Offering reassurance to shell-shocked investors will be the major focus of this year’s World Resource Investment Conference, which kicks off in Vancouver on Sunday.
Due to the recent meltdown in the value of mining and energy stocks, many of the 6,000 attendees are expected to be highly apprehensive as they gather in the city’s convention centre for the two-day event.
Despite ongoing concerns about the European debt crisis and an economic slowdown in China, conference organizer Cambridge House International sees the prevailing mood as an opportunity rather than an impediment.
“Stocks have rarely been cheaper,’’ explained Jay Martin, head of business development with Cambridge House during an interview with Stockhouse. “We think it’s a chance for our newsletter writers and analysts to explain the opportunities that are available.”
The second largest event on Cambridge’s annual conference calendar, the World Resource Investment Conference is a forum for companies that trade on TSX Venture Exchange.
Since roughly 60% of those companies are based in Vancouver, the conference tends to be well attended, no matter what the investment climate is like.
This year, representatives from roughly 200 companies will be on hand to speak to investors and explain exactly what they are doing to survive in a difficult market. Some of those companies have seen their share price valuations crater to the point where market caps are less than the value cash on the company’s balance sheets.
It is why surviving and thriving in a secular bear market will be among the topics for discussion this year.
As usual the conference is hosting a roster of high profile speakers including Peter Schiff, the CEO of Euro Pacific Capital Inc., Kaiser Bottom-Fishing Report publisher John Kaiser, and The Dollar Vigilante editor Jeff Berwick. Peter Grandich, founder of The Grandich Report, will open the conference on Sunday at 8:30 a.m. with a speech titled “the death of gold is greatly exaggerated.”
Later on Sunday morning Resource Opportunities Publisher Lawrence Roulston will give a talk entitled choosing the top mining stocks in an oversold market. Resource writer Thom Calandra will also be on hand to discuss his adventures in Colombia, Ghana and Cambodia.
This year, the conference will feature presentations by roughly 50 companies, including the likes of Eurasian Minerals Inc. (TSX: V.EMX, Stock Forum), Tintina Resources Inc. (TSX: V.TAU, Stock Forum), Radius Gold Inc. (TSX: V.RDU, Stock Forum) and SilverCrest Mines Ltd. (TSX: V.SVL, Stock Forum).
But in a nod to requests from the oil patch, roughly 10% of the exhibitors will be from the energy sector, this year, a higher number than usual. Martin said this is because the market selloff has prompted many energy sector companies to seek out retail investors, as a replacement for institutions.
In keeping with the emphasis on energy, the conference will wrap up at 5:30 p.m. Monday with a panel discussion on oil and gas. Panel members include Oil and Gas Investments Bulletin publisher Keith Schaefer, Casey Research energy analyst Joe Hung, and newsletter editor Jim Letourneau.
The panel discussion will be moderated by David Pescod, an investment advisor with Canaccord Wealth Management.
Meanwhile, for the second time this year, Casey Research Chairman Doug Casey is setting up a “pavilion’’ inside the conference, one that he will use to showcase the views of writers and analysts such as energy investment strategist Marin Katusa. “It was a project he kick-started in January during the Vancouver Resources Investment Conference,’’ said Martin.
Casey Research is a provider of subscription-based financial analysis in areas such as metals, mining, energy and commodities.
As usual, exhibitors pay $5,995 to take booth during the conference. Investors can attend for free as long as they pre-register online.
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