Investment Banks & Hedge Funds Stepping Up Activity in Physical Uranium as Prices Spike
FN Media Group News Commentary
PALM BEACH, Fla., May 7, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- An article from REUTERS on the Uranium markets earlier this year painted a prosperous picture for the global Uranium. The report said: "Investment banks Goldman Sachs and Macquarie as well as some hedge funds are positioning themselves to reap the benefits of a newly buoyant uranium sector as prices of the nuclear fuel ingredient spike. While many other investment banks are still avoiding uranium, Goldman and Macquarie are boosting trading in physical uranium and in Goldman's case trading its options as well, five industry and hedge fund sources with knowledge of the deals said. The heightened activity comes as utilities seek new supplies amid shortfalls that have lifted prices to 16-year highs." It continued: "A few hedge funds are also stepping up involvement in both equities and physical uranium, a sign that the metal is starting to broaden its appeal to financial institutions after a decade in the doldrums following the Fukushima nuclear disaster. With the headlines and positive momentum in nuclear more generally, hedge funds and other commodity investors are back in the (uranium) sector. A lot of it is done via physical funds, the easiest way to get exposure to uranium prices," said Bram Vanderelst at trading firm Curzon Uranium. The metal has captured investors' attention after prices doubled over the past year to $102 a pound as top producers Kazatomprom and Cameco cut production guidance because reopened mines that had been mothballed struggled to ramp up production to meet renewed demand." Active mining companies in the markets this week include Stallion Uranium Corp. (OTCQB:STLNF) (TSXV:STUD), Cameco (NYSE:CCJ) (TSX:CCO), Denison Mines Corp. (NYSE:DNN), Uranium Energy Corp (NYSE American: UEC), Baselode Energy Corp. (OTCQB:BSENF) (TSXV:FIND).
"It also comes with the revival of nuclear energy to help countries cut their carbon emissions, which was highlighted in the December 2023 Group of Seven most industrialized nations' statement that envisioned tripling nuclear energy capacity from 2020 to 2050." Goldman Sachs has started writing options on physical uranium for hedge funds, the first time it has created a derivative for the metal." It concluded: ""Goldman has been increasing their visibility, they've been increasing their book steadily," a source who dealt with the bank said, declining to give details of the transactions because they are confidential. Goldman is largely dealing with financial clients like hedge funds while Macquarie's main focus is boosting trading and marketing output from miners, another source who dealt with both banks said, also declining to elaborate because the data is confidential."
Stallion Uranium Intersects Significant Conductive Structure - Stallion Uranium Corp. (TSXV:STUD) (OTCQB:STLNF) is proud to announce the successful completion of their inaugural winter 2024 diamond drilling program on its 100% owned Coffer Project situated in the prolific Southwestern Athabasca Basin in Saskatchewan, Canada. This milestone initiative was successful in encountering anomalous radioactivity in all three drill holes and culminated with the discovery of a large, deep-rooted conductive structure intersected on the final drill hole CF24-003 giving the target area the characteristics needed to host a large uranium deposit.
Highlights
- Three diamond drill holes totaling 2,798.2m were completed at the Appaloosa target area (Figure 4).
- Hole CF24-003 intersected the unconformity at 720 m and was completed at a depth of 1055 m.
- CF24-003 is located 700 m west along strike from CF24-002, and 1.4km west of CF24-001.
- Anomalous radioactivity was encountered at the unconformity in all three holes.
- A total of 282 whole rock samples were obtained for assay, including interval and selective samples.
- A deep-rooted conductive structure, spanning 94.7 meters in down-hole thickness, was encountered in hole CF24-003 highlighting the significant size of the structure.
- Strong clay and chlorite alteration which is known be is associated with uranium mineralization was encountered.
- Stallion holds a 100% ownership of the project.
"Stallion's winter 2024 drilling program at the Coffer project has yielded remarkable results, identifying a large conductive structure and 1.4 km of anomalous radioactivity at the unconformity across all three drill holes. The third hole intersected significant alteration and structure, and given the size of those intersections, indicate that the Appaloosa target possesses the characteristics capable of hosting a substantial uranium deposit. Further processing and modeling of the data collected will provide enhanced targeting capabilities, greatly increasing the probability for discovery on a ...
Full story available on Benzinga.com