Know What's Happening in Commodities
Know What's Happening in Commodities
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
The European Union announced plans to replace its $44.10‑per‑barrel Russian oil price cap with a comprehensive ban on maritime services for Russian crude, pending member‑state approval. The ban would block hull, machinery, and insurance services, pushing Russia toward the uninsured shadow fleet and raising pollution‑risk concerns. Simultaneously, a new US‑India trade agreement will require India to halt Russian oil imports in exchange for reduced US tariffs, redirecting its demand to the Middle East, the United States and Venezuela. The combined moves threaten Russian export volumes while reshaping global tanker utilization.
Taiwan's Executive Yuan announced a temporary freeze on gasoline and diesel prices from Feb 16‑23 and will keep natural gas and LPG rates unchanged through the end of February to smooth consumer costs during the Lunar New Year. The decision follows...
🔴 Here is something to think about: 🇮🇳 If President Trump had not imposed the additional 25% tariff on India for importing Russian oil—and with Venezuelan crude now becoming available—would Indian refineries resume buying Venezuelan oil, as they did in the...
Altona Rare Earths announced that the U.S. Trade & Development Agency will support its Monte Muambe project in Mozambique, prompting a 76% surge in the company's London‑listed shares. The backing aims to map technical and financial routes for extracting rare‑earth...
In this episode, economist Alasdair Macleod outlines a 2026 outlook where a tightening silver market, driven by massive physical shortages and surging demand from China and India, is creating a sharp premium between Shanghai and Western markets. He warns that...
The episode examines a draft German law that would require wind and solar developers to cover the costs of connecting their projects to the electricity grid, a move prompted by a surge of connection requests, especially from large‑scale battery storage...
In this episode Florian Grummes reviews gold’s recent price action, noting that the metal has retaken the USD 5,000 level and established a bullish higher low at USD 4,655 after a pull‑back. He explains that the market is now in a sideways...
This has nothing to do with Trump's phone call. These are very small shipments of smuggled petroleum products (not crude) that are illegal in both Iran and India. (One of the ships was empty.) These are usually managed by gangs,...
🚨Today's news vs my prediction 5 years ago: 👔My model to 2050 showed no peak in oil demand. That was in 2020. 🪶Many have retreated from their "peak demand" predictions. The latest is from Vitol: 🐼Vitol Pushes...
China's primary aluminum sector, producing about 44 million tons annually, has seen its CO₂ emissions likely peak in 2024. The peak stems from a massive geographic shift moving roughly 13 million tons of output from coal‑heavy provinces to hydro‑rich regions such as...
COLUMN: Britrish oil giant BP should suspend its $750 million quarterly share buybacks to give incoming CEO Meg O'Neill (who arrives in April) extra financial breathing room. @Opinion $BP https://t.co/23vNRD4Nsw
CHART OF THE DAY: Vitol, the world's largest independent oil trader, shifts its view on global peak oil demand: higher and later. Now, Vitol sees a peak by the "mid" 2030s (previously it anticipated "early" 2030s). Peak demand seen at ~112m...
In this episode Alasdair Macleod talks with Danny from CapitalCosm about the current state and outlook for silver as an investment. They explore silver's price dynamics, its relationship to gold, and the macroeconomic factors—like inflation, monetary policy, and industrial demand—shaping...
Alasdair Macleod analyzes the aftermath of a recent sharp drop in silver derivatives, noting that hedge fund long positions are near a 20‑year low while physical liquidity in COMEX and London vaults is extremely thin. He warns that a massive...
🚨 Russia’s gold reserves have officially crossed the $400 billion mark for the first time ever. The milestone reflects years of aggressive gold accumulation, accelerated by rising prices and a strategic shift away from reliance on foreign currencies. Follow for more macro...
In this week’s Oil Context Weekly, the host reviews flat crude prices slipping below $68 a barrel after geopolitical chatter between the U.S. and Iran, while noting a modestly backwardated term structure with a "smiley‑faced" futures curve extending to 2027....
In this episode, the host examines the current state of China's grain market, focusing on its ability to meet President Trump's promised soybean purchases of 8 million metric tons (294 million bushels) and the anticipated 25 million metric tons of new crop. The...
The episode reviews the mixed early‑trade futures landscape, noting grain prices slipping while soybeans rose on expectations of sustained demand despite uncertain Chinese imports. It highlights Brazil's soybean dynamics—rising harvests but limited exports due to domestic crusher buying and a...
The U.S. Geological Survey’s 2026 mineral commodities summary shows the United States now imports 100% of 16 of the 90 non‑fuel minerals it tracks, up from 15 a year earlier, and relies on foreign sources for more than half of...
Heliostar Metals announced the first gold pour from its newly restarted San Agustin mine in Durango, marking its second operating asset after La Colorada. The open‑pit mine is projected to deliver roughly 45,000 ounces of gold from existing reserves, prompting...
Erika Tsirikou and Josh Michalowski discuss how ongoing Red Sea tensions are forcing tankers to bypass the Suez Canal and the potential reopening of the canal by 2026. They examine the resulting pressure on clean LR1 and LR2 freight rates,...
DPM Metals announced a 20% increase in measured and indicated resources at its Chelopech gold‑copper mine, boosting total reserves to 1.6 million ounces of gold and 6.23 million ounces of silver. The update extends the mine’s projected life to ten years, up...
Gold options opened 2026 with record‑high activity, posting a month‑to‑date average daily volume of 73 K contracts for monthly tenors and 30 K for weekly. Spot gold surged past $5,000 per ounce, driven by a weaker dollar and heightened geopolitical tension, while...
The FAO Food Price Index slipped to 123.9 points in January, marking a fifth consecutive monthly decline and a 0.4% drop from December. Prices fell sharply for dairy (‑5%) and sugar (‑1%), while the cereal price index edged up 0.2%...
The Gold Daily Call episode for February 6th, 2026 breaks down the latest movements in the gold market, focusing on price trends, macroeconomic drivers, and upcoming central bank policy decisions. Host analysis highlights the impact of recent inflation data, US...
The episode breaks down the latest U.S. weekly oil production and inventory figures, highlighting recent shifts in crude output, refinery utilization, and stockpile levels. It explains how these data points are influencing price movements and market sentiment, especially in the...
U.S. forces escalated the standoff with Iran after an F‑35 shot down an Iranian drone that approached a carrier in the Arabian Sea. Both sides have scheduled high‑level talks in Istanbul, raising hopes for a diplomatic de‑escalation. The dispute centers...
The episode analyzes the recent collapse in gold and silver prices, attributing it to extremely low speculative open interest on COMEX and a lack of buyers, which created a price vacuum. It notes that the market has now stabilized as...
LG Energy Solution announced a target of 90 GWh of new battery‑energy‑storage‑system (BESS) orders in the United States for 2026, raising its ESS cell output to over 60 GWh while keeping total global capacity at roughly 300 GWh. The company plans to slash...
In this episode, Alasdair Macleod discusses the potential collapse of the fiat currency system, drawing parallels to the Weimar Republic's hyperinflation and the subsequent surge in gold prices. He argues that fiat money depends on confidence and credit, but governments...
In the February 2 2026 episode of the Pro Farmer Podcast, host Davis Michaelsen and guest Bill Watts dissect the recent turbulence in the U.S. dollar and its ripple effects on precious‑metal markets. They attribute the dollar’s swings to shifting Federal Reserve...
In this episode, host Michelle Martin and guest Simon Ree, founder of Tao of Trading, dissect a volatile market landscape where gold and silver have sharply retreated after a steep rally, and Microsoft’s stock fell despite strong earnings, raising concerns...
In this episode, host Alasdair Macleod and guest Jesse Day of Commodity Culture explore the theory that China is amassing silver to eventually back the yuan with a silver standard, a move that could accelerate the dollar’s decline. They discuss...
The episode explains that recent oil price gains are driven primarily by sharp production cuts in the United States and Mexico caused by an unusually harsh winter, rather than by OPEC+ policy changes. Geopolitical tension, including rumors of a possible...
January 30, 2026 . . . . Worst one day % drop in silver prices since 1921.
The episode examines U.S. oil inventory data, highlighting that the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) has accumulated more barrels since early 2025 than the increase in domestic crude production. This discrepancy undermines claims of a true global oil surplus, as much...
On the January 26, 2026 episode of the Pro Farmer Podcast, hosts Davis and Hillari examined how unusually frigid temperatures could jeopardize the upcoming winter wheat crop. They highlighted potential germination delays, reduced tiller development, and heightened disease pressure. Editor Bill Watts...
The episode examines recent Kpler data showing Iraq’s seaborne crude oil exports jumping to an average of 3.457 million barrels per day in January, a rise of roughly 208 kb/d from December. It notes that pipeline shipments to Turkey have stayed steady...
The episode examines the recent surge in U.S. gasoline inventories, which have climbed to their highest level since 2020, and explores the factors driving this buildup, including weaker demand, refinery outages, and seasonal storage patterns. Analysts discuss how the inventory...
The episode “Assisted Thinking” dissects the stark contrast between China’s massive reliance on coal—accounting for 58% of its primary energy in 2024—and the Western media narrative that paints Beijing as a climate leader. By examining data from the Statistical Review...
The episode reviews the EU gas market in 2025, noting a modest 1.2% demand rebound after two years of decline and a sharp increase in LNG imports that offset a 15 bcm loss of Russian pipeline gas following the end of...
In this episode, A.F. Alhajji examines a sudden decline in OPEC+ oil output, focusing on recent attacks on Kazakhstan’s petroleum infrastructure and their possible connection to U.S. policy toward Venezuela under former President Trump. He argues that the disruptions may...
In this brief episode, ANZ’s research analysts discuss the recent decline in silver prices, attributing the slide to easing geopolitical tensions with Iran. They note that reduced risk premiums are dampening demand for safe‑haven assets, while broader market dynamics and...
Seeking Alpha’s weekly indicators for Jan 12‑16 highlight a normalizing yield curve and mortgage rates at three‑year lows, which are reviving the housing market. At the same time, gasoline prices have slipped to their lowest level in almost five years, creating...
The episode examines the recent price dynamics of precious metals, noting gold's steady rise to $4,606 and silver's rapid surge to $90.75, driven by heightened open interest on the COMEX. It highlights the emerging counterparty risk in the silver market,...
In this brief episode, ANZ Research analysts discuss the recent 4.9% drop in oil prices, attributing the decline primarily to easing geopolitical tensions with Iran. They explain how reduced risk of supply disruptions has softened market sentiment and led to...
The episode explores the paradox of rising gasoline consumption despite advances in shale production and the influence of weather patterns on fuel demand. It examines how economic growth, seasonal temperature shifts, and the resilience of the oil market interact to...
Industrial heat, the world’s largest energy end‑use, is now a balance‑sheet issue as manufacturers grapple with volatile fuel prices and rising carbon costs. A new generation of high‑temperature heat pumps can deliver up to ~200 °C, turning waste heat and low‑grade...
The episode examines three emerging wildcards that could destabilize oil markets: a sharp decline in Kazakhstan’s crude exports due to Ukrainian drone attacks and weather‑related production cuts, political and operational uncertainties in Venezuela, and renewed sanctions and geopolitical tension surrounding...
The episode reviews Jerome Powell’s remarks that a potential criminal indictment against him must be viewed against the backdrop of broader political pressures from the administration. It also analyzes December’s U.S. jobs data, which showed a slowdown in hiring while...
