UK 17:07 Friday, 30 October 2026
Breaking news and expert analysis on fast-moving AIM and LSE listed shares
Early this year we showed the top shorted London-listed shares at the start of 2019. How's the performance at the end of July? (those in bold remain from 2018)...
Hello, Share Crimpers. It’s not often I commend shares in a mining operation. And I have especially avoided talking about the very big miners. The reason is that one can never say with confidence if commodity prices are going to rise or fall. However, there are clear signs that general demand for metals and minerals is at last improving.
Hello Share Twiddlers. I’ve not looked at the giant miner Anglo American (AAL) for some years now. In general, mining companies have not inspired optimists like me over the last few years. The carnage has been terrible. But I’m getting the feeling that all the over-selling has come to an end now, to be replaced by the opposite activity.
Hello Share Scoopers. It takes a bit of nerve these days to invest in a big miner. Many of us have lost a packet as the world commodity market hit the skids a couple of years ago and has yet to recover to a comfortable level.
Strange missives from Whitman Howard the broker employing the world's Number 1 Mining analyst Roger Bade. It all started with an "unusual" note he published on Anglo American (AAL) which was emailed to clients on 16 February:
It is a big week for the FTSE-100’s large cap miners. With the Bloomberg Commodity Index yesterday falling to its lowest level since June 1999 sentiment is – to choose a suitable mining metaphor – crushed. Glencore (GLEN) hosts an investor update on Thursday, Rio Tinto (RIO) has announced new capex cuts ahead of an update from its important aluminium division later today whilst Anglo American (AAL) has updated the stock market this morning.
When I penned my observations on Anglos American (AAL) the mining giant last week, my favourable impression of the company and its shares was partly based on the assumption that the management would be disposing of its old, inefficient and troublesome platinum mines that have hung about the company’s neck like a ton of bricks. Now we have reports that the company plans to sell off three shafts in the Rustenburg area of South Africa, further confirming my ‘good value’ estimation at the then share price of 1514p. Last seen the Anglo American share price was 1583p; up 4.5% in about a week and intimating a further challenge to recent one year share price resistance, at just above 1600p (have a look).
As a general follower of companies and shares – a “generalist” - I base my opinions (right or wrong) not on specialisation of interest and information, but on what is called fundamentals; those measures of value in the here and now. The future is always unknown; the here and now is not - subject to interpretation of course. When I look at Anglo American (AAL) for example I do not do so a mining sector expert, but as the generalist value hunter.
Anglo American Corporation (AAL) was the subject of a review I produced in January when the share price was 1366p. I concluded that for both fundamental and technical reasons the shares looked good value. I note that the share price moved up to 1600p, but has since come down to 1433p. This fall has been caused by the latest Chinese GDP growth and export doubts and unexpectedly bad news. They look like a buy again.
Taking a serious interest in Anglo American (AAL) the mining company has become a rather ghoulish activity; a bit like hanging around Highgate Cemetery after midnight. Why does one do it?
George Osborne’s father in law who thinks that ‘fracking’ should be confined to desolate places could well have suggested the Anglo American (AAL) company share price, which has looked pretty desolate until quite recently. Not long ago
