Ireland launches €250M relief package as heating oil prices double
Heating oil prices in Ireland surged from about $545 to over $1,090 per fill within a month amid the Middle East conflict. The government responded with a €250 million ($273 million) relief package that includes excise cuts and a diesel rebate, though experts say a national energy‑security strategy is still lacking.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Oil majors acquire $164M of Alaska oil leases

Burger King has been steadily boosting store‑level profitability, posting double‑digit earnings growth across its U.S. locations. However, a sharp rise in beef prices—up roughly 35% since early 2025—has begun to erode those gains. The chain responded with modest menu price increases and cost‑control measures, but the higher protein input cost is now a key headwind. Analysts warn that sustained beef price pressure could slow same‑store sales momentum and force further strategic adjustments.

Deflation May Reign If Metals Meet High-Price Cure - That orange juice and cocoa were the worst-performing commodities in 2025, after being among the best in 2024, may foreshadow metals in 2026. In the history of the Bloomberg Commodity Spot...

CHART OF THE DAY: The cost of European CO2 allowances has fallen ~20% in recent days after several key countries asked Brussels for a reform. Italy has gone as far as asking the Emissions Trading Syste to be suspended. CO2...

SEB analysts warned that the oil market is jittery ahead of the weekend, with Brent crude hovering around $71 per barrel after trading in a $69.16‑$72.61 range. The report outlined four price scenarios, ranging from $55 to $150 per barrel,...

From Top Commodity Value to Stretched Speculation - Metals 2026: The Bloomberg All Metals Total Return Subindex represents the top-performing sector over time, but metals may have entered the high-price cure stage of a bull market. The highest-velocity rallies since...

U.S. GAS inventories depleted much more slowly than normal for the time of year in the middle part of February, largely erasing the previous storage deficit and causing futures prices to slip below $3 per million British thermal units to...
The China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association reported polysilicon operating rates fell to just 32% of capacity, extending an oversupply that pushed polysilicon prices lower and softened wafer prices across all grades. Wafer prices dropped 3‑8% after the Chinese New Year,...

Cheniere Marketing International, a subsidiary of Cheniere Energy, exercised its option to charter additional new‑build LNG carriers from Ocean Yield and NYK Line, potentially expanding its fleet to eight vessels. The optional ships will be built by Hyundai Heavy Industries...

Slowly, but surely, after such a peak, the volatility starts to go down on Gold. That's great. That's going to turn the lights slowly towards #Bitcoin as an opportunity. I don't think we'll start to see big new highs for Gold....

The crude tanker market is experiencing a sharp surge, with VLCC spot hires topping $200,000 per day and one‑year time‑charter equivalents reaching $135,000. Baltic Exchange data show composite VLCC rates near $169,000 daily, while International Seaways (INSW) reported Q4 2025...

European policy tools such as the TRQ, CBAM and the draft Industrial Accelerator Act are reviving investment in low‑emission steel, exemplified by ArcelorMittal’s €1.3 billion Dunkirk electric‑arc‑furnace slated for 2029. While earlier green‑hydrogen DRI projects have been delayed or scaled back,...

In this episode, host Jonas interviews uranium expert Brandon Munro about Bannerman Resources' landmark deal with China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), which sees CNNC acquire a 43% stake in the Etango uranium project in Namibia. Munro explains the decade‑long journey,...

The UK Treasury is weighing an early repeal of the Energy Profits Levy, a windfall tax that now sits at a 78% headline rate on North Sea oil and gas. Ministers have been meeting industry groups to assess the impact...

TotalEnergies has signed a letter of intent with Glenfarne to purchase up to 2 million tons of LNG per year from the Alaska LNG project for 20 years, pending a final investment decision. The project is being built in two phases: a...

Saudi Aramco has begun gas production at Jafurah, the Middle East’s largest unconventional gas field, marking the first step toward a 2 billion cubic feet per day (Bcfpd) sales capacity by 2030. The field holds an estimated 229 trillion cubic feet of...
South Korea's Hanwha Aerospace has signed a sales and purchase agreement to buy 1.5 million tonnes per year of liquefied natural gas from U.S. exporter Venture Global, with deliveries slated to start in 2030 and run for 20 years. The deal...

VanEck projects gold prices to stay above the $3,000 level reached in 2025 and potentially break $4,000 in the near term, with a longer‑term target of $5,000 by 2030. The rally is fueled by strong central‑bank buying in emerging markets,...
Fastmarkets announced that the publication timestamp for its palm oil mill effluent (POME) price assessments will shift to a weekly Thursday release at 6:00 pm Singapore time. The amendment applies to both crude POME FOB Malaysia (AG-PLM-0035) and refined POME FOB...
The Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) announced that the National Electricity Market (NEM) Market Price Cap (MPC) will increase to $23,200 per megawatt‑hour (MWh) for the 2026‑27 financial year, effective 1 July 2026. This follows a staged rise from $17,500/MWh in FY 2024‑25...

In this episode of This Week in Futures Options, host Mark Longo and guest Carly Garner discuss the week’s market movers, highlighting strong gains in precious metals like silver (+12.5%) and platinum (+8.78%) while noting declines in energy and agricultural...
I’ve submitted formal comments into the docket. My core message: supply diversification alone is not enough. If we want durable investment in allied lithium production and processing, we must address price volatility. Lithium’s boom-bust cycles have repeatedly delayed capital formation and midstream...
Nornickel sees nickel surplus, tighter copper after 2025, and a renewed PGM rally led by investor demand. https://www.metalnomist.com/2026/02/nornickel-nickel-surplus-and-copper.html
Natural Resource Partners L.P. reported $42 million of free cash flow in 2025 and $190 million over the trailing twelve months, while net income reached $31 million. The partnership retired nearly $130 million of debt, leaving $70 million outstanding, and maintained a 75‑cent per unit...
India prioritizes national security and economic growth above aggressive, ideologically driven climate policies seen in some European countries. India seeks to cut power sector coal imports by 30% this year, sources say https://t.co/bA7W0ywe6Y
“Bring your own power” is coming for AI data centers Higher rates, curtailment, and political backlash are growing as data centers strain grids https://t.co/oS784Z1ZAk #AI #datacenters #energy #powergrid #naturalgas #PJM #infrastructure #geopolitics
Alpha Metallurgical Resources reported Q4 2025 adjusted EBITDA of $28.5 million, a 32% decline from the prior quarter, driven by lower tonnage and reduced coal inventory values. Total shipments fell to 3.8 million tons, while metallurgical coal realizations modestly improved to a...
Italy wants to mask high power prices by rebating carbon costs But gas still sets the marginal price and firm capacity is still scarce. When will Europe learn it can't regulate its way around energy constraints? https://t.co/bvwbqV1FTZ #EnergyPolicy #PowerMarkets #CarbonMarkets #EnergyTransition #EnergyPhysics

U.S natural gas comparative rose 70 bcf to a deficit of 24 bcf week ending February 20 Henry Hub spot price decreased $0.19 from $3.27 to $3.08 Price is reverting to ~$3.07 May - October average after the polar vortex shock #energy #NaturalGas...

Gold and silver futures edged lower on Thursday, with gold slipping $10 to $5,217 per ounce and silver dropping $2.13 to $88.86. The market is nearing the March COMEX delivery cycle, but most contracts have been rolled over, easing immediate...

BP is reviving its U.S. shale operations through BPX Energy, targeting an 8% production rise to 500,000 barrels per day this year and 650,000 barrels per day by 2030, which would represent roughly 20% of the company’s total output. The...
Natural gas cash prices slipped on Thursday as the front‑month April NYMEX contract lost ground. Spot gas for Friday‑Saturday delivery fell 30.5 cents to $2.040 per MMBtu, reflecting unseasonably mild weather forecasts. The price decline was amplified by a razor‑thin storage...
U.S. semiconductor manufacturers are feeling the pinch from Chinese restrictions on scandium exports, @Reuters reports, underscoring the importance of @SunriseMetals’ Syerston Scandium Project as an essential supplier to key U.S. industries. “U.S. chipmakers have experienced delays in receiving new scandium export licenses from...
In 2023, #Germany concluded its #nuclear phase-out, permanently closing its final three #reactors. Those plants had collectively generated approximately 13% of Germany’s power. The shutdown eliminated a reliable, carbon-free power source that would have helped the country achieve its emissions...
Nickel prices began climbing in mid‑December 2025 as Indonesia signaled tighter supply, nudging the benchmark above US$17,000 per tonne. The market’s earlier volatility – a US$100,000‑per‑tonne spike in March 2022 that forced an LME trading halt – contrasts with the...

Wesfarmers reported that its Covalent Lithium joint‑venture refinery in Kwinana is producing high‑quality lithium hydroxide, but the commercial ramp‑up has been delayed by intermittent odor issues. The plant’s gradual scale‑up mirrors broader challenges at ex‑China hydroxide assets, including Albemarle’s Kemerton...
Gold’s 2025 rally pushed bullion over 40% higher, its strongest annual gain since 1979, and sent the VanEck Gold Miners ETF soaring 155%. The surge propelled the world’s largest gold miners into record valuations, with Newmont and Agnico Eagle topping...

U.S. data centres seek to avert power price battle with voters After stagnating for more than a decade, U.S. electricity consumption has surged to a record high, driven primarily by growing demand from data centres handling artificial intelligence and other applications. But...
MP Materials announced a $1.25 billion investment to build a 120‑acre rare‑earth magnet campus in Northlake, Texas, under its “10X” program and a public‑private partnership with the U.S. Department of War. The facility will add roughly 10,000 metric tons of NdFeB magnet...
Since the US session has opened : Gold : higher Oil : Higher Vix : Higher Indices : Lower Talks between Iranian & US officials are not going that well so far & markets are clearly reacting to that. I am short on SPX (small risk...
1. Reasonably clear that the all-important final EPA rulemaking on 2026-27 RVOs will be released by the end of March and that it will be fundamentally different from the June 2025 proposed rulemaking. Todd Hubbs and I tackle the...
Core Lithium has entered a binding agreement to sell its remaining 5,100 dry metric tonnes of spodumene concentrate from the Finniss Lithium Project to Glencore International. The price is fixed to the Fastmarkets SC6 CIF China rate of $2,023 per...
Your "copper cliff" assumes demand is unlimited @simonnextclick It isn’t Grid bottlenecks, permitting delays, power shortages & capital constraints will cap electrification long before geology does #Copper #EnergyTransition #Grid #Electrification #Commodities @ctindale @wbaltzley02
New podcast with @davidlin_TV... My thesis: #gold and gold stocks are undervalued when compared to other asset classes, I thus expect a major rotation into our tiny sector as geopolitical risks, debt, supply-demand imbalances, etc., build. Meaty podcast: https://t.co/aEmxBYkF6K

The #gold-#silver ratio table tells us the silver price is eventually headed to $250. Or more... https://t.co/nKwKjms6nr
Funds defending that long position in #soybeans like crazy. 11.55 in May looks like the area it needs to keep closing above for now.
Mngt at @vox_royalty buys a producing Australian #gold asset for <$200 an ounce, an obvious wide margin vs spot. See the Part That Pays from JV, how the company is stacking incremental cash-flowing exposure in pro-jurisdictions, & why stock is...

Is Russia exporting more oil now that it was before the Russo-Ukrainian war? Contrary to Western propaganda, the answer is YES. Russian crude export volumes are 6% above pre-invasion levels. SANCTIONS = NEVER WORK. https://t.co/pElmHdXmbQ

$USO Daily. Strong upside reversal in crude oil today, off 20-day m.a. for ETF. I'm still using oil as a gauge for how serious Iran situation is. https://t.co/w7SKdZNPuo
Wonder if they are planning on buying in or exercising rights....nickel tape is coming... --> Post Courier: "State to take back 35% equity from Ramu Nickel" https://t.co/dJzUin421K #nickel #mining

On February 3rd, I revised my gold forecast from $6,000 to $6,000-7,000 per ounce. JP Morgan just revised its end-of-year gold price forecast to $6,300 per ounce. BUY GOLD, WEAR DIAMONDS. https://t.co/Hi3nzEv5w2