Market Watch
Going Nuclear |
By Rick Pendergraft The calendar is very full this week, with numerous reports that will have an impact on this skittish market. Every day except Wednesday has a report due out that has clout. |
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| Going Nuclear |
| Thursday, 22 May 2008 | ||||||||
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Uranium was once white-hot, but it’s so cold now you could use it to chill a six-pack of beer.That seems to be changing, though. Just look at the action in the Market Vectors Global Nuclear Energy ETF (NLR). This ETF tracks a basket of 38 companies from around the world that are engaged in nuclear plant infrastructure, uranium mining, uranium enrichment, uranium storage, nuclear generation, nuclear equipment and nuclear fuel transportation -- stocks like Areva, Cameco, Hitachi and more. ![]() What’s driving the nuclear sector higher? Fueling this move is a pair of recent reports from Merrill Lynch and MacQuarie. Both reports were bullish, and they seemed to reignite investor interest. The spot uranium price is now $60 a pound, while the long-term contract price is around $90. It’s likely this disconnect will change, probably by the spot price rising.
There are 433 nuclear plants in operation worldwide, 33 under construction, 91 in advanced planning stages, and over 200 proposed. According to the World Nuclear Association, China alone will build 35 reactors in the next 10 years, and has 86 more on the drawing boards. This would raise its nuclear electricity producing capacity by 300%! This is a speculative play only... but if you want to plug in to what could be the OTHER big energy play of the summer, consider NLR.
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