand expected to increase 27% in 2023, while total supply will be flat
- Automotive recovery will see 2023 demand up 13% (+381 koz), driven by greater-than-expected vehicle production, increased substitution and higher loadings
- Capacity expansions drive forecast industrial demand in 2023 to a record 2,667 koz
- Strong ETF demand in Q2’23, with 2023 forecast total investment of 386 koz
LONDON, Sept. 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — The World Platinum Investment Council – WPIC® – today publishes its Platinum Quarterly for the second quarter of 2023 with an updated full-year forecast.
For the third consecutive quarter, global platinum demand rose, growing 31% (+519 koz) year-on-year in Q2’23. Strong year-on-year demand growth momentum in automotive (+19%, +136 koz) and industrial demand (+12%, +76 koz) added to continued positive investment demand. Meanwhile, refined platinum production fell 4% year-on-year (-65 koz) as did autocatalyst recycling (-13%, -37 koz) and jewellery recycling (-9%, -9 koz). This led to a market deficit of 348 koz for Q2’23, marking platinum’s first two consecutive quarters of deficit since the second half of 2020.
These events, which continue trends seen in the first quarter of this year, have led to another upward revision of the deficit forecast for the full-year 2023 to 1,005 koz, the largest deficit on record in terms of both absolute ounces and as a percentage of annual demand. Total supply is expected to remain flat, aligned with the weak 2022 level of 7,224 koz (-31 koz), while demand is expected to increase significantly by 27% to 8,230 koz (+1,738 koz).
Strong quarterly increase in vehicle production adds to existing drivers for platinum automotive demand growth
Platinum automotive demand rose 19% year-on-year (+136 koz) to 840 koz in Q2’23, as the semiconductor shortage continued to ease, leading to a healthy uplift in vehicle production. Global light-duty vehicle (LDV) production increased 14% year-on-year, while heavy-duty vehicle (HDV) production grew by 18%.
For full-year 2023, automotive platinum demand is being driven higher by increased vehicle production, with LDV and HDV production forecast to grow by 6% and 7% respectively, ongoing substitution of platinum for palladium, and higher platinum group metal (PGM) loadings. Tighter Chinese emissions standards for HDV (effective from 1 July 2023) will see a rise in demand for platinum as PGM-coated particulate filter systems are phased in. These factors will lift 2023 global platinum automotive demand by 13% (+381 koz) to 3,283 koz.
2023 industrial demand forecast revised upwards
Industrial platinum demand totalled 697 koz in Q2’23, a 12% increase year-on-year and its highest level since Q3’21. In particular, the chemical industry saw an 87% year-on-year increase (+109 koz) this quarter thanks to higher demand for platinum-bearing catalysts from the paraxylene industry, which offset contractions in other areas of industrial demand. Looking at 2023 as a whole, the already record-breaking forecast for industrial demand has been revised even higher, to 2,667 koz (+14% year-on-year, +336 koz). This is in large due to capacity expansions in glass (+50%, +251 koz) and chemical (+12%, +82 koz) applications. This will counterbalance lower demand from the electrical (-8%, -9 koz) and petroleum (-11%, -22 koz) segments.
Net investment demand of 386 koz forecast for 2023
As with the previous quarter, Q2’23 saw increased investor interest resulting in net positive investment demand of 154 koz. Platinum ETF holdings grew by 155 koz in Q2’23, their largest quarterly increase since Q3’20 and up 196 koz since the start of the year, with significant renewed interest from South African funds (in preference to PGM mining equities). However, overall ETF holdings are expected to soften during the rest of 2023. Despite a fall in global bar and coin investment to 26 koz (-64%, -46 koz) in the second quarter, full-year 2023 is likely to see a year-on-year jump of 45% (+102 koz), to 326 koz, the first growth in bar and coin investment in three years, driven by a return to positive net platinum investment in Japan. The result will mean net investment demand of 386 koz in 2023.
Total supply remains constrained
Refined mine production declined 4% (-65 koz) year-on-year in Q2’23, totalling 1,464 koz, as increases from North America and Russia were heavily outweighed by a decline from South Africa. Following three consecutive quarters of declining supply, South African output improved this quarter, reaching 1,028 koz. Nevertheless, this was still a 9% decline (-101 koz) year-on-year, primarily due to processing-asset maintenance in addition to disruption due to Eskom load curtailment. For 2023, mined platinum supply is forecast to be flat on 2022 (5,565 koz), although South African platinum supply remains vulnerable to ongoing electricity shortages.
Global recycling of platinum declined 12% (-46 koz) year-on-year to 345 koz in Q2’23. Supply from spent autocatalysts was down 13% (-37 koz) year-on-year, with lower-than-expected end-of-life vehicle supply persisting. Full-year platinum recycling supply is forecast to fall by 4% to 1,620 koz.
Trevor Raymond, CEO of the World Platinum Investment Council, commented: “The core drivers of platinum’s expected 27% demand growth in 2023 – including strong growth in automotive and industrial demand – were clear to see in Q2, and built upon foundations laid in the previous two quarters. These favourable conditions are expected to continue in 2023. Looking beyond today’s Platinum Quarterly, our research shows that automotive and industrial demand growth underpin total demand growth in 2024 and beyond. This offers both short and long-term value incentives for investors, as well as protection from downside risks presented by inflationary headwinds and high interest rates. Meanwhile, continuing electricity shortages in major producer South Africa have exacerbated the deficit and maintained downside risk to mined supply. In Q2’23, this combination of demand growth and constrained supply was met by strong ETF inflows, all of which have contributed to a widening gap between the supply of, and demand for, platinum.
“As the deficit grows, it is important to highlight the reducing availability of above ground stocks to meet this deficit, and to consider the consequences of that. By the end of 2023, above ground stocks will represent only five months of annual demand, with most of these stocks held in China and not readily able to be exported to meet global shortfalls, increasing concerns over metal availability. This, combined with sustained demand growth and mine supply remaining at risk further strengthens the investment case for platinum.
“Similarly, the link between platinum and the hydrogen economy is increasingly well-known. Green hydrogen produced by platinum-containing electrolysers has a significant role to play in the energy transition. While hydrogen-related platinum demand is relatively small in 2023 – of more relevance in a tight market – it is expected to grow substantially in the medium term and could become a proxy for investors looking for exposure to global decarbonisation.”
Disclaimer
Neither the World Platinum Investment Council nor Metals Focus is authorised by any regulatory authority to give investment advice. Nothing within this document is intended or should be construed as investment advice or offering to sell or advising to buy any securities or financial instruments and appropriate professional advice should always be sought before making any investment. For further information, please visit www.platinuminvestment.com
Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2201083/WPIC_Logo.jpg
View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/platinum-deficit-forecast-for-2023-now-over-1-million-ounces-on-strong-automotive-and-industrial-demand-growth-and-flat-supply-301918078.html
NEW YORK, Sept. 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Phoenix Tower International, LLC (“PTI”), through its Spanish subsidiary (PTI Iberica V, S.A.) announced today that it has closed a new €1.2 billion senior credit facility in Europe to consolidate its existing loans and provide substantial additional capacity to support further growth both in existing and new markets in Europe.
The transaction comprised of the following senior secured facilities: (i) a €700 million term loan, (ii) a €400 million delayed draw term loan, (iii) a €50 million revolving credit facility, and (iv) a €50 million debt service reserve facility, all of which are due in September 2030 (7 years). Proceeds from the facilities will be used to: (i) repay existing indebtedness including related fees and expenses, (ii) fund capital expenditure requirements and acquisitions, including the recent acquisition of the French portfolio of wireless tower assets from Cellnex (1,226 sites hosting SFR), and (iii) fund working capital requirements.
“The multi-jurisdiction loan provides PTI with the flexibility to continue to grow our business across Europe with incremental liquidity available at our disposal. The financing will allow us to strengthen our commitment to the region, as we continue to construct and invest in digital infrastructure in markets that are experiencing a rising demand for connectivity and technological upgrades. We are excited to continue to expand our presence in Europe and deliver value-add infrastructure solutions to our customers”, said Dagan Kasavana, Chief Executive Officer of PTI.
“By providing a flexible financing covering multiple jurisdictions, PTI was able to simplify its capital structure, reduce pricing, and access incremental funds to support future growth. Raising €1.2 billion in the current market environment speaks to the strength of PTI’s business model and underscores the lender community’s appetite to support the expansion of digital connectivity. We are pleased to partner with such a strong lender group in this landmark transaction”, said Michael Bremer, Chief Financial Officer of PTI.
Natixis Corporate & Investment Banking (“Natixis”) acted as Structuring Bank. Natixis and Deutsche Bank AG acted as Lead Bookrunners and Mandated Lead Arrangers, ABN AMRO Bank N.V., ING Bank N.V., and Scotiabank (Ireland) Designated Activity Company acted as Mandated Lead Arrangers and Bookrunners, BNP Paribas and MUFG Bank acted as Mandated Lead Arrangers, and Citibank Europe PLC Dublin, Mizuho Bank Europe, and Toronto Dominion Bank acted as Participants. Natixis also acted as Facility Agent, Security Agent and Financial Modelling Bank, while ING Bank N.V. has been appointed as Sustainability Coordinator.
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer acted as external legal counsel of the company, and Allen & Overy acted as external legal counsel of the lenders.
About PTI
PTI, through its subsidiaries, owns and operates over 22,000 telecom towers throughout Europe, the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean. In Europe, PTI is present in several countries including France, Italy, Ireland, Malta and Cyprus.
PTI was founded in 2013 with a mission to be a premier site provider to wireless operators across the world in high-growth markets. PTI’s investors include funds managed by Blackstone, Wren House and various members of the management team and is headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida. For more information, please visit www.phoenixintnl.com
Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1770422/horizontal_logo_new_V1_Logo.jpg
View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/pti-secures-1-2-billion-multi-jurisdiction-transaction-301942407.html
Fintech PR
BranchOut Food Inc. Expands Partnership with EnWave Corporation. Increasing Manufacturing Capacity by an Additional ~$15mm Annually & Secures Additional Product Exclusivities.
BEND, Ore, Sept. 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — BranchOut Foods Inc. (NASDAQ: BOF), the global trailblazer in GentleDried natural snacks and superfood ingredients, is proud to announce a significant expansion of its partnership with EnWave Corporation (TSX-V: ENW | FSE: E4U). BranchOut has agreed to purchase a second large-scale, continuous throughput dehydration machine from Enwave. Under the terms of the new Equipment Purchase Agreement (the “Agreement”), the 120kW REV™ machine is slated for delivery to BranchOut in late calendar 2024 and will add an additional $15mm in estimated topline capacity.
Eric Healy, CEO of BranchOut Food Inc., emphasized, “We are confident that this increased capacity will align perfectly with our growth trajectory, especially in light of our recent commitments from major retailers and the substantial sales pipeline we have established.”
Enwave’s Radiant Energy Vacuum (REV™) technology and associated patent portfolio was previously licensed to BranchOut along with exclusivity for its original core products. Under the new Agreement, the product exclusives have been significantly expanded to encompass the new and innovative products BranchOut has recently developed and will be launching in the very near future.
About BranchOut Food Inc.: BranchOut is an international food-tech company delivering truly great natural snacks and real superfood ingredients enabled by their licensed dehydration technology. BranchOut Food is a leading provider of high-quality dehydrated fruit and vegetable-based products and its commitment to quality and innovation sets it apart as a trusted brand and private label supplier. For more information about BranchOut Food Inc. and its products, please visit www.branchoutfood.com.
About EnWave: EnWave Corporation stands as a global leader in vacuum microwave dehydration innovation and application. Operating from its headquarters in Vancouver, BC, EnWave boasts an impressive intellectual property portfolio and has refined its Radiant Energy Vacuum (REV™) technology into a proven, consistent, and scalable drying solution. This revolutionary technology outperforms traditional drying methods in terms of efficiency, capacity, product quality, and cost.
Media Contact:
BranchOut Food Inc.
Email: [email protected]
Fintech PR
SIGMA Financial AI unveils Akili-AI: Cutting-Edge, AI-based, no-code suite of tools for traders
– Augments trader’s interactions and transforms decision-making capabilities
– Handles the full extent of structured to unstructured financial data
– Mitigates portfolio exposure risk and accelerates speed to market
LONDON, Sept. 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — SIGMA Financial AI, an innovator in developing AI-driven trading solutions, launches Akili-AI*, a sophisticated suite of enterprise-ready trading strategy tools. Akili-AI is a cutting-edge, no-code solution enabling data-driven insights to support the specialist needs of the global financial services trading community.
Akili-AI incorporates machine learning (ML) and natural language processing (NLP) to deliver agile tools which are more intelligent, faster and easier to use, enabling traders to create strategies at a scale and speed unachievable without AI support. Completely asset-class and instrument-agnostic, the Akili-AI system streams real-time trading data, allowing users to screen, test and design complex trading strategies promptly.
Their SaaS-based Pattern matching platform (Patterns as a Service) helps traders monitor thousands of instruments in real-time, scanning charts for momentum changes, technical signals, support, and resistance zones. The NLP research function supports fundamental and technical qualifications from thousands of news, social media and traders’ data. Akili-AI’s flexible modular architecture, built using modern protocols, is cloud-based and scales to support the largest trading enterprises.
Andy Simpson, Co-founder and CEO, commented, “Traders are having to cope with a constant squeeze on their book; this, combined with a huge increase in data volumes, has created the need for transformative solutions which can help them find an edge. They need the ability to find new liquidity fast, enhance their trade execution capabilities, and reduce portfolio risk; Akili-AI can deliver all this at a lower cost point and faster than ever.”
“Akili-AI transforms market interaction and improves productivity by liberating traders from the constraints imposed by long-established, outdated working practices and legacy technology infrastructures. Accelerated speed to market is crucial in an industry where every second counts. Our mission is to provide AI-based solutions which enhance the human experience – not replace them – helping to generate more revenue and increased profitability,” Andy continued.
Rob Maunder, Co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer, said, “Our pioneering and creative team is an unusual blend of deep financial services experience, phenomenal engineering and world-class AI technologists who bring an unrivalled track record of developing new platforms at pace. We break the mould by delivering incredible engineering of low-latency, highly scalable systems drawing on more than a decade of generative AI experience in the social media and music industries.”
Andy concluded, “Akili-AI is the start of a refreshingly different journey of technological change; watch this space. There is much more to come.”
Akili-Ai will be showcased in the Innovators Pavilion at the FIA’s Futures and Options Expo on October 2-3, 2023 at the Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk.
*Akili is the Swahili word for intelligence.
About SIGMA Financial AI:
We provide traders with a set of tools that are faster, smarter and easier to use. Our AI machine learning product suite unlocks trading opportunities through real-time analytics underpinned by world-leading, scalable, ultra-low latency architecture.
Note to Editors: For more information about SIGMA Financial AI, please visit www.sigmafinancial.ai.
View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/sigma-financial-ai-unveils-akili-ai-cutting-edge-ai-based-no-code-suite-of-tools-for-traders-301941890.html
-
Fintech PR2 weeks ago
2023 Asian Green and Low-Carbon Development Roundtable successfully held
-
Fintech PR1 week agoMYEG PARTNERS CHINA’S BEITOU IT INNOVATION TO SHOWCASE DIGITAL IDENTITY CREDENTIALS SERVICE ON THE ZETRIX BLOCKCHAIN
-
Fintech PR1 week agoAon Joins International Emissions Trading Association as First Member with Risk Capital Capabilities
-
Fintech PR1 week agoWearable Devices and IoT Revolutionize Healthcare Monitoring and Weight Management
-
Fintech PR1 week agoRönesans secures prodigious ranking in ENR list: 9th European largest international contracting company, and 38th worldwide
-
Fintech PR1 week agoTom Fitzpatrick Joins R.J. O’Brien as Managing Director, Global Markets Insights
-
Fintech PR1 week agoMAX Exchange and Bitget announce strategic partnership, marking MAX Token’s debut on an international exchange
-
Fintech PR2 weeks agoiFOREX new Dubai efforts