Commodities News and Headlines
Commodities News and Headlines
Commodities Pulse
EMAIL DIGESTS
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Tuesday recap
EMAIL DIGESTS
Daily
Every morning
Weekly
Tuesday recap
The ongoing Iran‑Israel conflict has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, pushing global crude to around $100 a barrel. Puerto Rico, which generates roughly 60 % of its electricity from aging oil‑fired plants, will see its regulated power rates rise when the regulator adjusts fuel‑cost tariffs in April. The island’s reliance on imported oil and limited LNG insulation makes the shock especially acute, echoing the 2022 Ukraine‑driven price jump that lifted electricity rates from 15 to 22 cents per kWh. Policymakers are now debating whether to double down on new gas capacity or accelerate a shift toward solar, wind and storage.
On Thursday, the U.S. Treasury issued a one‑month waiver permitting the sale and purchase of Russian crude and refined products stored on floating vessels. The exemption, intended to alleviate market bottlenecks, sparked immediate criticism from European officials who argue it...
Energy Intelligence’s March 13 uranium market update highlights rising geopolitical tension and supply‑chain strain. Experts warn a U.S. plan to extract Iran’s highly enriched uranium could set a precedent, while small uranium producers confront heightened delivery risks amid logistics bottlenecks....
Ammonia fertilizer prices have jumped as the Middle East conflict disrupts shipments from key producers, lifting European spot rates by roughly $50 per tonne. The region, responsible for 23% of global ammonia trade, saw vessels stranded and diverted, tightening supply....
The article compares the present oil supply shock, triggered by Iranian retaliation against U.S. and Israeli strikes, with the 1973 Arab oil embargo. Experts say the current disruption is the largest ever, affecting a far greater share of global consumption...
U.S. natural gas markets face heightened volatility as a series of pipeline constraints converge with an early‑season cold snap. Transco’s on‑frequency outage (OFO) throttles flow into the Northeast, while Gulf Run maintenance curtails Haynesville takeaway capacity and Creole Trail work...
The China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association reported that polysilicon and wafer prices fell sharply this week, with n‑type re‑feed and dense polysilicon down about 6.4% to CNY 45,200 per tonne. Wafer prices slipped as well, with G10L at CNY 1.03, G12R at...
Gold’s recent slide underscores the classic inverse relationship between the precious metal and the U.S. dollar. After two consecutive weeks of losses, the spot price slipped to just under $5,100 per ounce, while the dollar index breached the 100‑point threshold,...
Beef production costs have jumped 32% since January 2023, while restaurant burger prices have risen only 14%, according to Datassential’s Burger Price Index. The increase mirrors overall food‑away‑from‑home inflation of 13% but varies by segment, with limited‑service burgers up 16% versus...
Mexico’s natural gas imports have surged to nearly 7 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d), approaching a new record as U.S. pipeline exports climb from roughly 5 Bcf/d in early 2023 to peaks above 8 Bcf/d in 2025‑26. Prices at the Agua Dulce hub...
Solar module price growth is now driven primarily by five cost pillars: silver paste, polysilicon, glass, aluminium, and energy‑water inputs. Silver paste remains the largest single expense, with record‑high silver prices in early 2026 inflating cell costs. Polysilicon, accounting for...
Portugal's consumer price index for a basket of essential foods hit a record €254.12, up €12.30 (5%) from early 2026 and 35% above 2022 levels. DECO says the surge cannot yet be linked to the Iran war, pointing instead to...
U.S. Section 232 tariffs on aluminum and tinplate steel remain at 50%, despite a Supreme Court ruling that struck down broader trade measures. The Midwest Premium for aluminum broke the $1‑per‑pound barrier in January 2026, pushing input costs for metal‑packaging producers...
PJM Interconnection’s wholesale power costs surged 54% in 2025, reaching $67 billion. Capacity expenses exploded 262%, now 16% of total costs, exposing a 6,500 MW shortfall for the 2027/2028 auction. The spike is driven by rapid data‑center load growth, prompting the independent...
Brazil announced a provisional measure that eliminates federal PIS and Cofins taxes on diesel for domestic consumption while imposing a 12% export tax on crude oil and a 50% levy on diesel shipments. The move, driven by soaring crude prices...
The Cotton Association of India (CAI) trimmed its 2025‑26 cotton import forecast to 47 lakh bales, down three lakh from the earlier 50‑lakh estimate, citing higher international prices, a weaker rupee and rising freight costs. Despite the cut, imports remain above...
Ongoing industrial gas shortages in India have compelled many steel producers to slash output or shift to higher‑value products to offset rising costs. The sharp depreciation of the rupee has further inflated coking‑coal import prices, while higher shipping and insurance...
Silver futures on India’s Multi Commodity Exchange fell 2% to ₹2.62 lakh per kilogram, a ₹5,354 drop, as crude‑oil prices rose and inflation concerns intensified. The decline mirrored a near‑3% slide in May COMEX contracts, pricing at $82.89 per ounce. Analysts...
Oil prices have surged above $100 a barrel, prompting wildly different forecasts. The U.S. Energy Information Administration sees prices staying above $95 for two months before falling to $70 by late 2026, while Wood Mackenzie warns of possible spikes to...
Egg prices have plunged to roughly $2.50 per dozen, a 42% drop from a year ago, as avian‑flu outbreaks receded and an additional nine million hens returned to production. Meanwhile, the wholesale price paid to farmers has slumped more than...
UK Energy Secretary Ed Miliband warned that firms will not be allowed to profit from the recent surge in global oil prices caused by Middle East tensions. The Competition and Markets Authority has been placed on high alert to curb...
Iron ore futures are set for their biggest weekly gain in over a year as China’s state‑backed buyer, the China Mineral Resources Group (CMRG), expands restrictions on BHP products. Singapore‑listed contracts rose more than 6 % this week, reaching nearly $109...
New Oceantic Network research estimates U.S. offshore wind will create $42 billion in steel demand over the next two decades. The sector would require roughly 22 million tons of steel, enough for 239 Golden Gate Bridges. This demand could support 186,600 jobs...
Algeria’s economy, heavily dependent on oil and gas, stands to gain as crude prices climb toward $100 a barrel. The surge follows geopolitical tensions, first from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and now the war in Iran, which have lifted global...
Hong Kong lawmakers are pressing the government to curb soaring fuel prices that have risen sharply since the Middle East conflict began in late February. Esso’s standard petrol is up 6.4% to HK$23.43 per litre, while Sinopec’s price has jumped...
Brent crude futures edged higher to $100.64 a barrel on Friday, even as the U.S. Treasury issued a 30‑day licence permitting the sale of Russian oil already stranded at sea. The temporary measure is framed as a market‑stabilising tool that...
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced a short‑term general licence that lets countries buy Russian crude already stranded at sea, aiming to ease the price surge triggered by the U.S.-Israel‑Iran conflict. The licence covers oil loaded onto vessels by March 12...
A Reddit user compared today’s gasoline prices to the 1973 and 1979 oil crises, noting that inflation‑adjusted prices then averaged about $4.85 per gallon. In contrast, Ohio’s current pump price is roughly $3.25, roughly 50 % lower than the 1970s peak....
The outbreak of the Iran war has pushed global oil‑derivative prices higher, causing imported 10 ppm (S10) diesel in Brazil to trade above biodiesel for the first time since October 2023. On 6 March, S10 diesel at Paranaguá reached R5.173 /m³, surpassing the R4.656 /m³...
European jet fuel reached an all‑time high of $1,646.25 per tonne on 12 March, with premiums soaring to $109.72 per barrel over Brent crude and $518.5 per tonne over ICE gasoil. The price surge follows the war in the Middle East,...
European refiners are maintaining their spring turnaround schedules despite a sharp surge in crack spreads triggered by the US‑Iran war’s disruption of Strait of Hormuz flows. Jet crack spreads peaked at $109.19 per barrel and diesel cracks at $63.92 per...
During a Senate Agriculture Committee hearing, lawmakers highlighted how the Iran‑Israel war threatens the Strait of Hormuz, a conduit for up to 30% of global fertilizer exports. Farmers warned that disrupted shipments could push already‑high input costs to record levels,...
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Gas prices rose another two cents on Thursday, pushing the national regular‑gas average to $3.60 per gallon – a 62‑cent increase since the end of February. The surge follows higher crude prices driven by the Iran conflict, ending a 13‑week...
Gold prices dropped sharply on Thursday, with front‑month COMEX gold falling $49.8 (‑0.96%) to $5,129.30 per ounce. The decline coincided with crude oil jumping to $94.50 a barrel, up $7.25 (8.31%) as Iran intensified threats and the Strait of Hormuz...
U.S. data centers, especially those supporting artificial intelligence workloads, are projected to drive a sharp rise in electricity consumption, pushing natural‑gas‑fired power generation beyond the Energy Information Administration’s current forecasts. The EIA’s latest analysis highlights that gas will continue to...
The ongoing conflict in the Middle East has disrupted the Strait of Hormuz, choking the primary aluminium supply chain that relies on Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) smelters. Force‑majeure notices from Qatalum and Aluminium of Bahrain have driven premiums higher, with...
U.S. natural gas futures were largely flat Thursday, with the front‑month contract up 1.3 cents to $3.222 per MMBtu. The Energy Information Administration reported a 38 Bcf draw from storage for the week ended March 6, near the low end of forecasts....
The escalating Middle East conflict is pushing crude oil toward $200 a barrel, straining global markets. The Philippines’ strategic reserves only cover about 45 days, leaving the nation exposed to price shocks. A newly mandated four‑day work week will shift...
Donald Trump suggested the US‑Israel conflict with Iran could end soon, but analysts warn the war may linger, keeping oil markets on edge. Prolonged fighting threatens to disrupt the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global oil shipments, which...
ING commodity strategist Warren Patterson discusses the ongoing oil price volatility, with Brent crude intermittently breaching $100 per barrel despite the International Energy Agency’s announcement of record supply releases. He examines how the conflict with Iran, particularly the strategic choke...
U.S. natural‑gas storage capacity has remained essentially flat since 2012, while overall demand – driven by domestic consumption and rapidly expanding LNG exports – is accelerating. The Gulf Coast, home to the majority of export terminals, is now confronting a...
U.S. military actions in the Middle East have driven Brent crude sharply higher, reviving scrutiny of oil’s influence on broader price levels. Historical FRED data reveal that oil price movements have consistently co‑moved with the Global Food Price Index and...
The ongoing Middle East conflict is forcing LNG vessels originally slated for Latin America to reroute to higher‑paying markets in Europe and Asia. Spot prices at key Latin American terminals have risen 15‑20% month‑over‑month, yet remain below the premiums offered...
The US‑Israel war against Iran has already rattled global commodity markets, tightening supply chains for oil, fertilizers, chemicals and several metals. BMO Capital Markets notes oil prices spiked toward $120 per barrel before settling near $90, while nitrogen fertilizer costs...
Oil prices surged on Thursday as Iran intensified attacks on oil and transport infrastructure, reigniting fears of prolonged disruption through the Strait of Hormuz. Brent futures jumped 6.47% to $97.93 a barrel, briefly touching $100, while U.S. WTI rose 6%...
European carbon allowances (EUAs) stayed flat around €70 despite a sharp 40‑70% rise in Dutch TTF gas futures triggered by the Middle‑East conflict. Gas prices jumped from €31 to over €45 in early March, normally prompting coal‑fuel switching and higher...
The International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) projects global cotton production to fall to 24.8 million tonnes in the 2026/27 season, while consumption is expected to hold steady at 25.0 million tonnes. Lower prices, shifting planting intentions in major producers and weaker demand,...
The Middle East war and Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz have driven oil prices to $87‑$120 a barrel and disrupted Gulf fertilizer exports. Fertilizer futures jumped over 10% on the first trading day, with analysts expecting a 17%...
Malaysia will keep the BUDI95 petrol price at RM 1.99 per litre despite a sharp rise in global oil prices triggered by the West Asia conflict. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said the surge threatens transportation costs and overall price stability, but...
Eurozone households are the first to feel the impact of the latest oil price shock as retail fuel prices surge across the region. A 50‑litre tank now costs €4.5‑€13 more for petrol and €8.4‑€21.5 more for diesel, with Germany seeing...
