Insights

As one of the key platinum group metals, palladium is a highly prized commodity. It commands more monetary value than gold and is 30 times as rare, with industrial demand outstripping supply for the last decade.

Platinum is a metal that represents power, prestige, and a sense of great accomplishment. But platinum is so much more than just a status symbol. Modern day uses of platinum include being a key element in catalytic converters for vehicles, as it converts car exhaust gasses into less harmful substances, as a catalyst in the chemical industry, and even in the creation of life-saving anti-cancer drugs.

With palladium trading near record highs, we revisit the drivers behind palladium’s rise. Overall, we see continued support for palladium prices, even at the higher levels they’ve touched post-COVID. Supply and demand fundamentals have once again come into focus.

Palladium has been a standout performer, more than doubling in price in three years 2016 to 2018. YTD the white-hot metal is up more than 10% as of January 16, 2019. Palladium’s rise is best understood by analyzing its unique supply-demand dynamics. Russia and South Africa account for nearly 80% of the world's production, and a chronic supply deficit keeps pushing prices higher. 

Palladium is a key component for ICE autocatalysts. While the escalating U.S.-China trade war hurt many commodities in 2018, palladium continued to rise. Spot palladium gained 18.6% in 2018 and has climbed 124% since the beginning of 2016.

Platinum is one of the rarest of metals but often flies under the radar. In Part 2, we look at platinum supply-demand dynamics and explain why we believe that Platinum is too cheap to ignore. 

Platinum is one of the rarest of metals but often flies under the radar. In Part 1, we provide a Platinum Primer and explain why we are bullish on this essential metal, which plays a critical role in the automotive, industrial and jewelry sectors.