Lisa Reisman has spent her entire career in the metals business. She began as an aluminum trader, and after stints at other firms, she founded MetalMiner. Her clients are primarily original equipment manufacturers, including automakers, who buy a wide range of metal products. In this episode, she explains how her firm forecasts prices and why she is a “price purist.” She also explains how China became a dominant player in strategic elements like antimony, neodymium, gallium, and other metals. Please note that this episode was recorded on December 12, 2024. Reisman and I discussed the then-pending purchase of US Steel by Nippon Steel. Reisman said the US government should allow that deal to happen because Japan is a key US ally. On January 3, the Biden administration blocked that takeover. We also talked about copper, a metal that is getting lots of attention due to its critical role in the electricity sector. Reisman believes that the relatively weak copper prices over the past year are due, in part, to softer-than-expected demand for electric vehicles.

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