Oil Rises as Iran Talks Stall
Oil prices jumped as stalled Iran‑US peace talks left the Strait of Hormuz virtually impassable, tightening global supply. West Texas Intermediate settled at $96.37 a barrel, up 2.1%, while Brent closed at $108.23, up 2.8%. The cease‑fire remains fragile, and daily transits through Hormuz have fallen to near zero, prompting fears of a prolonged supply shock. Traders see the market moving further out on the futures curve as tighter supplies persist.
Former President of Costa Rica on De-Risking Fertilizer Shocks: How $700 Billion in Subsidies Can Do More
In 2022 the Ukraine war sent fertilizer prices soaring, and renewed Middle‑East conflicts have again pushed natural‑gas‑linked nitrogen fertilizer costs up about 40%, threatening food security. Governments worldwide spend roughly $700 billion each year on agricultural subsidies, yet only 35 cents of...
Europe Using US Jet A Far From Taking Off
Europe’s jet fuel supply is tightening after Iran shut the Strait of Hormuz, cutting off roughly 40% of the continent’s imports. U.S. exporters have stepped in, delivering over 500,000 tonnes of Jet A in April, double the previous record. Aviation groups...
US Natural Gas Storage Surplus Set for Mixed Impacts in Next EIA Report
NGI projects the EIA weekly natural‑gas storage report for the week ending April 24 will show a 73 Bcf injection, trimming the year‑over‑year surplus to about 110 Bcf from 142 Bcf. Despite the lower surplus, the stock will sit 10 Bcf above the five‑year average,...
Brent Holds Above $100/Bbl; US Shale Response Remains Restrained
Brent crude remained above $100 per barrel on April 27, while WTI traded in the high $90s, underscoring tight physical supplies and heightened geopolitical risk from the Iran‑Hormuz standoff. The market priced the disruption mainly into prompt contracts, leaving longer‑dated...
Gold Slumps As U.S.-Iran Standoff Continues, Strait Of Hormuz Remains Closed
Gold prices plunged on Monday, with front‑month June Comex gold sliding $54.10 to $4,686.80 an ounce, while silver fell 1.74% to $75.35. The decline follows a stalled U.S.–Iran peace process and the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which...
Paladin Energy Engages Global Buyers as Namibia Strengthens Position in Tightening Uranium Market
Paladin Energy is actively courting buyers in the United States, China and Europe for its uranium output from Namibia, as global demand for nuclear fuel accelerates. The company’s CEO, Paul Hemburrow, noted informal talks with U.S. diplomatic representatives but no...
Caspian and Central Asian Oil Markets Recalibrate Amid Trade Shifts
At the second Caspian and Central Asia Oil Trading and Logistics Forum in Baku, producers and traders highlighted a pivot toward flexible, short‑term trading as Asian refiners dominate demand. Long‑standing pipeline routes remain vital, but participants are exploring alternative corridors,...
Grains Report 04/27/2026
Wheat futures closed higher across Chicago, Kansas City and Minneapolis as dry conditions persisted in the U.S. Great Plains, while mixed COT data showed non‑commercial traders holding a net short position. Rice prices slipped after USDA projected a 12% cut...
Data Center Demand Drives 66% Surge in Natural Gas Power Plant Costs
Tech giants Microsoft and Meta are increasingly building on‑site natural‑gas power plants to power data centers, but BloombergNEF shows construction costs have surged 66% to $2,157 per kilowatt since 2023. Build times have also lengthened by 23%, stretching projects into...
India's Fertilizer Subsidy May Jump 20% as Hormuz Crisis Spikes Prices
India’s fertilizer subsidy bill is projected to jump about 20%, reaching roughly $22 billion in FY26, as the Hormuz Strait blockade pushes global nutrient prices higher. The government says retail fertilizer prices will stay unchanged despite urea costs nearly doubling. To...
California Fuel Imports Soar After Refinery Closures
California’s gasoline and jet fuel markets are under pressure after the shutdown of Phillips 66’s 139,000 b/d Los Angeles refinery and Valero’s 145,000 b/d Benicia plant, erasing roughly 17% of the state’s refining capacity in seven months. Imports of refined products to the West...
US Says Allies Should Pay National Security Premium for Critical Minerals; Market Reacts
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer urged allied nations to accept a "national security premium" for critical minerals to curb reliance on China. Prices for germanium and tungsten in Western markets are three‑to‑five times higher than in China, reflecting supply tightness...
Jet Fuel Hits European Capacity
European jet fuel supply tightened sharply after Gulf imports stopped, driving ARA inventories down 40% to 4.7 million barrels, the lowest level since 2020. Refineries shifted to “max jet mode,” boosting kerosene output while cutting diesel production. Airlines such as Lufthansa,...
Energy Volatility Complicates the Inflation Outlook But This Isn't 2022
Geopolitical tension in the Strait of Hormuz is reviving energy‑price volatility, nudging near‑term core inflation higher despite a softer March reading. While the shock could transmit through transportation and services, the current inflation environment differs sharply from the 2022 surge,...
Silver Prices Rose Even as Demand Slipped
Silver prices surged 147% in 2025, climbing from $28.84 to $71.30 per ounce, even as industrial, jewelry and silverware demand fell. The rally was driven by a five‑year cumulative supply deficit—40.2 million ounces in 2025 alone—combined with a sharp squeeze in...
Most Oil Execs See USA Oil Output Increasing Due to War
An updated Dallas Fed Energy Survey of 115 oil‑and‑gas executives shows most expect U.S. crude output to rise modestly in response to the Iran conflict—0 to 0.25 million barrels per day (mb/d) in 2026 and 0.25 to 0.5 mb/d in 2027. The...
European Veg Oils Edge up on Global Soft Oils Strength and Laurics Ease on Week
European vegetable oil prices nudged higher this week as strong energy markets buoyed the soft‑oil complex. Rapeseed oil (RSO) rose to €1,132 per tonne (about $1,335), while sunflower oil (SFO) climbed to $1,488 per tonne, despite thin trading. USDA forecasts...
Wheat Price Commentary: US, European Futures Edge Lower, Plus Global Cash Markets Steady Amid Thin Trade
U.S. wheat futures slipped on the Chicago Board of Trade, with soft red winter May contracts down 5.5 cents to $6.05 per bushel and hard red winter July contracts falling 11.25 cents to $6.68 per bushel. European Euronext wheat also...
Gold Subdued Ahead Of Major Central Bank Meetings
Gold prices were largely unchanged on Monday, with spot gold at $4,703.92 an ounce and U.S. futures at $4,718.34, as traders brace for a cascade of central‑bank meetings. The Federal Reserve’s April 28‑29 policy session is expected to keep rates...
Global Stocks Steady; Oil Climbs on Stalled Peace Talks
Oil prices surged to $108.5 a barrel, a three‑week high, as stalled US‑Iran peace talks raise concerns over West Asia supply disruptions. The rally pushed Brent futures up nearly 3%, stoking inflation worries and prompting traders to price out rate...
Renewables in Vogue as Iran War Drives up Europe Power Prices
The Iran‑Israel conflict has jolted global oil and gas markets, sending wholesale electricity prices soaring across Europe. Albania, which generates more than 90% of its power from hydropower on the Drin River, has largely insulated its market from the surge....
New Zealand’s Grid Operator Finds Emerging Energy Gap in Early 2030s
Transpower’s draft Security of Supply Assessment warns that New Zealand could face an energy gap as early as 2029‑2031, even if all currently pledged generation and battery projects are completed on schedule. In the short term (2026‑2028) the hydro‑geothermal dominated mix...
Qatar LNG Faces Long Road Back After Unprecedented Disruption
Qatar’s LNG export machine suffered its steepest decline in over 20 years, dropping to 0.23 million tonnes in April—about 85 % below the nine‑year average—after the Strait of Hormuz closed and missile strikes disabled trains 4 and 6. Analysts forecast a three‑phase...
Retailers Warned Food and Fuel Price Hikes Could Last Eight Months After Iran War Ends
UK officials warn that food and fuel prices could stay elevated for more than eight months after the Iran‑related conflict ends. The disruption stems from a Strait of Hormuz blockade that curtails oil, gas and ammonia shipments, feeding higher energy...
Feedgrain Focus: Boat to Brisbane Likely as Northern Wheat Climbs
A 30,000‑tonne wheat cargo from South or Western Australia is expected to sail to Brisbane as Queensland’s feed‑grain deficit deepens. Traders cite delivered prices of about A$460/t (≈US$300/t) and freight of A$125/t (≈US$80/t), making WA wheat competitive for local poultry...
Bendigo Lamb Prices Hold as Others Take Anzac Day Holiday
Bendigo’s weekly lamb sale stayed firm on Anzac Day as New South Wales yards paused, keeping heavy lambs near $447 AUD (~$295 USD) per head. Lighter Merino and trade lambs held around $10‑$12 AUD per kilogram cwt, with some lines reaching $12 AUD/kg. Processors...
Ghana’s Fuel Payment Strategy Works for Now: How to Fix Longer Term Problems
In 2023 Ghana launched a gold‑for‑oil payment scheme, using domestically mined gold instead of scarce US dollars to settle petroleum imports. The arrangement eased pressure on the cedi, helped curb fuel‑price inflation to roughly 3‑4% by early 2026, and lowered...
Feeder Cattle Market: Grids Down as Big Numbers Kick In
Feedlots in eastern Australia are fully booked weeks ahead as large feeder cattle from drought‑hit northern New South Wales and Queensland arrive. Buyers are quoting flat‑back steers over 400 kg at 440–460 c/kg (≈ $2.9‑$3.0 USD/kg), about 10 c lower than a week ago, while...
The Commodities Feed: Oil Moves Higher Amid US-Iran Stalemate
Oil prices surged as US‑Iran peace talks stalled, pushing ICE Brent up about 2% after a 17% weekly gain. Washington intensified sanctions, seizing an Iranian‑linked tanker and targeting a Chinese refinery and roughly 40 shipping firms. The tightening market leaves...
Europe Emerges As Key Buyer Of U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve Oil
The U.S. Department of Energy has released roughly 80 million barrels from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, with Europe emerging as the primary buyer. European refiners, led by the UK’s Vortexa, have taken about 50 million barrels at a $5‑per‑barrel discount to Brent,...
Structural Gas Demand Destruction Threatens Global LNG Market
The ongoing Middle East conflict is sharply curtailing LNG imports in Asia, with April volumes falling to 19.03 million tonnes, the lowest in six years. U.S. LNG is stepping in to replace Qatari shipments, while African producers remain under‑utilized, leaving a...
Back to Square One: The EU's Endless Energy Dependency Trap
Iran’s de‑facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz has halted roughly 20% of global oil and LNG shipments, sending European gas prices up more than a third within days. While strategic oil reserves soften immediate supply shocks, the natural‑gas market...
Goldman Sachs Raises Q4 2026 Oil Forecasts. Mid East Output Loss Drive Big Inventory Draw
Goldman Sachs lifted its fourth‑quarter 2026 oil price outlook, raising Brent to $90 a barrel and WTI to $83, up from $80 and $75 respectively. The revision reflects an estimated 14.5 million barrels‑per‑day loss of Middle East crude output, which is...
The Silver Boom May Have Paused, but Fundamentals Could Propel It to New Heights
Investigator Silver’s managing director Lachlan Wallace says the silver market remains fundamentally strong despite a price pullback from the January $120/oz peak. Demand is rising from electrification, solar and electronics, while supply stays inelastic because roughly 75% of silver is...
Global Fuel Shortage Forces Airlines to Cut International Routes
A global jet‑fuel shortage, driven by geopolitical tensions and supply‑chain disruptions, is forcing airlines to slash international routes. Nigerian carrier Air Peace reduced its Abuja‑London service to three weekly flights, while Norse Atlantic cancelled the London‑Los Angeles route and halted...
Gold, Silver Rates Today: Precious Metals Remain Volatile Amid US-Iran War. Is It Right Time to Buy?
Gold and silver prices in India fell on Friday, echoing a broader global pullback as the US‑Iran conflict fuels a stronger dollar and higher oil prices. MCX gold June futures slipped 0.02% to ₹1,51,735 per 10 g (≈$5,700 per ounce), while...
Hormuz Disruption, $100 Oil Pose Risks to India's Inflation, Rupee: Union Bank
Union Bank’s latest report warns that ongoing disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz have pushed Brent crude above $100 per barrel, creating a persistent "energy tax" on India’s economy. With the country importing roughly 85% of its crude, higher oil...
DRC and Zambia Emerge as Key Drivers of Global Copper Supply Amid Surging Demand
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Zambia are solidifying Africa’s role as a cornerstone of global copper supply amid a rapid rise in demand. The DRC ranks among the world’s top four copper reserve holders, while Zambia targets...
Dangote at Full Throttle as Nigeria Becomes a Net Fuel Exporter
Nigeria became a net gasoline exporter in March as the 650,000‑bpd Dangote refinery operated near full capacity, producing enough fuel to meet domestic demand and generate significant exports. The refinery shipped roughly 55,000 b/d of gasoline and 100,000 b/d of jet fuel,...
AGQ: Leveraged Silver - More Risk Than Reward Going Into Summer (Rating Downgrade)
ProShares UltraPro Silver (AGQ) has generated a 311% price gain since the author’s bullish call in August 2023, vastly outpacing the S&P 500. Despite the rally, the analyst downgrades AGQ from “Buy” to “Sell,” expecting a 3‑6‑month correction that could push the...
The Oil Futures Market Is Lying to Us
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has forced the removal of roughly 500 million barrels from global oil inventories, a pace that could top a billion barrels by June. While Brent futures have rebounded above $100, long‑dated contracts are rising...
Urals Crude Prices at Russian Ports Slip Below $100 per Barrel
Urals crude prices at Russia's western ports slipped below $100 per barrel, settling around $90 after a brief stint above the $100 mark in April. The year‑to‑date average rose to $65 per barrel, well above the $45 level before the...
Gold, Silver Prices Today: Check Retail Rates of 24K, 22K Gold, 999 Silver on 25 April in Delhi, Mumbai, Pune,...
India's retail gold and silver prices were largely unchanged on April 25, with 24‑karat gold around ₹152,800 per 10 g (≈$1,840) and 22‑karat gold near ₹140,000 per 10 g (≈$1,680) across major metros. Silver 999 fine hovered at roughly ₹245,000 per kilogram (≈$2,950)....
Next Diesel Price Rollback Seen at P8 to P10
Diesel prices in the Philippines are set to drop another P8‑P10 per liter (about $0.15‑$0.18) on April 28, potentially bringing the average to roughly P100/L ($1.79). The decline follows recent rollbacks of P24.94 and P20.90 earlier in the month, driven...
‘It’s a Pretty Substantial Disaster’: More Flight Cancellations Likely as Fuel Crisis Bites
European airlines are scrambling as jet‑fuel prices surge past $2.50 per gallon, driven by the Red Sea crisis and oil futures above $100 a barrel. Lufthansa cancelled 20,000 short‑haul flights, while KLM grounded 150 flights, citing financial infeasibility. Carriers such...
US-Iran War to Fuel Petrol, Diesel Prices. How Can Stock Market Investors Make Money From It?
The US‑Iran conflict has lifted global crude oil above $80 per barrel, prompting analysts to expect a delayed rise in India’s retail petrol and diesel prices after key state elections. While state‑run marketers have kept retail rates steady at roughly...
What Actually Causes Gas Prices To Jump Overnight?
In March 2026, U.S. gasoline prices jumped 11 cents overnight, the biggest rise since 2022, after crude oil spiked following a U.S. attack on Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Traders had already lifted crude by about...
Oil Prices, Apr. 24, 2026
Crude futures surged on April 24 as escalating tensions between the United States and Iran heightened concerns over the Strait of Hormuz, pushing Brent back above the $100 per barrel mark. The geopolitical risk reverberated across the energy sector, prompting...
Crude Prices Tread Water Heading Into Weekend
Crude futures were largely unchanged on Friday, trading within a tight band as traders focused on diplomatic efforts to end the Middle East war. Attention centered on the potential reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global...