SUPPLY AND DEMAND

Chinese entrench iron ore discount

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Original article by Paul Garvey
The Australian – Page: 20 : 24-Oct-17

The price discount between iron ore with 62 per cent content and lower-grade ore has traditionally been within the range of 10-15 per cent, although it has widened significantly in 2017. Chris Salisbury, the head of Rio Tinto’s iron ore division, says China’s decision to curb steel production during winter should not affect demand for Rio’s higher-grade iron ore. He adds that this in turn will ensure that the price discount will be sustained. Salisbury also says the widening discount appears to be structural.

CORPORATES
RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, ATLAS IRON LIMITED – ASX AGO, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD, TAFE WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Gas controls raise world LNG prices

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Original article by Angela Macdonald-Smith, Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 4-Oct-17

The Federal Government has signed a heads of agreement with Origin Energy, Santo and Shell that will avoid the need for it to impose LNG export controls. The LNG producers have committed to supplying sufficient gas to the domestic market to meet expected shortfalls in 2018 and 2019. The agreement also makes provision for any gas that is surplus to their contractual requirements to be offered to the domestic market first. Meanwhile, speculation that Australia’s LNG exports will be curbed has prompted a sharp rise in spot prices in North Asia in recent weeks.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY, ORIGIN ENERGY LIMITED – ASX ORG, SANTOS LIMITED – ASX STO, SHELL COMPANY OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN PETROLEUM PRODUCTION AND EXPLORATION ASSOCIATION LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA PACIFIC LNG LIMITED, GLADSTONE LNG PTY LTD, WOOD MACKENZIE, JP MORGAN AUSTRALIA LIMITED

New threat to power supply

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Original article by Mark Ludlow, Angela Macdonald-Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 20-Sep-17

Consumers and businesses face further electricity price rises as operators of coal-fired power plants in New South Wales are having to pay higher prices for coal under new supply contracts. NSW power stations’ coal usage has also risen sharply in the wake of the closure of the Hazelwood plant in Victoria, while the state’s coal mines are struggling to meet demand as 80 per cent of their output is exported. Limited capacity on the NSW rail freight network is also a challenge for power generators, while there is an ongoing industrial dispute at Glencore’s coal mines.

CORPORATES
GLENCORE PLC, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN ENERGY MARKET OPERATOR LIMITED, AGL ENERGY LIMITED – ASX AGL, ENERGYAUSTRALIA PTY LTD, DELTA ELECTRICITY AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN ENERGY COUNCIL

Resurgent miners see tighter labour market

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Original article by Paul Garvey
The Australian – Page: 21 : 13-Sep-17

The number of mining-related job vacancies in Australia is almost 40 per cent higher than 12 months ago, according to new data from DFP Recruitment Services. Job vacancies for engineers have risen by 78.5 per cent in the last year, after a sharp slump in demand for such professionals following the mining industry downturn. Meanwhile, job vacancies in Western Australia’s iron ore sector have risen by 57 per cent. Mining executives note that some staff are being poached, particularly those with specialists skills.

CORPORATES
DFP RECRUITMENT SERVICES PTY LTD, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, INDEPENDENCE GROUP NL – ASX IGO, SOUTH32 LIMITED – ASX S32, BIS INDUSTRIES LIMITED

India-Exxon deal to cut gas price bodes ill

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Original article by Paul Garvey
The Australian – Page: 20 : 12-Sep-17

The global oversupply of LNG has prompted India-based Petronet to renegotiate its 20-year Gorgon LNG supply contract with ExxonMobil. Petronet is believed to have secured a deal to reduce the price it pays by $US1.10 to $US1.30 per unit. Industry analysts say other Gorgon buyers may also seek to renegotiate their supply contracts, as part of a global trend for LNG buyers to do so. Saul Kavonic of Wood Mackenzie analyst says the biggest risk for Australian LNG producers will be if major Asian buyers such as Japan and China seek to renegotiate supply contracts.

CORPORATES
EXXONMOBIL CORPORATION, PETRONET INDIA LIMITED, GORGON JOINT VENTURE, WOOD MACKENZIE, WOODSIDE PETROLEUM LIMITED – ASX WPL, OIL SEARCH LIMITED – ASX OSH, SANTOS LIMITED – ASX STO, ORIGIN ENERGY LIMITED – ASX ORG, RBC CAPITAL MARKETS

Nickel miner pins hopes on electric cars

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Original article by Paul Garvey
The Australian – Page: 18 : 11-Sep-17

Australian-listed Independence Group is well-placed to benefit from rising demand for nickel, cobalt and copper as sales of electric vehicles rise. The company’s Nova mine produces all three metals, and Independence MD Peter Bradford says it has received a number of enquiries regarding supply deals when existing off-take arrangements with BHP Billiton and Glencore expire. Bradford notes that factors other than demand from the electric vehicle industry have prompted the recent rise in the price of nickel and copper.

CORPORATES
INDEPENDENCE GROUP NL – ASX IGO, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, GLENCORE PLC, SIRIUS RESOURCES NL, PANORAMIC RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX PAN, MINCOR RESOURCES NL – ASX MCR, FIRST QUANTUM MINERALS LIMITED, TESLA INCORPORATED

Santos to divert gas

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Original article by Angela Macdonald-Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 & 28 : 8-Sep-17

Santos has pre-empted the Federal Government’s decision on triggering the Australian Domestic Gas Security Mechanism by agreeing to redirect 30 petajoules of gas from the Gladstone LNG export project to the domestic market in 2018 and 2019. The LNG buyer that has agreed to accept reduced exports is believed to be either Petronas or Korea Gas Company, which are partners in the GLNG project. Santos also recently struck a deal to supply gas to the Pelican Point power station in South Australia. Wood Mackenzie estimates that the latest deal will ensure that the gas shortfall on the east coast will be minimal in 2018.

CORPORATES
SANTOS LIMITED – ASX STO, GLADSTONE LNG PTY LTD, PETRONAS GAS BHD, KOREA GAS CORPORATION, WOOD MACKENZIE, TOTAL SA, SHELL COMPANY OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED, QUEENSLAND CURTIS LNG PTY LTD, ENGIE SA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Affordability likely to stall for 40 years

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Original article by Jacob Greber
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 29-Aug-17

Housing affordability may not improve for another four decades, according to the Committee for Economic Development of Australia. Factors that may bring about an improvement include increases in capital gains tax and more supply of land for housing. The CEDA also expects the proportion of Australians living in capital cities to rise in coming decades, and notes that this may only serve to increase wealth inequality, while low-income workers will struggle to find accommodation in large cities. The CEDA notes that the housing market appears to be geared to producing homes at a lower rate than is needed, thereby contributing to higher prices and reduced affordability.

CORPORATES
COMMITTEE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF AUSTRALIA

Santos to supply gas for Pelican Point generator

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Original article by Angela Macdonald-Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 15-Aug-17

Wood Mackenzie says the Gladstone LNG project’s latest gas supply deal will make it less likely that the Australian Domestic Gas Security Mechanism will be enforced in 2018. The Santos-led project will supply 15 petajoules of gas to Engie’s Pelican Point power station in South Australia over two years. Santos is poised to announce details of additional domestic gas supply contracts. The two rival LNG export projects in Queensland have also secured domestic gas supply deals in recent months.

CORPORATES
SANTOS LIMITED – ASX STO, GLADSTONE LNG PTY LTD, WOOD MACKENZIE, AUSTRALIA PACIFIC LNG LIMITED, QUEENSLAND CURTIS LNG PTY LTD, ORIGIN ENERGY LIMITED – ASX ORG, ROYAL DUTCH SHELL PLC, QUEENSLAND GAS COMPANY LIMITED, ENGIE SA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND SCIENCE, KOREA GAS CORPORATION, PETROLIAM NASIONAL BERHAD, TOTAL SA

Copper prices tipped to reach boomtime high

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Original article by Matt Chambers
The Australian – Page: 20 : 27-Jul-17

The copper price has risen to its highest level in two years, at around $US2.84 a pound, due to factors such as supply constraints and China’s economic growth. Freeport-McMoRan CEO Richard Adkerson says rising demand for copper is likely to push the price of the metal above $US4/pound for the first time since 2011. He notes that a mooted large increase in global copper supply in 2016 did not eventuate, and he add that developing new copper mines is not viable at prices of $US2.50/pound or less.

CORPORATES
FREEPORT-McMORAN COPPER AND GOLD INCORPORATED, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, OZ MINERALS LIMITED – ASX OZL