Almonty, Rheinmetall, Palantir - Strategic decisions in global competition

Almonty Industries strengthens American raw material independence - Plans to relocate headquarters to the US

The leading tungsten producer, Almonty Industries, announced at the start of Donald J. Trump's presidency that the company would relocate its headquarters from Canada to the US state of Delaware. This decision directly supports the "Make America Great Again" vision of a strengthened domestic industry and secure supply chains. The 47th President of the United States is also known to favor domestic companies in supply matters, thus increasing Almonty Industries' market potential.

The timing is ideal, as the trade war between the US and China is intensifying. China's Ministry of Commerce has imposed new export restrictions on strategic goods that specifically target US defense companies. The measure immediately bans the export of so-called dual-use products: materials and technologies that are used both in civilian and military industries.

The export restrictions affect 28 American defense contractors, including Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and General Dynamics, which are now banned from supplying dual-use goods. The companies mentioned are also on a list of "non-reliable companies". As a result, these companies can neither invest in China nor are their managers allowed to enter the country.

The relocation of Almonty Industries' headquarters to the US is planned for the first quarter of 2025. Almonty Industries will play a key role in the security of supply in the US market by reopening the Sangdong tungsten mine in South Korea. With its critical raw materials, the Company supports US national security. Already, 45% of the Almonty Sangdong mine's future tungsten production is secured for the US through a long-term supply agreement with the Pennsylvania-based company Global Tungsten & Powders.

"By changing our base of operations and jurisdiction of incorporation from Canada to the United States, we are aligning our corporate structure with the location of a significant portion of our shareholder base and enhancing our ability to access key US markets," CEO Lewis Black emphasizes this understandable decision. "This move underscores our strategic focus on growth and operational agility, and ensures that we remain competitive and are well positioned to create value for our stakeholders in a changing global environment."

Tungsten is indispensable for the US defense industry and high-tech applications. In addition to armaments, the metal is also used for nuclear reactors. The US operates 94 nuclear power plants for electricity generation. Tungsten has an extremely high density and is highly heat-resistant.

The execution of the relocation remains subject to the approval of courts, shareholders, and regulatory authorities, as well as compliance with all applicable legal requirements.

Rheinmetall AG: German Federal Cartel Office approves German-Italian armaments alliance

The green light shines brightly from the German Federal Cartel Office for an important German-Italian armaments project: Rheinmetall AG and the Italian Leonardo S.p.A. are permitted to establish their planned joint venture "Leonardo Rheinmetall Military Vehicles" (LRMV).

The joint venture will start with headquarters in Rome and an operational centre in La Spezia. Both partners will hold 50% of the business shares. The primary purpose of the joint venture is to develop a new Italian main battle tank based on the Rheinmetall Panther KF51 and to implement the "Armored Infantry Combat System" (AICS). The Italian army's AICS program involves the procurement of over 1,000 armored combat systems, for which the Lynx infantry fighting vehicle is to be used.

Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger emphasizes the strategic importance of the project: "Given the geopolitical situation, our project with Leonardo is of great importance for equipping the armed forces to meet the task at hand – and thus for security in Europe." The first major orders from the Italian side are expected in the coming months. The joint venture is to be established soon after the final regulatory approvals have been obtained.

Palantir on the road to success: AI business drives growth

The US tech company Palantir is expanding its position as a leading provider of AI solutions and establishing itself as the second strongest force in the market for AI platform software, directly behind Microsoft. This success is largely based on the Company's own Artificial Intelligence Platform (AIP), which uses innovative AI agents to drive automation processes. The AIP platform links company data with business logic and action systems in a semantic model. This allows AI-supported decisions to be integrated directly into ongoing business processes. At the same time, possible erroneous AI outputs are prevented by comparing them with real company data.

The development of the business figures is positive: The US business with commercial customers is developing particularly promisingly, and there is still enormous growth potential here. Analysts predict an increase in earnings per share to USD 0.38, an increase of 31% over the previous year.

But the competition is not sleeping. In particular, the USD 500 billion in funding from the White House for AI data centers in Texas is spurring competition. Crucial to Palantir's continued success will be its expansion into the commercial sector. The stock is trading at EUR 72.80 and has risen by 353.87% over the past year.

Almonty Industries will move its headquarters from Canada to the US, in particular, to improve the US's security of supply of critical raw materials such as tungsten, which is essential for the defense industry and high-tech applications. The move demonstrates Almonty's foresight for North American national security and its adaptation to the intensifying trade relationship between the US and China. The relocation is planned for the first quarter of 2025. Rheinmetall AG is launching a joint venture with the Italian company Leonardo S.p.A. Both partners will better equip their armed forces, especially the ground forces. This includes the development of a new Italian main battle tank based on Rheinmetall technology. Palantir is showing strong growth in the AI market, especially through its in-house AIP platform, which enables automation processes based on real company data. Expansion in the commercial sector in the US offers strong growth potential. Despite strong competition from Microsoft, Palantir is positioning itself as a leading provider of AI solutions. The stock has seen a 353.87% increase in the last year.