Tuesday, February 13, 2024

The Philippines; things might sound familiar but often its not what you are thinking.

 








The Philippines was the fastest growing economy among major Asian countries in 2023. Its a market you want to look at for its amazing growth.


I am a believer in reading into the locations and cultures where I do business , it gives me insight into what it takes to be successful there.
Since our foods are an extension of ourselves learning about local foods is important when it comes to understanding a market that I am operating in.

When it comes to Filipino Food with its influences from Spanish, American and Chinese cuisines many of the dishes may have familiar names.

Especially those of us with Latin backgrounds may recognize many dishes like lechon , calamares , arroz , paella, menudo , bistek, and leche flan. The average American will recognize Filipino dishes like beef stew and chicken pot pie.

Though many of the names might sound familiar actually when you dial down into them they are all uniquely Filipino, which is very true of most things when you are operating in the Philippines.

There is also the case for things that you might believe you know the definition of because the word is used in your culture but are actually something completely different from what you thought. For example “ Putos” are delicious cakes from the Philippines and the root of this word isn’t Spanish at all.


#Ceres
 #philippines #pse #PhilippineStockExchange, #pinoy #asean #equities #investmentbanking #gdp 


Elon Musk

 


If you are in the C Suite or a Manager, I highly recommend that you read this book.
Elon Musk is undoubtedly a great visionary he’s built some of the most innovative companies in the world SpaceX, Tesla Motors, Neuralink, PayPal, Starlink, The Boring Company, X (Twitter), Zip2, and I am sure more are to come.

“Extremely Hardcore”: He sets very ambitious goals for himself and his companies on extremely tight time lines and budgets which reminded me of my days in the army. It is amazing the type of fortitude you can summon to achieve what seems like the impossible when you are properly motivated.

Most of us don’t enjoy being in constant chaos, so his Demon Mode management style isn’t for everyone but his transformational leadership style has changed the world we live in, there might be something we can learn from that.

He is a fascinating thought leader with a thirst for knowledge exploring subjects like colonizing mars, the hyperloop, space exploration and how AI will affect our future.

Oh and it has made him one of the richest people on earth.

I have to admit reading this book motivated me to read Hitchhikers Guide to the Universe, to start building things again and maybe just maybe go buy a black t-shirt.

#spacex #teslamotors #neuralink #paypal #TheBoringCompany #X #twitter #Zip2 #hyperloop #solarcity #physics #engineering #sciencefiction #mars #selfdriving #machinelearning #future #ai #innovation #elonmusk #starlink Ceres Ltd #usarmy

Wednesday, August 31, 2022

Man of the Futures Leo Melamed

 Man of the Futures Leo Melamed 

This is a great book that I believe everyone should read. 

It’s not only a book about the futures industry; it’s a an immigrant story, it’s a story about Chicago, a story about the American Dream and it’s also a success story about a visionary who transforms an industry and builds it to adapt to the future, which is something we all can learn from regardless of your industry. 

For those of us who have been in the futures industry it’s impossible to not have been influenced by Leo. 

In this time that we living in, it’s hard to not think/hope that there are 100s of other Leo’s out there making the dangerous journey to America that who will also enrich our nation. 

Man of the Futures Leo Melamed it’s well written and an easy read. I highly recommend it to everyone

#leomelamed #cme #cmegroup #futures #futurestrading #commodities #cbot #chicago #melamed #ceres #davidnealis 

Monday, January 24, 2022

Cobalt supply gives the electric vehicle manufactures the blues

 


Cobalt supply gives the electric vehicle manufactures the blues.

 As demand increases, coronavirus variants continue to disrupt supply chains and as nations and even corporations weaponize trade against their rivals who will be successful in securing the resources that they need?

If the shortage of semiconductors and the high prices of tin, lithium and copper weren’t enough to dampen production cobalt’s historically high prices its supply struggles to keep up with demand.

It shouldn’t be a shocker that China controls the lion’s share of cobalt. Though China hasn’t discovered significant amounts of cobalt in China yet, but it does control more than 40% of the cobalt mines in Republic of Congo.

The Republic of Congo provides the majority of cobalt supplied to the market today. It’s mined in the central African country and shipped over land to the South African port of Durban with the bulk of it being shipped too China to be processed. 

Cobalt has been a popular choice for batteries because the metal increases battery life and energy density, which in the case of EVs means additional range, by keeping the battery structure stable as the battery is continuously charged and discharged.

In addition to batteries Cobalt is used in aircraft engine parts, in alloys with corrosion/wear resistant uses, and in electroplating. Cobalt salts are used to impart blue and green colors in glass and ceramics. Radioactive 60Co is used in the treatment of cancer. Cobalt is a component of vitamin B12, which supports the production of red blood cells.

Recycling has to play a vital role in the supply of cobalt and other vital resources but that will not be sufficient as demand increases.

So as the world weaponizes trade against its geopolitical and commercial rivals how will your firm secure the resources required to thrive into the next decade?


Friday, December 31, 2021

You're what? Tin roof……Rusted!

 



We enter into 2022 with tin prices continuing to surge to all-time highs. As demand increases, corona virus variants continue to disrupt supply chains and as nations and even corporations weaponize trade against their rivals who will be successful in securing the resources that they need?

To put the urgency into perspective there is no significant amount of tin mined or smelted in North or Central America. China is the world’s largest producer of tin with Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Rwanda also being major producers.

One of the fears of non-Chinese producers is that the Chinese will flood the market with cheap tin like they have with cooper, rare earths and other products in the past and that is a valid concern.

 So as the world weaponizes trade against its geopolitical and commercial rivals how will your firm secure the resources required to thrive into the next decade?

 You're what? Tin roof……Rusted!


Thursday, December 30, 2021

Dawson Springs Tornado 2021


I was recently in Dawson Springs Kentucky delivering Christmas gifts to some of those that lost everything in a devastating tornado that ripped through that small town wiping 75% of it off the map killing many and ruining the lives of thousands of others.





The devastation is mind numbing but what is equally heart breaking is that this small town like many like it across America had been destroyed years prior to the tornado.

Globalization and some argue a byproduct of globalization the massive amount of opioids and meth in small town America has rotted it to the core. 



Yes it’s not new news but when you see it with your own eyes it’s an awakening.

I am not going to pretend to have the answers to the solutions to this problem, but I believe if we can provide quality jobs to these small towns across America it might be a step in the right direction. 




 

Monday, November 16, 2020

Shanghai Futures Exchange’s Copper Opens to International Participation

 The much anticipated inclusion of international participation in the Contract is planned to be launch on Nov. 19, 2020.


The enthusiasm for the highly liquid contract inclusion doesn’t come as a surprise as global capital markets traders seek alpha.

China is the world’s top consumer of metals and accounts for over 50% of the world's demand for copper.

The contract size is 5 metric tons, the price is quoted in Chinese Yuan, and the trading hours are 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Often considered a low risk commodity by traders because of its versatile applications and sometimes used as collateral in China’s shadow banking industry copper demand in China remains steady. #china #futurestrading #futures #SHFE #shanghai #copper #LME #cmegroup Ceres Ltd #alpha

Monday, October 26, 2020

Chinese Iron Ore Futures

 


 

Interested in trading Chinese markets? Iron Ore Futures are one of the contracts open to foreign participation.

The Iron Ore Futures Contract is traded on the Dalian Commodity Exchange (DCE) launched in October 2013 to local traders and international participation started in May 2018.

Iron Ore has been hot hot hot , maybe a little too hot and the exchange has been trying to cool it off a little by imposing trading limits and increasing margin requirements and with excess supply hitting the market it has pushed prices down but the liquidity is amazing and I believe its going to be red hot again soon.

Prior to the launch I had the honor to be invited to a prelaunch Q&A session with the DCE; it was very insightful to learn how the DCE viewed foreign participation and their goals for the contract.

The contract specs are: trading unit is 100MT/ lot, quoted in CNY; trading hours are in Chinese trading hours 9:00 - 11:30 a.m., 1:30 - 3:00 p.m., Beijing Time, M to F

 

David Nealis with DCE at the FIA Expo Chicago

The contract specifications are:

Iron Ore Futures Contract of Dalian Commodity Exchange ("DCE")

Product

Iron Ore

Trading Unit

100 MT/Lot

Price Quote Unit

CNY/MT

Minimum Tick Size

0.5 CNY/MT

Daily Price Limit Range*

4% of last settlement price

Contract Months

Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec

Trading Hours

9:00 - 11:30 a.m., 1:30 - 3:00 p.m., Beijing Time, Monday to Friday, and other trading hours announced by DCE

Last Trading Day

The 10th trading day of the contract month

Last Delivery Day

The 3rd trading day after the last trading day

Deliverable Grades

Iron Ore Delivery Quality Standard of DCE (F/DCE I001-2017)

Delivery Point

The delivery warehouses and delivery locations of iron ore designated by DCE

Minimum Trading Margin*

5% of the contract value

Delivery Form

Physical delivery

Ticker Symbol

I

Listed Exchange

DCE

Note: DCE may adjust the daily price limit ranges and the trading margins of each contract according to market conditions. For details of current trading parameters of each contract, please see below website:

www.dce.com.cn/DCE/TradingClearing/Business%20Parameters/Trading%20Parameters/index.html

Disclaimer: This English translation may be used for reference only. In cases there is any discrepancy between the English version and the original Chinese version, the original Chinese version shall prevail. Dalian Commodity Exchange may change or update this English translation without any prior notice and shall accept no responsibility or liability for damage or loss caused by any error, inaccuracy, misunderstanding, or change with regard to this English translation.

 


For more information about the DCE Iron Ore contract visit their website via the link below

http://www.dce.com.cn/DCE/Products/Industrial/Iron%20Ore/491886/index.html