Uranium Surges 31% Amid Shutdowns to Become Year’s Top Commodity

  • Radioactive metal has risen despite virus’s drag on power use
  • Uranium equities, ETFs gained more than 50% from March lows

A core sample containing a uranium deposit in granite.

Photographer: Meg Roussos/Bloomberg
Lock
This article is for subscribers only.

​​​​​​While most commodities are getting hammered by the coronavirus crisis, uranium prices are skyrocketing.

The radioactive metal used in nuclear fuel has climbed 31% this year, making it the world’s best-performing major commodity. The gains have been spurred by mine shutdowns that have wiped out more than a third of annual global output at a time when demand from power plants has remained relatively stable.