Today's Commodities Pulse
UK energy bills surge to two‑year high as Europe feels shock from Iran conflict
UK households are set to face their deepest‑unwelcome energy bill increase in two years as wholesale prices climb amid the Iran‑related war. Analysts say the conflict will push household energy costs higher for the first time across Europe.
Also developing:
By the numbers: M Battery Materials acquires graphite assets for $20M
OGJ Crack Spread
The Oil & Gas Journal (OGJ) offers a daily OGJ Crack Spread metric that quantifies the margin between crude oil input costs and refined product sales. This spread serves as a real‑time gauge of refinery profitability and market tightness. OGJ’s data is widely used by traders, refiners, and analysts to assess pricing dynamics across the downstream sector. The publication also bundles the spread with related industry news and analytical tools for subscribers.
Fertilizer Matters EP42: China’s Green Ammonia Expansion
In this episode, Argus analysts Huijun Yao and Dinise Chng examine the rapid expansion of China’s green ammonia sector, highlighting the policy incentives, renewable‑energy integration and key projects slated for 2026‑2027. They detail which wind and solar farms will power...
Crude Imports by Country of Origin
The Oil & Gas Journal released a data set detailing U.S. crude oil imports broken down by country of origin. The report highlights the top supplying nations, shifts in import volumes over the past year, and emerging trends such as...
HCC Q4 2025 Earnings Outlook
The episode examines Warrior Coal Company's Q4 2025 earnings outlook, emphasizing the stable performance of its legacy mines and the growing influence of the Blue Creek operation. It highlights the uncertainty around Blue Creek's steady‑state production as it gains market...
This TSX Gold Producer Tipped as Top M&A Target in Scorching Metals Market
A TD Cowen survey of 58 institutional investors and mining executives identified Toronto‑listed Iamgold Corp. as the leading M&A candidate for 2026, with 20 % of respondents flagging the company. The poll also showed near‑universal expectations of heightened gold and silver...
CommodityChat: February WASDE Boosts Corn Export Outlook
The USDA’s February 2026 World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report introduced modest revisions to U.S. and global grain balances, notably a slight increase in projected U.S. corn ending stocks for 2025/26. The higher stocks lift the corn export...
European Investment Bank Launching Financing Platform for Energy Efficiency
The European Investment Bank is injecting €60 million into Solas Capital’s Sustainable Energy Fund II to launch a new financing platform that will support energy‑efficiency projects for SMEs across the EU. The platform is designed to mobilize nearly €400 million of total capital,...
Ohio’s Commercial Power Use Overtakes Residential, Fueled by Data Centers
The commercial sector is now the largest electricity consumer in Ohio, driven by data center expansions. Commercial electricity sales surpassed residential sales for the first time on a twelve-month moving average basis in August 2025 and now account for 35%...
US Backs Coal Revival as Indonesia Slashes Output
Two major coal developments in the last 24 hours. 1. White House announcing purchases and support to revive the industry 2. Indonesia just ordered the world's largest nickel mine to sharply cut output. They are also looking to cut coal production by...
What Does Malaysia’s Complete Ban on E-Waste Imports Mean for Battery, Aluminium, Copper Recyclers?
Malaysia upgraded its e‑waste import prohibition from a conditional to an absolute ban, ending all shipments of end‑of‑life batteries and related waste. The move creates immediate supply uncertainty for battery recyclers that rely on imported black mass, likely driving up...
Govt Urges Refiners to Prioritise US, Venezuelan Crude Amid Evolving Trade Ties: Report
India has urged its state‑owned refiners to give priority to crude from the United States and Venezuela as part of a broader effort to diversify supplies and reduce reliance on Russian oil. The government’s suggestion applies to spot‑market tenders for...
Nickel Price Jumps as Indonesia’s Top Mine Cuts Output
Indonesia ordered the world’s largest nickel mine, PT Weda Bay, to cut its ore quota from 42 million tonnes to 12 million tonnes for 2024, aiming to tighten global supply. The LME nickel price rose 2 percent to $17,835 a tonne, extending a rally of...
Mild Chinese Winter Cuts Heating Demand by up to 6%
CHINA’s winter has been relatively mild so far, limiting gas consumption and imports. Heating demand in the North China metro-region including Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei (home to 109 million people and accounting for 9% of GDP) has been about 2%...
What's Driving Northern Ireland's Falling Fuel Prices?
Petrol prices in Northern Ireland have fallen to 124.2 pence per litre, the lowest level in five years, while diesel holds steady at 131.9 pence. The decline follows a global oil oversupply and easing geopolitical tensions after the 2022 price spike triggered...
TotalEnergies Cuts Buybacks as Low Oil, Gas Prices Weigh on Profits
TotalEnergies announced a 62% reduction in its Q1 share buyback, lowering the program to $750 million after a fourth‑quarter adjusted net income of $3.8 billion fell 13% year‑on‑year. The cut reflects weaker oil and gas prices that offset a 215% surge in...
An FTA No One Is Talking About Can Give India a Strategic Edge
The India‑Chile free trade negotiations are moving toward a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement that explicitly includes critical minerals such as lithium, copper, and cobalt. Chile’s abundant reserves could supply India’s “Make in India” and clean‑energy ambitions, while recent moves by...
India’s Solar Boom Hits Module Glut, Upstream Gaps Persist: Report
India's solar module capacity has surged to about 144 GW and is projected to reach 180 GW by FY30. However, upstream segments lag, with cell capacity stuck near 23.4 GW, creating a supply‑demand mismatch as installations are expected at only 45‑50 GW annually. The...
HMM Stays in the Black in Q4
South Korean carrier HMM posted a Q4 2025 net profit of KRW 364 billion, a 59.9% plunge from the prior period, while revenues fell 14.2% to KRW 2.71 trillion. The full‑year results showed a 50.3% profit drop to KRW 1.88 trillion as container freight rates slumped 49%...
Venezuelan Crude Stuck, Limited Shipments to Europe, India
🇻🇪It seems the trading houses that bought the Venezuelan crude from the Trump administration are having trouble marketing the oil globally. Most of the oil is sent to the US. Here in the map, three tankers are going to Europe...
Trump's Choice on Iran Deal Drives Oil Risk Premium
A high-stakes meeting indeed. If Trump yields to Netanyahu's demand to push for a comprehensive deal covering Iran's ballistic missiles programme and support for regional proxies, possible outcomes: -- Drawn-out negotiations under the looming shadow of military action -- Higher chances of a...
China State Gold Miner Zijin Eyes Global Top 3 as Geopolitical Risks Grow
China's state‑owned Zijin Mining Group announced an aggressive push to rank among the world’s top three gold and copper producers, primarily through overseas acquisitions. The strategy emphasizes gold and copper as core minerals for future growth while acknowledging heightened geopolitical...
2026 Poised for Mining Breakout as Silver Strengthens
Gold stocks ripped in 2025… and the crowd still isn’t here yet. That’s the setup. In my @CSE_News TV chat, I break down why 2026 could be when developers + explorers finally get their moment—and why silver strength matters. Watch: https://t.co/NwTnRuwApf https://t.co/LU31dyl7sv
December Corn Down 3%, November Soy up 4%
🇺🇸After 8 of 19 February trading sessions, December corn is averaging 3% below last year's U.S. insurance price and November soybeans are averaging 4% higher. https://t.co/hSmhgukFMi
Chinese Traders Amplified Gold Volatility
The episode examines how Chinese traders, long recognized for aggressive speculation, sparked a dramatic swing in gold prices—from a surge to $5,600 in late January to a plunge to $4,423 within days. The host recounts a December report predicting this...
January Outages Cut 3 Million Barrels Daily, 18‑month High
CHART OF THE DAY: If anything characterised January was oil outages: Kazakhstan, Venezuela, and the US (due to weather), plus several others. In total, it adds to nearly 3m b/d, highest in about 18 months, according to the @EIAgov https://t.co/Gb7hmQGvLw
Ethanol Output Rebounds to February High Amid Mild Weather
🇺🇸U.S. ethanol production in the first week of February popped right back up to the pre-arctic blast levels, totaling 1.11M bpd, a February best. U.S. temperatures have been unseasonably mild this week, and that should largely continue through the rest of...
Consus Ag Consulting Afternoon Wrap Up
The episode reviews the afternoon market dynamics for corn, soybeans, wheat, and livestock futures, noting a shift from steady to lower overnight prices before a positive day‑trade bounce driven by soy meal and oil strength and weather concerns in South...
USD Soft, JPY Squeeze Persists, Oil Spikes on Iran Tension
$USD is soft ahead of the delayed jobs report. Japanese markets were closed for a national holiday, but the dramatic short squeeze of $JPY continued. WTI is up ~2% as the US-Iran confrontation seems near a climax. ...
Growth Slows, Yields Rise—Short Treasury Duration
Macro: growth softens, yields rise. Key: sticky CPI, Fed tightening, tight labor. Risks: stagflation, policy error. Trade: short US Treasury duration as real yields climb. — Viktor Kopylov, PhD, CFA. More insights: t.me/si14Kopylov
Uranium Market Gathers Momentum in 2026: Sprott
Uranium spot prices surged above $100 per pound in January 2026, the first breach of that level in two years, signaling renewed market vigor. Sprott Asset Management, a major buyer, added 4 million lb to its fund this year, bringing total holdings...
Bitcoin Faces Downside Risk; Gold Remains Strong
Technical analysis made simple with Kevin Wadsworth of Northstar & Bad Charts. We break down his case for more downside risk (bitcoin to bottom in Q3/Q4?) and the Capital Rotation Event: why many assets look bearish while gold holds strong....
Thermal (and Industrial) Coal Update - 10 Feb
In this episode, the host reviews recent price movements in South African thermal and industrial coal, highlighting a notable price rally driven by strong demand from Indian sponge‑iron and cement producers. The discussion references insights from the McCloskey OPIS coal...
US Antimony, Americas Gold to Jointly Build Idaho Plant
United States Antimony and Americas Gold have formed a 51-49 joint venture to construct a hydrometallurgical processing plant in Idaho’s Silver Valley. The facility will treat antimony feed from Americas Gold’s Galena complex and could handle additional sources, aiming to...
First Quantum Credit Outlook Improves on Cobre Panama Progress
S&P Global Ratings upgraded First Quantum Minerals' credit outlook to positive, citing tangible progress toward restarting the Cobre Panama copper mine. The agency now expects the mine to resume operations in the first half of 2026, with a production ramp‑up later...
Permian Wells Surge 13% as Crews Work Smarter
The frac spread count measures the number of completion crews actively fracturing a well. In the Permian, the frac spread count averaged ~100 crews in 2025, 3% higher than the 2024 average. Yet operators completed a total of ~6,800 wells,...
U.S. Grants License to Revive Venezuela's Oil Production
OIL MARKET: Washington issues a new general license to allow oilfield-service companies to work in Venezuela — it’s a crucial step to boost oil output in the Latin American country. https://t.co/ozdDE2MiMZ
U.S. Secretary Of State: Brazil & China To 'Trade In Own Currencies & Get Around The Dollar'
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio highlighted Brazil's new trade agreement with China that will use their own currencies instead of the U.S. dollar, signaling a shift toward a secondary, dollar‑independent global economy. He warned that as more nations transact...
US Canadian Crude Imports Plateau; Midwest Saturated, Gulf Pressure Wanes
🇨🇦🛢️🇺🇸 US Canadian crude imports by importing region and crude grade quality Total US plateauing/rolling over Midwest still key Canadian market, but entirely saturated USGC was the pressure valve, but fell back when TMX opened (first went to West Coast, now increasingly China)...
Import Prices Rise Slightly, Showing Tariffs Not Absorbed
Another month of US import price data shows - again - that foreigners aren't broadly eating Trump's tariffs (bc if they were, prices would have collapsed this year - instead they're up slightly) https://t.co/Dwv9hRwxO1 https://t.co/pF66RuUWjN
Gold Nears Breakout: From Panic to Directional Pause
Gold Price Short-term Outlook: XAU/USD From Panic to Pause- Breakout to Decide Direction https://t.co/e2vca3B4h2 $XAUUSD Daily & 240min Charts https://t.co/BsGu6wpKlh
Climax Top Signals Bear Market for Precious Metals
OUT NOW - @BergMilton on: - clear sign of "climax top" in gold & silver - why he expects a precious metals bear market - S&P 500, Bitcoin, Software + Korean stocks & more Apple🔊https://t.co/bNqmCOVqMV Spotify📽️https://t.co/mnN6Dn02hi 1/3 https://t.co/U3F0Pxojhy
Western Canadian Refineries Thrive, Ontario Slows, East Rebounds
🇨🇦🏭⛽️ Canadian refineries are running strong in the West, have seen operations slip faster than seasonally normal in Ontario, and have had a bouncing start to the year in Quebec & Eastern Canada. https://t.co/CY8K1qOKIh
US Refineries Pivot From Canadian to Venezuelan Heavy Crude
US refinery heavy crude sourcing from Canada (red) vs Venezuela (pink), compared to refinery capacity (blue) 2010 on the left, 2024 on the right https://t.co/nKOX5T7tGn
Gulf Coast Refineries Boost Capacity, Replace Imports with Shale Oil
US Gulf Coast refineries (PADD3) have continued to grow distillation capacity while dramatically shrinking imports, displacing imported light and medium crudes with domestic light tight oil from the Shale Patch https://t.co/6EezXrbiQL
USDA Cuts Global Corn, Wheat Stocks; Soy up on Brazil
USDA's estimates for global corn and wheat ending stocks come in below expectations/last month (ending wheat's run of surging each month as harvests surpassed predictions). Soy stocks are up on a massive 180 mmt Brazilian crop. https://t.co/kM88lO1Zbq
USDA Lifts Brazil 2025/26 Soybean Forecast to 180 Mt
USDA pushes Brazil's 2025/26 soybean harvest to 180 million metric tons. No changes to corn or to Argentina's crops. https://t.co/D2KarYYtVJ
USDA Lifts Corn Export Outlook, Cuts Ending Stocks
U.S. corn ending stocks decrease from last month as USDA bumps exports to 3.3 billion bushels. Minimal/no changes in wheat and beans. https://t.co/FpMZKyhSPO
Gold and Silver Bull Market Persists, Keep Cash Ready
I had a great chat with Peter Spina @goldseek at #VRIC. We covered why this still looks like a real gold/silver bull market, why I keep cash ready, and where early-stage opportunity is hiding. Full interview 👇
Brent Futures Steepen Backwardation, WTI Weakens
The Brent (white) and WTI (blue) futures curves are telling rhyming but importantly different stories right now Both have a backwardated front, depressed belly into contango past 2027 But Brent curve seeing steepening prompt backwardation (70c/bbl now) while WTI weakening (20c) https://t.co/5ZyF18ZPDO
Analysts Anticipate Stable US/World Stocks, Brazil Crop Gains
All trade estimates for USDA's supply & demand report due Tuesday at 11 am CT. On average, analysts don't expect major changes to U.S. and world stocks, though Brazil's corn and soybean crops could increase. U.S. demand will also be...