Alex Hamer

News Editor and Resources Writer at Investors Chronicle Magazine

Investors’ Chronicle news editor/resources writer in London, writing about shiny stuff. Formerly of @miningonline, @ballaratcourier. Opinions mine, etc.

Articles

Pennon plans £3.8bn spend as dividend drops 14%

4 days ago | investorschronicle.co.uk | Alex Hamer

The headline figures in Pennon’s (PNN) full-year results – revenue up 15 per cent to £1.05bn and a pre-tax loss of £73mn – don’t capture the full picture as the company, which owns South West Water, is shifting to a new regulatory period and has been hit by exceptional costs of £38mn. This last figure includes £21mn relating to the outbreak of a parasite in the drinking water supplied to Brixham in Devon, as flagged in the company’s half-year results.
Platinum giant lists in London amid hopes of market turnaround

4 days ago | investorschronicle.co.uk | Alex Hamer

Anglo American adds a secondary listing as part of the mining group’s restructuringPublished on June 3, 2025London has a new major mining company this week as Anglo American (AAL) demerges Valterra Platinum (VALT), and the secondary listing arrives amid early signs of a recovery for the precious metal price. A market value of £8bn makes Valterra one of London’s largest pure-play mining companies, just behind Fresnillo (FRES) and Antofagasta (ANTO).
This bargain oil stock is building for the future

2 weeks ago | investorschronicle.co.uk | Alex Hamer

The African producer is in a temporary fallow period, but the share price has fallen too farPublished on May 22, 2025Despite reduced interest from generalist buyers and a lack of new listings, the London market does still have a competitive junior energy sector. This is helped by companies from the US and Canada picking London as a complementary listing to their New York or Toronto presence. The whittling down of the sector has also served to cut away some of the poorest performers.
Rio Tinto CEO in shock resignation

2 weeks ago | investorschronicle.co.uk | Alex Hamer

Jakob Stausholm will leave Rio Tinto (RIO) once a successor is found, the company has said in a surprise announcement. The chief executive has run Rio, one of the world’s largest mining companies, since 2021. He was promoted from chief financial officer after Jean-Sébastien Jacques stood down following the Juukan Gorge destruction.
Jadestone Energy loss halves on new gas output

2 weeks ago | investorschronicle.co.uk | Alex Hamer

New chief executive in placeProduction on the riseJadestone Energy (JSE) has been a poor investment for years, with operational issues knocking production and taking the company’s share price to an all-time low of below 20p last month. At the same time, an onshore gas project in Indonesia, Akatara, has helped increase production to a record high and reversed the slide in profitability seen between 2023 and 2024.
Central Asia Metals lands new mine

2 weeks ago | investorschronicle.co.uk | Alex Hamer

Central Asia Metals (CAML) has finally lined up a “transformative” acquisition, after years of hunting for a replacement for its ageing Kounrad operation in Kazakhstan. The pick is a yet-to-be-built copper mine in Arizona, to be acquired through the $119mn buyout of New World Resources (AU:NWC). This could double CAML’s copper output if built before the Kounrad operation shuts down as expected in the mid-2030s.
Sink or swim: gold miners have a wave of cash on the way

2 weeks ago | investorschronicle.co.uk | Alex Hamer

Mining companies have often wasted opportunities in boom times, but the new crop of gold leaders insist this time will be differentPublished on May 19, 2025Gold miners have often promised investors growth for growth’s sake, spending on expansion only to see higher operating costs and the cost of capital erode returns.
It’s time for National Grid to deliver

3 weeks ago | investorschronicle.co.uk | Alex Hamer

Profits climb on higher US energy ratesDividend per share down after equity issueThe money is raised, the plan is in place. Now it’s time for National Grid (NG.) to actually ramp up spending and show investors that its plan to fix the UK’s power systems will be possible. The company raised £7bn in new equity last year to help fund £35bn in capital spending between 2026 and 2031.
Is it finally time for cobalt to make a comeback?

3 weeks ago | investorschronicle.co.uk | Alex Hamer

Cobalt is very cheap. The metal, used in lithium-ion batteries and the subject of bull runs in 2016-2018 and 2021-2022, is in real terms less expensive than a decade ago and potentially much further back. This is quite a comedown from a few years ago, when the world’s largest carmakers were knocking on Glencore’s (GLEN) door for guaranteed supply and being rebuffed.
Reap the rewards of this miner’s radical strategy

4 weeks ago | investorschronicle.co.uk | Alex Hamer

Anglo American (AAL) shareholders have been on a rollercoaster ride since December 2023. That was when the miner detailed a host of production issues that would knock 2024 and 2025 output, mostly in the copper division that management had previously said would spur group earnings through to the second half of the decade. The resulting share price plunge was enough to alert its competitors to a buyout opportunity.