Many trendwatchers are saying that lithium is the “mineral of the future,” and now there will be an exchange traded fund (ETF) to get this much-coveted exposure.
Global X and MC Capital Advisors have teamed up to launch the ETF industry’s first lithium-focused fund. Carolyn Cui for The Wall Street Journal explains that MC Capital provided seed money to New York-based Global X Management Co., to start the ETF, and will receive half the ETF’s profits.
Big News Biz reports that demand for lithium is already high because of its use in cell phone batteries, laptops and, most importantly, car batteries. [Green ETFs Get a Boost from Washington.]
This is a market with real growth potential. Deutsche Bank estimates that the lithium-ion battery market will hit $15 billion this year and $40 billion in the upcoming years, all on the strength of the growing electric car industry. Bernie Woodal for Reuters reports that in five years, the overall price for lithium batteries that charge electric cars is going to drop about 70%, perhaps making them even more desirable than they are now. The cost of them has been cited as a major obstacle to the industry’s growth. [Platinum ETFs: The Gold Alternative?]
Lithium doesn’t occur freely in nature, but it’s found in small amounts in igneous rocks and the water of mineral springs, according to the Royal Society of Chemistry.
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Tisha Guerrero contributed to this article.
The opinions and forecasts expressed herein are solely those of Tom Lydon, and may not actually come to pass. Information on this site should not be used or construed as an offer to sell, a solicitation of an offer to buy, or a recommendation for any product.