Today's Commodities Pulse
Western subsidies risk creating a surplus in critical minerals
Western governments are committing tens of billions of dollars to critical minerals to curb China’s dominance. The United States has earmarked over $20 bn and Australia $9.4 bn, prompting analysts to warn of potential oversupply in rare‑earths and other metals.
Also developing:
By the numbers: M Battery Materials acquires graphite assets for $20M
Asian Buyers Struggle to Find March LNG as Supply Remains Tight
Asian LNG buyers are facing a shortage of March cargoes after a war‑related outage at Qatar’s Ras Laffan plant, the world’s largest LNG exporter, tightened global supply. Thailand, Bangladesh, India and Vietnam have turned to the spot market to secure near‑term fuel, but several tenders, including those from India’s Gail and GSPC, remain unawarded. Thailand’s PTT sought a late‑March/early‑April delivery but could only lock in cargoes for May. The scarcity underscores how geopolitical shocks are reverberating through Asian energy markets.
India Says No to IEA’s Call to Release Strategic Oil Reserves
India has declined the International Energy Agency’s invitation to tap its strategic oil reserves as a measure to curb soaring crude prices. The country holds about 5.33 million tonnes of underground reserves, roughly 80% of capacity, and reserves them for supply‑disruption...
Australian Fuel Prices Spike Amid Middle East Conflict
Fuel jumped up $0.60 cents a liter overnight in Australia because of the conflict in the Middle East. It’s now $2.40 per liter. How much do you? Wonder if this will become part of the ‘new normal’ and if it’s...
Aluminum Falls as Trump Signals Iran Conflict May End Soon
Aluminum prices on the London Metal Exchange slipped up to 3.5% after President Donald Trump hinted that the Iran war could conclude “very soon.” The conflict had been a key driver of supply constraints, pushing the metal to a four‑year...
Indicators Point to Hiccups in Steel Demand Momentum
U.S. steel production slipped in early March, falling 26,000 tons as weekly output dropped from 1.817 million to 1.791 million tons. The slowdown mirrors weak construction employment, which shed 11,000 jobs in February and posted a 6.9% unemployment rate, and a modest...
Iran Now Cast as Oil‑flow Villain; Markets Act Calm
JUST IN: Classic turning the tables. Now Iran will be the bad guy for doing anything that hinders oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz. Crude is trading Tuesday morning as if the war is over. The proof will be in...
Six‑Dollar Crude Swings Signal Market Instability
This may be tame relative to Monday’s insanity, but let’s just be clear that $6/bbl intraday crude price swings are not the sign of a healthy or settled market. https://t.co/n5HX62ltNm
Market Morsel: Making the Most of Wheat Market Volatility
The piece highlights a shift from a tranquil 2025 wheat market to renewed volatility driven by the Middle Eastern conflict. It outlines how weather, geopolitics, trade policy and speculative capital historically cause rapid price swings in grain markets. Seasonal harvest...
Trump Team Weighs Easing Russia Oil Sanctions to Lower Prices
March 9 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's administration is considering reducing oil sanctions on Russia to help cool a surge in global energy prices triggered by the U.S. and Israeli war on Iran... according to three sources familiar with the...
Oil and Silver Futures Reclaim $80+ Levels
Oil and Silver Futures cross back over in the $80's. Can't make this kinda stuff up if you tried. April Crude $85+, May Silver $89+
Coal Price Rally Fuels FIFO Boom
Rising coal prices have reignited Australia’s fly‑in, fly‑out (FIFO) market, with spot rates climbing from US $172 to US $220 per tonne since July 2025. Civeo Corporation reported an 18 percent profit surge, posting US $51.9 million in Australian earnings after delivering 2.78 million accommodation nights...
WTI Crude Hits Record Intraday Range Since Pre‑Lockdown
#Oil’s wildest day ever? Excluding the period when the world was in lockdown while Corona, yesterday marked the largest intraday trading range in history for front-month crude WTI. https://t.co/3P4EB6ZrZ3
Scale × Duration Determines Energy Disruption Impact
“Scale x Duration” the formula you need to understand any energy supply disruption. In the case of Hormuz Scale: the scale is large, 16-20 million barrels per day of crude oil. Duration: ~10 days and counting?
Oil, Gas Futures Surge in Volatile Trade
Crude oil futures benchmarks Brent and WTI surged to their highest intraday levels since 2022 on Monday, with Brent briefly topping $90 a barrel and WTI crossing $85. The rally was short‑lived, as both contracts slipped later in the session,...
Oil Slides as Hormuz Transits Expected to Ease War Impact
*WTI OIL DROPS AS MUCH AS 10% TO $85.52/BBL AT START OF [Tuesday] TRADING *TRUMP SAYS IRAN WAR WILL END 'SOON' BUT NOT THIS WEEK Not to be callous ... but the market really cares about oil tankers moving through the Strait...
2026 Q2 Contract Prices Jump Further … Especially in NSW
Australian Q2 electricity contract prices surged this week, with the New South Wales (NSW) market showing the sharpest increase. The rise follows the onset of the Middle East conflict, which analysts say is filtering through to Australian energy pricing. ez2view...
Hormuz Closure Sends Gas Prices Soaring, LNG Cargoes Toward Asia
The recent closure of the Strait of Hormuz has triggered a sharp rise in global natural‑gas prices, except in North America, which remains insulated by abundant domestic supply. The disruption forced several LNG carriers originally bound for Europe to reroute...
Beef Processors Push Hard as Cattle Flow Shifts
Cattle yarding and processing indices rebounded sharply in February 2026 after the typical January lull, but the recovery was uneven across regions. New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania returned to near‑full capacity, while Queensland’s yardings lagged despite a...
Global Cattle Pricing Update
The March 2026 global cattle price review shows the United States firmly ahead, with heavy‑steer values at 761¢/kg live weight. Australia’s prices have surged 30% year‑on‑year to 443¢/kg, while Argentina has climbed to 468¢/kg, now slightly above Australian levels. Brazil remains...
US Shale Offers No Quick Fix for Lost Mideast Crude
U.S. shale producers are unlikely to fill the gap left by reduced Middle East crude exports, even as oil prices climb. Analysts argue that the war‑driven supply loss will be prolonged, and shale’s long lead‑times and capital intensity prevent a...
Spot Prices Wrap: National Avg. Falls to Five-Month Low as Warm Weather, EPNG Force Majeure Weigh
U.S. natural‑gas spot prices slipped to a five‑month low as unusually warm spring weather curbed heating demand nationwide. The Henry Hub benchmark rebounded above $3/MMBtu, marking a second consecutive rally. Meanwhile, a force‑majeure event at El Paso Natural Gas forced the...
Costco Issues Urgent Warning to Shoppers
U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran have pushed crude oil into the mid‑$70‑per‑barrel range, sending the national average gasoline price up 27 cents to $3.25 per gallon. Analysts warn the pump price could climb to $3.50‑$3.70 soon and possibly breach...
Energy Stocks Stay Resilient Amid Wild Oil Swing
Wild. A $35 swing in oil prices in one day. Smells fishy... Oil and gas stocks held up remarkably well despite all this. A reminder that silver experienced similar volatility and is now settling at levels well above any point in...
2026 Geopolitical Turmoil Drives Global Oil Price Swings
The geopolitical rollercoaster that is 2026 continues and is impacting global oil prices. #canada🇨🇦 #canada #trade #energy
Oil Prices Plunge as Trump Signals Iran War Nearing End
U.S. President Donald Trump’s remarks that the conflict with Iran is “very complete” sent oil markets tumbling. Crude futures dropped about 6.9%, settling at $84.62 a barrel, the steepest decline in weeks. Trump claimed U.S. forces had neutralized Iranian naval...
Trump's Iran Comment Pushes Oil Below $90, Markets Rally
As I noted in this thread, no oil infrastructure was damaged. This was all about waiting for a resolution to gets the ships moving again. Looks like that happened and the market is pricing in the end of the war. Headlines * TRUMP...
Dairy Manufacturing Prices Show Cautious Recovery Despite Global Oversupply, Rabobank Says
Rabobank’s Q1 Global Dairy Quarterly reports a modest rebound in dairy manufacturing prices, driven primarily by Australian and New Zealand products. Despite the rally, global milk supply remains abundant, with production growth projected to slow to just 0.2% in 2026 after...
Surging Oil Prices Spark Market Jitters
The episode opens with a discussion of oil prices soaring above $100 per barrel, the sharpest jump in years, and the resulting market fear as higher energy costs threaten corporate earnings, inflation, and consumer spending. Hosts Jon Quass, Rachel Warren,...
Iraq Stands to Lose and Lose From Iran Strikes
U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran have forced Iraq to curtail oil production as the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed, exposing Iraq's dependence on Iranian gas and electricity. The disruption comes just as major U.S. oil majors—ExxonMobil, Chevron and...
Markets Rebound as Iran Conflict Eases and Oil Reserves Released
If you’re wondering how the stock market closed green after oil dropped 30% Here’s what just changed: > President Trump just signaled the war with Iran may be nearing an end > G7 nations are reportedly considering releasing up to 400M barrels from...
War, Market Volatility and $100 Oil: Is Now the Right Time to Buy Energy Stocks and ETFs?
The war with Iran has forced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, cutting roughly 20% of daily global oil shipments and pushing Brent crude to $105 per barrel, its highest level since July 2022. The supply squeeze lifted gasoline...
Oil Is Already Near a Price That Hurts the Economy
Oil prices surged to nearly $120 a barrel amid the Iran conflict, then fell to about $90 after President Trump suggested the war could end soon. Energy analysts identify $110‑$120 as the threshold where crude demand begins to weaken, indicating...
The Iran Energy Shock Reverberates Across Financial Markets
The outbreak of war involving Iran has triggered a sharp contraction in oil output and transit, pushing global energy prices up by over 15 percent. The surge in energy costs is reigniting inflation expectations worldwide, prompting traders to anticipate more...
Patience Saves; Oil Slides Amid Trump Hormuz Threat
I am glad that I have remained patient so far. If you had jumped the bandwagon on oil this morning, you would have been 20% down ish by now. I know the below is not a guarantee, but I stick...
Oil Spikes 35% in Week, 90% Since December
Oil just did something it hasn’t done in 40 years. It’s now up +35% in a week. Up 90% since December’s low of $55/barrel. Now crossing $105+. This isn’t normal.
Oil Surge Prompts Trump to Reevaluate Jones Act
"Oil Prices: Crude's Wild Day Has Trump Rethinking the Jones Act" https://t.co/YKhaomLkrd For the record, it's technically not "trutherism" if it's - you know - the actual Truth. https://t.co/7CZuzc3gja
WTI Crude Plummets 24%, Speculation Unwinds
Crude Oil WTI Plunged by 24%, Back Below $88, from $116 Overnight. Gasoline Futures -16%. Manic Speculation Unwinds. The Futures Market is where the Imbeciles go nuts. https://t.co/uWAJTgQkXb https://t.co/EdZk8SVqd6
He’ll Keep Oil Above $100, Not Below $80
My 2-cent take — he’ll try to jawbone to keep oil below $100, but he won’t deescalate to bring oil below $80 (to the extent he’s really in control here anyway). And the oil floor probably keeps going up while...
Trump Overestimated Oil Surge After Strike Decision
President Trump said that he knew oil would go up if he went forward with the strikes...and it went up less than he thought. That's wild. How high was he expecting?
WTI Crashes 10% to $85.52 After Comments
Oil plummeted on these comments West Texas Intermediate slumped as much as 10% to $85.52 a barrel, after climbing to nearly $120
Oil Market Sees Historic $35/Bbl Intraday Plunge
No doubt a day for the oil market history books. Nearly $35/bbl of intraday crude price chomp is wild. And this is far from over yet. https://t.co/nrgOddtT5n
RBOB at $2.52 Signals Potential Gas Price Decline
RBOB $2.52.. is that print right? Oof... gas prices may actually fall from the current AAA average... https://t.co/37XEXRl4Ts
Historically Cheap Gas at $4/Gal Sparks Expected Complaints
$4/gallon gas is extremely affordable, historically speaking.. it's really not a big deal.. but there will be lots of whining (if we get there.. looks like we could top out around $3.80) Chart from Jeff Weniger at @WisdomTreeFunds https://t.co/VHUBGSZ7jG
WTI’s Strongest January Start Since 1983
WTI crude oil's best start to a year on record... well it was... (NYMEX futures begin in March 1983) @soberlook https://t.co/EGLX7QmA3x https://t.co/TPJ8psJtdo
Trump’s Iran War Comment Sends WTI Below $90
WTI crude oil fell below $90 per barrel after President Donald Trump told CBS that the Iran war is “very complete, pretty much.” Earlier in the day, WTI had surged to a peak of $119. https://t.co/ElHrOuNRmc
Oil Plunges $30 on Trump’s Iran War Comment
The oil market thinks Trump just TACO’d (I’m less convinced, but let’s see) A $30 price swing in a day, helped by expectations of a big strategic oil stock release. Such larks. Oil tumbles to $90 as Trump says Iran war...
Oil Prices Held by Hormuz Tanker Standstill Risk Premium
The oil price isn't one of those things that spirals infinitely up. At current levels near $100, a big risk premium prices the temporary standstill of tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. You can bet Trump is working like crazy...
Oil Flips to Technical Bear After Weekend $115 Surge
Oil closed Friday in a bull market at $91 but will close today in a technical bear market around $95 because it went to $115 over the weekend. https://t.co/kG1QReBbAy
Oil Prices Plunge Over 20% Into Bear Market
"We survived you guys. Oil is in a bear market, down more than 20% from its highs." - @jschultzf3
Crude Oil Futures Likely to Stabilize Near $94
Crude Oil Futures could be unchanged soon $93.66 after the high of $119.48 kinda like that day in Silver Futures