Ethanol blending as a concept has roots in 1826. In 1876 a more evolved use began. Nicolaus Otto, the inventor of the modern 4-cycle IC engine, used ethanol to power an early engine

Modern industry has its root in crony capitalism of 1960-70s in US

It's still a sunrise sector🙄

Why Gold could be 'The' asset to focus on and how to play it?

In 2021, gold hasn't done much. Its down 6% YTD. It was up a clean 20% in 2020.

What could be in store ahead. A thread 🧵 explaining drivers and way ahead.

There are 4 factors that are key to watch

1. Massive financial debasement across the world

2. Negative Real Interest rates

3. Gold's unique diversification edge

4. Incremental demand Vs limited supply

Financial debasement
US Fed's balance sheet has doubled from $4.2 trn to $8.4trn since COVID began. Similarly ECB, BOJ, BOE and EM central banks have embarked on massive monetary stimulus.

This was used to finance Govt deficit. This monetization/debasement is bullish for Gold.

Negative real rates
Gold prices follow moves in interest rates. Real interest rates are the nominal level of interest rates minus the inflation rate. Negative real rates erode the value of money. Gold being a store of value benefits from this...

Real rates are the most negative that they have been. Even junk bond yields have turned negative adjusted for inflation.
Gold moves inline with moves in real rates. With inflation still above normal trend and central banks likely to keep rates low, Gold is likely to benefit.

The real estate market in India expanded at a CAGR of ~10% from $50bn to $120bn between 2008-17.

It's estimated to expand at a CAGR of 17.7% to $1tn by 2030. It will added $820bn in 10 years from $180bn in 2020.

Will throw a number of opportunities along the way.

Why and when the markets stopped caring about the Russia-Ukraine conflict? A short thread🧵

The news coming in from Ukraine remains concerning with huge losses and humanitarian crisis.

But for the last 10 days the markets seems to 'Not Care' and react to the news.

Read why

Markets become very jittery if they can sense a large financial panic because of an external event.

One gauge to measure what the market is pricing-in is the funding stress indicator.

For instance, the FRA-OIS spread in US measures the funding stress in interbank markets.

The FRA-OIS spread, which measures the gap between the U.S three-month forward rate agreement and the overnight index swap rate, is an indicator similar to the TED Spread.

TED spread gained a large analyst following during the global financial crisis in 2008.

The FRA/OIS spread expanded from under 5bps to 38bps since Russia Ukraine crisis began.

The same spread had jumped to 80 from 10 during the COVID crisis scare before US Fed and other central banks stepped in.

Take a look at the graph.

What does this mean?

Equity, bonds and currency markets are most sensitive to problems in interbank markets. Why?

Because interbank markets runs financial markets to a very degree. From margin payment in f&o segment, to short term credit, to credit for economy ....

@moneyworks4u_fa @shivaji_1983 @_gauravchopra Not just copper

Why & how does rising Crude Oil hurt India?

A short thread 🧵

India is the 3rd largest consumer of Oil at 5.35 million barrels per day (MBPD) behind US (21.2mbpd) and China (15.1mbpd)

India imports nearly 85% of its total Crude oil consumption every year.

India's own production has been below 700,000 barrels per day for a long time.

India imports oil in the following share as per FY 21 numbers:

Iran 17%,
Saudi Arabia 16%,
UAE 14%,
USA 9%,
Qatar 8%,
Others 38%

India import share for Oil from Russia is under 2%, an insignificant number.

India imports about 290 Million tones of Oil in a year.

Assuming that Oil prices are at $75 (last year),
India's oil import bill is ~ $165bn

India exports refined petroleum products as well. At $75 oil price those exports would amount to $58bn

=Oil trade deficit of $105bn

Oil at:
$100, India's oil trade deficit (imports - exports) would be ~ $140bn

For every $10 rise in Crude Oil from say $100, India's oil trade deficit will rise by ~$15bn

For instance at $120 Oil price it would be ~ $170bn

@Drrajeshbheda @unseenvalue @contrarianEPS 😜

GAIL: Expect marketing biz to do well this yr considering the prices are higher, crude to remain above $60/bbl

Have submitted 2 pipelines to MoPNG for asset monetisation approval from cabinet

LNG import target at 130 cargoes of which 40-45 will come from US

GAIL: Will look at the renewable portfolio of 400 MW under SECI projects with EPC partner BHEL

GAIL plans to venture into JV for 1000 liter per day ethanol-blended production

GAIL to issue expression of interest for ethanol-blended production project within 2 months

#SUGAR

Shared this update on sugar stocks in Feb on telegram.

Some of them have moved a bit but this is just the beginning.

Way sugar is setting up, it can very well replicate pharma rally of 2020.

However, looks extended on smaller tf. Will wait here for some retracement.

Sugar industry is poised to change drastically over the coming years from cyclical to structural.
We can fall in the footsteps of Brazil which produces ethanol and sugar equally from sugarcane and reduce the overcapacity issue of industry.
A thread

Retweet if you find it useful

Let's first understand how a sugar factory works:
Sugarcane is crushed in a sugar factory that primarily extracts sugar syrup and fiber which is called bagasse. Bagasse is used to generate electricity, the excess power generates is then sold to the electricity companies.

Sugar syrup is then boiled to extract sugar, the syrup can be boiled up to three times to extract maximum sugar, and the residue left is known as molasses
Molasses can be further processed to generate ethanol and alcohol

The sugar syrup if being boiled twice generate B heavy molasses which has more sugar content hence can generate higher ethanol, the syrup boiled three times leaves C heavy molasses which has very low sugar content having lower ethanol yield

Ethanol can also be extracted directly from sugar syrup without making sugar, this leads to the highest ethanol yield and also fetches higher ethanol prices in the market.