Commodities | Nov 06 2006
By Rudi Filapek-Vandyck
FN Arena’s recent reporting on uranium has led to various responses and follow-ups in the North American markets (see also Rudi On Thursday from last week).
Type uranium and search for News via Google and the second cluster on display contains a series of stories that all quote or mention our service (on Monday morning, 6th November).
One of these stories is from our friends at Stockinterview.com, informing us that the uranium spot price has stabilised at the previous week’s breakthrough price of US$60.25/lb.
Expectations are that uranium’s spot price will rise further over the coming weeks.
With permission of Stockinterview.com, we hereby re-publish the latest update on matters.
Weekly Uranium Spot Price Takes a Breather
By James Finch
After a record percentage jump of 7 percent the previous week, TradeTech’s Uranium spot indicator stalled at US$60.25/pound. According to the consulting service, which is the first to report changes in the spot price, “small quantities of uranium” were offered at the current price.
TradeTech Chief Executive Gene Clark said, “One off-market transaction involving delivery before year-end was concluded this week at, or very near to, TradeTech’s Spot Price Indicator of $60.25 per pound U3O8.” The term U3O8 refers to uranium oxide, which is the processed uranium before conversion and enrichment for use in powering nuclear reactors.
The spot uranium price has been moving higher through 2006. It has doubled in the past 14 months. “While most sellers adopted a ‘wait and see’ attitude, a few decided to capitalize on the recent price run-up,” Clark said. “These decisions were prompted by end of year cash needs.” Clark explained why there were offers being made available by sellers, “When it gets close to closing the fiscal year, and some sellers see an opportunity to book a sale accompanied with payment before the year ends, offer prices often reflect that hunger for cash.”
Clark expects market fundamentals to supper further price increases. Uranium pricing strengthened after a Cameco Corp’s advanced uranium project was flooded on October 23rd. Known as Cigar Lake, the uranium mine was anticipated to calm an excited uranium market by providing as many as 18 million pounds of nuclear fuel to global utilities. Utilities were already anticipating a shortage in uranium because of increased Asian demand and the termination of the Russian HEU deal, which benefited U.S. electric utilities.
“The timing of the Cigar Lake flooding, coincident with the need of some sellers to generate cash at year-end, means buyers have a brief window of opportunity to obtain uranium at prices that will likely be considered a bargain in the not-too-distant future,” Clark concluded.