BlackRock World Mining Trust plc (LON:BRWM) has announced its latest portfolio update.
All information is at 31 July 2023 and unaudited.
For more information on the Blackrock World Mining Trust and how to access the opportunities presented by mining, please visit www.blackrock.com/uk/brwm
| Performance at month end with net income reinvested | |||||
| One | Three | One | Three | Five | |
| Month | Months | Year | Years | Years | |
| Net asset value | 5.2% | 1.6% | 16.5% | 67.5% | 87.7% |
| Share price | 4.8% | -3.0% | 11.5% | 83.3% | 118.4% |
| MSCI ACWI Metals & Mining 30% Buffer 10/40 Index (Net)* | 6.6% | 1.4% | 17.1% | 48.3% | 60.2% |
| * (Total return)Sources: BlackRock, MSCI ACWI Metals & Mining 30% Buffer 10/40 Index, Datastream | |||||
At month end
| Net asset value (including income)1: | 644.46p |
| Net asset value (capital only): | 634.91p |
| Share price: | 628.00p |
| Discount to NAV2: | 2.6% |
| Total assets: | £1,380.5m |
| Net yield3: | 6.4% |
| Net gearing: | 9.7% |
| Ordinary shares in issue: | 191,183,036 |
| Ordinary shares held in Treasury: | 1,828,806 |
| Ongoing charges4: | 0.95% |
| Ongoing charges5: | 0.84% |
1 Includes net revenue of 9.55p
2 Discount to NAV including income.
3 Based on a second and third interim dividend of 5.50p per share declared on 23 August 2022 and 16 November 2022 respectively, a final dividend of 23.50p per share recommended on 2 March 2023 in respect of year ended 31 December 2022, and a first interim dividend of 5.50p per share declared on 18 April 2023 in respect of the year ending 31 December 2023.
4 The Company’s ongoing charges are calculated as a percentage of average daily net assets and using the management fee and all other operating expenses, excluding finance costs, direct transaction costs, custody transaction charges, VAT recovered, taxation and certain other non-recurring items for the year ended 31 December 2022.
5 The Company’s ongoing charges are calculated as a percentage of average daily gross assets and using the management fee and all other operating expenses, excluding finance costs, direct transaction costs, custody transaction charges, VAT recovered, taxation and certain other non-recurring items for the year ended 31 December 2022.
| Country Analysis | Total Assets (%) |
| Global | 64.0 |
| Australasia | 9.9 |
| Latin America | 8.9 |
| United States | 6.4 |
| Canada | 4.4 |
| Other Africa | 3.0 |
| Indonesia | 0.8 |
| South Africa | 0.3 |
| United Kingdom | 0.2 |
| Net Current Assets | 2.1 |
| —– | |
| 100.0 | |
| ===== | |
| Sector Analysis | Total Assets (%) |
| Diversified | 34.1 |
| Copper | 24.2 |
| Gold | 14.6 |
| Industrial Minerals | 7.3 |
| Steel | 6.4 |
| Aluminium | 3.1 |
| Platinum Group Metals | 2.5 |
| Iron Ore | 2.1 |
| Nickel | 1.3 |
| Uranium | 1.1 |
| Mining Services | 1.1 |
| Zinc | 0.1 |
| Net Current Assets | 2.1 |
| —– | |
| 100.0 | |
| ===== | |
| Ten largest investments | |
| Company | Total Assets % |
| BHP: | |
| Equity | 8.4 |
| Royalty | 1.4 |
| Vale: | |
| Equity | 5.7 |
| Debenture | 2.3 |
| Glencore | 7.9 |
| Freeport-McMoRan | 4.0 |
| First Quantum Minerals: | |
| Equity | 3.3 |
| Bond | 0.7 |
| Rio Tinto | 3.6 |
| Teck Resources | 3.5 |
| Ivanhoe Electric | 3.2 |
| Wheaton Precious Metals | 2.9 |
| Newmont Mining | 2.9 |
| Asset Analysis | Total Assets (%) |
| Equity | 95.8 |
| Bonds | 2.1 |
| Net Current Assets | 2.1 |
| —– | |
| 100.0 | |
| ===== |
Commenting on the markets, Evy Hambro and Olivia Markham, representing the Investment Manager noted:
Performance
The Company’s NAV rose by 5.2% in July, underperforming its reference index, the MSCI ACWI Metals and Mining 30% Buffer 10/40 Index (net return), which rose by 6.6% (performance figures in GBP).
The mining sector outperformed global equity markets, with the MSCI ACWI TR Index rising by 3.7%. There was renewed optimism surrounding China’s stimulus measures coming through, with the expectation that it will be more specific and targeted than we saw at the end of 2015.
Mined commodities reacted positively with price increases almost across the board. The copper price, for example, was up +5.7%. Meanwhile, precious metals prices performed strongly, with gold and silver prices rising +2.7% and +9.0% respectively. However, the iron ore (62% fe.) price fell -2.2% on concerns around potential steel production caps. Lastly, Q2 production results were reported during the month, which highlighted issues in supply growth for copper in particular.
Strategy and Outlook
We do not expect the mining sector to be immune to deteriorating global economic growth. However, whilst recession looms for developed markets, the most important economy for mining, China, is moving in the opposite direction, re-opening following a year of lockdowns and a strict zero-Covid policy.
Meanwhile, mined commodity markets are generally tight, with inventories for many commodities at historic lows. At the same time, mined supply is being constrained by the underinvestment of recent years and continued capital discipline. Mining companies are in an excellent financial position, in our view, with high levels of free cash flow, rock-solid balance sheets and a continued focus on returning capital to shareholders.
Last year, we saw greater appreciation of the role mining companies will need to play in supplying the materials required for lower carbon technologies like wind turbines, solar panels and electric vehicles. In 2023, we are seeing Brown to Green emerge as a key theme, where mining companies are focusing on reducing the greenhouse gas emissions intensity associated with their production. We expect to see a re-rating for the mining companies able to best navigate this and are playing this in the portfolio.
All data points are in USD terms unless stated otherwise.
23 August 2023
For more information on the Blackrock World Mining Trust and how to access the opportunities presented by mining, please visit www.blackrock.com/uk/brwm
