Lighting news for investors
The lighting business is changing rapidly and that is creating opportunities for investors. Traditional companies are adapting rapidly or being left behind and new-tech companies are proving their worth or having short lives. Innovation is rampant and there is no clear technology or industry leader yet.
Rare earth elements are good investments now
Rare earth elements and lithium, usually pretty far under most investors’ radar, are making headlines lately. Because of China’s huge and growing domestic electronics and solar industries, they have needed to cut exports the keep Chinese businesses supplied. As China currently supplies more than 95% of the world’s rare earth elements, the diminishing exports are a cause for serious concern. The rest of the world is scrambling to find alternative supplies of these very important additives. Electric vehicles and the ever growing list of other battery-dependent products is driving the value of lithium.
Add to China’s reduced export quotas a growing tension about trade in general over allegations of currency manipulation and the stage is set for a lot of anxiety. That anxiety may be warranted is borne out by China’s total cut-off of exports to Japan for several weeks. There have also been rumors, denied by China, that the U.S. could be similarly cut off from rare earth supplies if they force the currency issue.
Manipulated markets can cause ruin
Today we have another guest post by Ron Robins, founder and analyst of Investing for the Soul. Ron’s post warns of some of the dangers of governments trying to manipulate currency markets. This subject is the current cause of much tension between the U.S. and China and is also driving uncertainty on Wall Street and the precious metals markets.
Market manipulations eventually led to Soviet economic collapse. Though not as overt as the Soviets, it is the manipulation of currencies and interest rates by major economic powers that has mostly led to massive misalignments is investment and consumption that pose extraordinary dangers to global economic health.