Manufacturing

Last year, I posted a blog entitled ‘But Nothing’s Changed’, describing how the artificial intelligence (AI) bubble and market boom could end. I explained how investors will realise that even though AI technology – hailed as the 4^th Industrial Revolution – will change the course of human history, it probably won’t do so tomorrow. And therefore, share prices were at risk of setbacks because there will be commercial bumps (delays in data centre builds, changes in interest rates, shortages of energy and water, and not all companies can win) along the way to an AI ‘utopia’. While timing a change in sentiment is impossible, the hype surrounding general-purpose technologies, including AI, makes such a change inevitable. It’s always been so. continue…

by Roger Montgomery Posted in Manufacturing, Market commentary, Technology & Telecommunications.

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Having returned to work after a little rest and respite, I was recently confronted, nay, berated, by headlines about Labor’s deal to slash borrowing costs for electric vehicles (EVs) as it scrambles to meet climate targets.

While I was away, I saw the chart in Figure 1 and immediately realised the futility of our efforts to influence the global climate, concluding that Labor’s schemes appear to be driven by ideology rather than evidence. continue…

by Roger Montgomery Posted in Energy / Resources, Manufacturing, Market commentary.

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It has struck me as curious that one of the sectors of the global market that was hit after the pandemic lockdowns were lifted but has generally failed to recover, is luxury retail. 

I have long believed that many prestige brands, such as Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Prada, and Ralph Lauren, are now so common on street corners and in shopping centres and malls that they verge on being more mass-market than exclusive, more masstige than prestige. One questions how much longer they can sustain their high margins if consumers become unwilling to pay ever-increasing prices for items that can be bought just about anywhere. continue…

by Roger Montgomery Posted in Companies, Global markets, Manufacturing, Market commentary.

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Investors must understand that correctly predicting artificial intelligence (AI) technology will change the course of humanity, even if for the better, does not automatically translate to desirable investment returns.

General Purpose Technologies (GPT) of the past, such as the automobile, electricity, commercial flight, steam locomotion and TV, have all changed the course of human history and yet more than a thousand car manufacturers have disappeared from the U.S. and none exist today that are profitable and have not been bailed out by government or private equity. continue…

by Roger Montgomery Posted in Global markets, Manufacturing, Market commentary, Technology & Telecommunications.

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In the sun-drenched suburbs of Sydney and the graffiti-covered laneways of Melbourne, electric vehicles (EVs) are silently zipping around, charging up in garages, and bringing smiles to the faces of those who voted for Labor’s march toward net zero.

It is, without doubt, a feel-good story: cleaner air for the user, reduced emissions for the suburb, and tech-savvy signalling to everyone else on the road. But beneath the glossy ads and government incentives lies a darker undercurrent – one that cybersecurity experts, former military leaders, and national security advisors have recently shouted from the rooftops. continue…

by Roger Montgomery Posted in Manufacturing.

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Most of the time, prices for a security or a commodity trade in fairly narrow bands. Sure, prices trend because information isn’t distributed universally, and it takes time and confirmation for people to buy in or sell out, but on a daily (or even weekly) basis, price ranges and volumes are generally pretty narrow. 

A few times every decade, however, you will experience or witness some truly epic moves over very short periods of time. When you see these, it may be helpful to be positioned with cash and access to research. I am not sure if the latest ‘epic’ move turns out to be one of those opportunities, but I do believe it is worthy of further attention. And like I said, they only happen a few times in a decade. continue…

by Roger Montgomery Posted in Energy / Resources, Manufacturing.

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• POSTED IN Energy / Resources, Manufacturing

The Whyalla Steelworks was established in 1941 and employs 1,100 people. The Mount Isa copper smelter was established in 1953 and employs 550 people, and the Townsville refinery was established in 1959 and employs 500 people. Without enormous government subsidisation, all three businesses look like they will follow the Exxon Mobile refinery, Oceana Glass and plastics makers, Qenos and Trident, into oblivion. continue…

by David Buckland Posted in Energy / Resources, Manufacturing, Market commentary, Property.

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Metallurgical or coking coal, a major input in steelmaking, has seen its price decline from US$670/tonne to the current US$183/tonne over the past three years. A global oversupply of steel, low steel prices and uncertainty regarding global trade has led to muted demand. continue…

by David Buckland Posted in Energy / Resources, Manufacturing, Market commentary.

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In 2023 and 2024, I wrote several blog posts positing that Tesla may be just another car company. A couple of example articles can be found here and here.

The share price of Tesla on the date of those two blog posts was about US$274.00 and US$171.00, respectively. The price of Tesla shares, thanks in no small part to Trump’s election as U.S. President and Elon Musk’s pre-election support, subsequently rallied to over US$400.00 per share, and after a more recent 50 per cent decline, the price as of 7 April 2025 is US$239.43. continue…

by Roger Montgomery Posted in Manufacturing.

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Sales of new vehicles in Australia depict a clouded and muted picture. The market has faced its seventh decline in the last eight months, with February sales down 7.9 per cent compared to the same period last year. However, it’s important to note that the February 2025 figures represent the second highest February volume on record, surpassed only by last year. continue…

by Roger Montgomery Posted in Manufacturing.

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• POSTED IN Manufacturing