A historical event without precedent in living memory, the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the commodity markets, including metals and mining, in a variety of ways with many miners experiencing the downside of relying on global supply chains, specialization and ultra-lean operations.  Many mining operations have been disrupted through government-mandated shutdowns...
The End of Just-In-Time Manufacturing as we Know It Just-in-time (JIT) manufacturing was initiated in the 1950s and 1960s by Toyota. The approach was developed as part of the Toyota Production System (TPS), which aimed to minimize waste and improve efficiency in manufacturing processes.  The concept of JIT revolves around producing...
Forget the high-flying tech darlings that often steal the spotlight. This week, we're shining a light on the heroes of the AI revolution – the companies that might seem dull but are actually powering the future. We're talking data centers, construction firms, and even utility companies – those steady, reliable...
The COVID-19 pandemic triggered massive panic selling from February through March, killing the oldest bull market in stocks, while the economy collapsed into a deep recession. Quick and decisive action by the Fed to lower interest rates and inject the market with more cash as well as provide a huge...
Never before has the risk-reward thesis for critical minerals been more tantalizing.  Rare earth metals have been one of the best hiding places for investors amid a steep market sell-off prompted by fears of global recession, a raging Russian war in Ukraine, a complex regime of sanctions and sky-high energy...
Big Tech’s AI Gamble: Is Wall Street Ready to Wait? Welcome to this week’s edition of The Market Pulse, where we dive deep into the critical crossroads of AI innovation, tech earnings, and Wall Street's ticking clock. This week, the Magnificent 7—led by Microsoft, Tesla, Meta, and Apple—report quarterly results,...
Last year, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) officially cleared blockchain startup Blockstack to hold the first regulated security token offering (STO) under Reg A+ crowdfunding rules. This essentially means that Blockstack received regulatory approval to raise funds by selling Bitcoin-like, digital assets to the public. Just a day later,...
2023 has been a slow year for IPOs, due largely to tightening monetary policies and a slowdown of global economic growth according to a report issued by Ernst & Young. While the IPO landscape is quiet at the moment, it is believed that IPO activity will pick up once...
Globalization, the megatrend spawned by the physical connectivity of every corner of the world and solidified by digital connectivity, has once again come into sharp focus thanks to recent events such as Brexit, trade wars and the Trump administration’s effort to disrupt global supply chains controlled by China.  Yet, globalization...
The design of the Tesla Cybertruck generated a wide range of reactions when it was first unveiled in November 2019. These reactions were mixed, with some people enthusiastic about its futuristic, angular, and unconventional appearance, while others expressed skepticism or disappointment. Here are some of the key mixed reactions...