Albemarle is one of the world's largest lithium producers. In the lithium industry, the majority of demand comes from batteries, where lithium is used as the energy storage material, particularly in electric vehicles. Albemarle is a fully integrated lithium producer. Its upstream resources include salt brine deposits in Chile and the US and two hard rock mines in Australia, both of which are joint ventures. The company operates lithium refining plants in Chile, the US, Australia, and China. Albemarle is a global leader in the production of bromine, used in flame retardants.

Tuesday can be summed up very simply: oil prices up, Treasury yields up, volatility (VIX) up, stocks down, metals down, and crypto down. It was another risk-off day as Consumer Discretionary, Information Technology, Industrials, and Financials fell 0.9% to 1.7%. Energy led (again), rising 1.3%, while Utilities gained 0.8% and Healthcare added 0.7%. NYSE breadth was weak (again), with 1,100 more decliners than advancers.

3M, a multinational conglomerate founded in 1902, sells tens of thousands of products ranging from sponges to respirators. The firm is well known for its extensive research and development capabilities and is a pioneer in inventing new uses for its proprietary technologies. 3M has three business segments: safety and industrial (around 44% of revenue), transportation and electronics (36%), and consumer (20%). The firm recently spun off its healthcare business, now known as Solventum. Nearly half of 3M’s revenue comes from outside the Americas.

Albemarle is a global manufacturer of highly engineered specialty chemicals for a wide range of markets. The company became a top manufacturer of lithium -- used in a number of industries but particularly for batteries in electric cars -- through its January 2015 acquisition of Rockwood Holdings. Its other leading products are bromine, which is used in fire safety solutions, and catalysts used in oil refining. The ALB shares are a component of the S&P 500. The company has approximately 7,800 employees.