
Rising crude prices, driven by the Iran‑Israel conflict, could push the Philippine peso past the 59 per‑dollar threshold. MUFG forecasts the PHP trading between 58.5 and 59.5 if oil steadies around $90 a barrel, while JP Morgan sees a modest global drag but heightened Asian exposure. The peso, which rallied to 57 earlier this year, has already retreated to the 58 level as investors flee to safe‑haven assets. Higher import costs risk stalling the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas' easing cycle and nudging inflation toward the top of its target range.
President Donald Trump announced that the United States will provide war‑risk insurance for vessels navigating the Strait of Hormuz after commercial insurers pulled coverage. The move may be paired with U.S. naval escorts to safeguard tankers amid heightened regional tensions....
Marine gasoil (MGO) prices in the Americas surged toward $1,000 per metric tonne, marking the highest levels since October 2023. The rally follows the US‑Israel weekend attacks on Iran, which threaten the flow of middle‑distillates through the Strait of Hormuz....
U.S. shale producers have signaled that 2026 capital expenditures will remain flat or dip slightly, while overall output is expected to stay level or edge higher after accounting for acquisitions, divestments, and the cyclical nature of multiyear upstream projects. The...
Iran escalated its campaign against regional energy assets, deploying armed drones against the United Arab Emirates' main oil export hub and striking major ports in Oman. The attacks, which originated beyond the Strait of Hormuz, signal a widening of Tehran's...
China’s domestic natural‑gas production is set to climb in the near term as the government backs unconventional shale projects. Analysts forecast a steady output rise, driven by new drilling licences and financial incentives. The push aims to offset growing demand...
LNG spot prices jumped sharply after a supply disruption in Qatar, one of the world’s largest exporters. In Northeast Asia, the price rose $1.75 week‑on‑week to $12.45 per MMBtu, while Southwest Europe saw a $5.05 increase to $14.75 per MMBtu....
Bulls have taken control of the physical natural gas market as spot prices showed mixed movement but futures advanced. Traders are looking past the early‑March shoulder season, focusing on colder weather forecasts and strong LNG export activity. Geopolitical tension from...
Brent crude rose to $85 per barrel on Tuesday, marking a notable surge amid heavy trading. The rally reflects market reaction to escalating tensions in the Middle East and concerns over supply disruptions. Traders are now focusing on how constrained...
Live cattle futures closed about $1.02 higher, while feeder cattle slipped modestly, leaving the market mixed ahead of anticipated direct‑trade activity later in the week. Direct cash cattle trading was quiet on Tuesday, with no bids or offers surfacing. At...
Chevrolet is re‑launching flex‑fuel vehicles (FFVs) equipped with a 1.3‑liter engine, marking the first standard‑fit FFVs since 2026. The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) highlights California’s dominant E85 market and urges other OEMs, including Toyota and Honda, to follow suit. Nationwide...
ExxonMobil said its worldwide scale and diversified portfolio allow it to mitigate disruptions from the latest Middle East conflict. Senior vice president Jack Williams highlighted the company’s ability to shift feedstock and products using its trading arm and long‑term charter fleet....
Freight rates for medium‑range tankers loading on the US Gulf coast surged as traffic through the Strait of Hormuz nearly stopped, prompting buyers to scramble for alternative diesel supplies. Chevron’s Europe‑bound voyage hit Worldscale 365 ($72.39 per tonne), while ATMI’s Caribbean...
Fastmarkets announced that, effective March 5, its price assessments for ilmenite concentrate (cif China) and two rutile grades (fob Australia) will shift from a fortnightly to a monthly cadence. The change follows market feedback indicating that prices have been moving slowly...
Fastmarkets announced that it will not publish weekly export prices for Iran’s steel billet and slab during the seven‑day public holiday declared after Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s death. The delay follows the firm’s policy of suspending price releases when a...

During the weekend of Feb. 28 Iran strikes, CME’s COMEX gold futures were closed for 48 hours, leaving a gap for macro‑risk pricing. Always‑on perpetual contracts on Hyperliquid and Binance stayed live, with Hyperliquid’s gold and silver perps trading at...
Corteva posted a modest 1% revenue rise to $5.26 billion, driven by higher commodity prices that revived farmer economics and supported seed and crop‑protection sales. The company leveraged disciplined pricing and cost controls to expand gross margins and lift net income...

Tharisa Resources has seen a 105% year‑on‑year rally but still lags larger PGM peers, trading at a deep discount despite strong fundamentals. The market penalises the stock for liquidity constraints and uncertainty around financing the Karo Platinum project. Spot PGM...
A bipartisan group of House members led by Rep. Jodey Arrington sent a letter to USTR Jamieson Greer urging the removal of India’s 11% tariff on U.S. cotton as a priority in the pending U.S.–India trade talks. They cite the...

Bullish traders bought 2,000 USO March 20 84‑call contracts on Feb 26, just before the Strait of Hormuz was effectively shut after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran. The closure halted roughly 20 % of global seaborne oil, sending Brent up 13 %...
McKinsey’s latest commodity trading report warns that volatility cycles are shortening, diminishing the relevance of traditional super‑cycle models. Trading revenues slipped to $69 billion in 2025, yet remain about twice pre‑pandemic levels, establishing a higher baseline. The firm highlights AI and...
Escalating tensions in the Strait of Hormuz have sharply lifted crude oil prices and triggered a surge in freight rates for key non‑ferrous commodities. Major carriers such as MSC, Maersk and Hapag‑Lloyd have suspended Middle East bookings and imposed War...

Wood Mackenzie warns global lithium demand could exceed 13 Mt LCE by 2050 under an accelerated net‑zero transition. Without new investment, supply deficits could appear as early as 2028, with gaps widening to 8.5 Mt LCE by 2050. Electric vehicles account for...

Indian coffee exports are accelerating, with January‑February shipments up 40% to 80,931 tonnes and total 2025 sales surpassing $2 billion. The West Asia and North Africa region, accounting for roughly 20% of exports, is now a key growth market after Europe....

The U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict has triggered the largest oil price jump in four years as the Strait of Hormuz effectively shut, sending crude markets into turmoil. Inflation concerns now dominate Treasury trading, pushing the 10‑year yield above 4% and raising mortgage‑rate...

Analysts at S&P Global warn that the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran could cause the largest oil‑supply disruption ever if tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz collapses. Recent data show only five tankers transited on March 1 versus the usual 60,...

ECB Governing Council member Francois Villeroy warned that forecasting a rate move too quickly would be a mistake, emphasizing that policy decisions will not hinge solely on volatile energy prices. He noted that France’s exposure to Middle‑East tensions remains limited,...

South Africa’s 2025‑26 corn harvest is projected at 16.1 million tonnes, a 3.1% decline from the previous record‑high season despite a 4.6% expansion in planted area. Yield variability, especially in key provinces, outweighs the acreage gain, while white corn output edges...
The New South Wales government has extended the development consent for the Dartbrook thermal coal mine by six years, now running until 5 December 2033. The extension secures the mine’s 6 Mtpa coal handling and preparation plant (CHPP) operations. The decision arrives amid...
Florida experienced an unprecedented freeze from late December 2025 through early February 2026, inflicting over $3 billion in agricultural losses. Key commodities such as tomatoes, squash, and bell peppers saw up to 50% crop loss, while strawberries, blueberries, and citrus also...

VLCC charter rates surged to a record $424,000 per day after the U.S.-Israeli strike on Iran, as the Strait of Hormuz was officially closed to traffic. Spot rates for Middle‑East‑to‑China voyages jumped well above $400,000, dwarfing the recent $100,000‑plus benchmarks....
The US‑Iran conflict has driven NYMEX heating‑oil futures up more than 12%, causing diesel premiums at Brazilian ports to more than double within a day. Spot‑market diesel deals are expected to grind to a halt as import costs surge and...

The Australian Government’s 2025 edition of Australia’s Identified Mineral Resources (AIMR) highlights a surge in critical mineral reserves and production, reinforcing the nation’s role as a reliable supplier for high‑tech manufacturing, defence and clean‑energy sectors. Eleven critical minerals, including fluorine,...

Oil prices continued to rise as the United States and Israel escalated military actions against Iran, prompting Tehran to threaten to close the Strait of Hormuz and launch drone attacks on the U.S. embassy in Riyadh. Brent crude climbed above...

Oil prices jumped nearly 10 % after Iran’s retaliatory strikes, prompting JPMorgan to warn that Brent could reach $120 per barrel if Strait of Hormuz disruptions persist. Pakistan, which imports 85 % of its crude, faces a current‑account deficit increase of $1.5‑$2 billion...
Venture Global, one of the United States' leading LNG exporters, has signed a five‑year supply agreement with global commodity trader Trafigura, effective from this year. The contract locks in a steady volume of U.S. liquefied natural gas for Trafigura’s worldwide...

Revenue protection guarantees are rising for soybeans and slipping for corn as the 2026 spring price outlook solidifies. Soybean prices hit $11.09 per bushel, roughly five percent above last year, while corn settled at $4.62, just eight cents lower. Higher...
Israel announced a precautionary shutdown of production at its major offshore gas fields, including Tamar and Leviathan, as hostilities with Iran intensify. The move follows a wave of attacks on energy infrastructure across the Middle East Gulf region. Officials say...
US‑Israeli attacks on Iran have halted vessel traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, threatening paraxylene (PX) shipments from Saudi Arabia's Jubail port to the US Gulf Coast. While 56% of US PX imports come from Saudi Arabia, roughly half load...

Brazil is accelerating toward becoming the world’s fourth‑largest oil producer, buoyed by its 2025 entry into OPEC+ and a massive offshore pre‑salt development program. The pre‑salt basins, which contain 81% of the nation’s proven reserves, are driving a 14.6% jump...

The University of Missouri’s Food and Ag Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) projects that expanding year‑round E15 gasoline could lift corn demand, nudging corn prices up 2 to 7 cents per bushel, while pushing soybean prices down 9 to 22 cents...

Missouri farmer Brian Willott warns that Brazil’s expanding double‑cropping of corn and soy is intensifying global competition for U.S. grain. He argues that U.S. corn’s quality edge must be leveraged to secure premium prices and new export markets. Willott also...
Western Canadian feeder cattle markets held firm for the week ending Feb. 21, with yearling prices climbing about $10 per hundredweight and calf values showing mixed movement. Improved short‑term feedlot margins bolstered the yearling segment, while unusually cold Alberta weather...
Re‑export demand for diammonium phosphate (DAP) at New Orleans lifted prices to $650 per short tonne, a 4% rise from the previous week. About 30,000 st were sold for re‑export, mainly to a Latin‑American distributor, while 170,000 t of DAP arrived at Nola...

Middle‑East hostilities have forced Qatar to shut its flagship LNG export plant and Saudi Arabia to pause operations at its largest oil refinery, while tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has nearly stopped. The disruptions arrive amid a global...
Spot ammonia prices in the US Corn Belt surged on March 2, with CF Industries raising offers to $760‑$850 per short ton at inland locations. The jump reflects strong pre‑plant fertilizer demand and a tightening nitrogen market influenced by the Middle...
US Oil Fund (USO) and Brent Oil ETF (BNO) are both rated hold as traders navigate heightened volatility from the Middle‑East conflict. Brent and distillate futures present greater upside risk than WTI, while seasonal demand backs gasoline and WTI. Both...
Former Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned that the Iran‑Israel conflict threatens to choke oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz, sending crude futures to their highest level in over a year. Higher energy prices could lift inflation and undermine the...
Fastmarkets issued a correction for its February 27 pricing data, raising the Bleachable Fancy Tallow – Packer Chicago price from 57 to 58 cents per pound. The weekly tallow average was adjusted to 57.20 cents and the monthly average to 55.63 cents. The Fat...
Fastmarkets announced that while the scheduled price publications for 2 mm grade 316 stainless‑steel cold‑rolled sheet in North Europe proceeded as planned, the associated average price data were delayed. The pricing database has now been updated to reflect the corrected averages. The...