CEOs Warn Forward Oil Prices Understate War-Driven Tightness
Oil CEOs say current forward contracts underestimate the market strain caused by the ongoing Middle East Gulf war. Physical supplies of crude and refined products remain constrained, creating a gap between futures prices and real‑world scarcity. Executives warn that as the conflict persists, spot prices could outpace forward curves, prompting volatility. The warning underscores a potential misalignment in risk assessments across traders and end‑users.
Oil Markets Grapple With Still-Unclear Mideast Endgame
Tensions in the Middle East remain high as the United States and Iran stepped back from a potential escalation on Monday. ADNOC chief Sultan al‑Jaber denounced Iran’s continued control of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz as “economic terrorism” during...
Oil Prices, Mar. 23, 2026
The provided submission contains no article text, only navigation elements, so specific oil‑price information for March 23, 2026 is unavailable.
US-EU Clean Freight Crests $100/T for First Time
Refined product shipments on medium‑range tankers from the US Gulf to Europe broke the $100 per tonne barrier for the first time in nearly two decades, reaching $108.08/t on a Worldscale 545 voyage. The surge is linked to Iran's de‑facto...
Consumption Hit as Kitchens Feel the Heat of LPG Shortage
India’s food consumption shows early strain as the Iran‑Israel conflict curtails LPG supplies, forcing hotels, restaurants and street‑food vendors to cut operations. Over the past three weeks wheat‑flour sales fell 5‑7% and edible‑oil demand plunged, with palm oil usage down...
Heating Demand Return Likely Reduces Lower 48 Natural Gas Storage Surplus
U.S. natural‑gas inventories withdrew 43 billion cubic feet (Bcf) in the week to March 20, trimming the year‑over‑year surplus to about 101 Bcf. The lower‑48 storage balance is projected to end March at roughly 1,846 Bcf, still 68 Bcf above the 2010‑median but narrowing the...
Bloomberg Intelligence: Oil Dives on Trump Comments (Podcast)
Oil prices plunged more than 5% after President Donald Trump suggested his team was discussing an end to the Iran conflict, a claim Tehran denied. The comments temporarily eased geopolitical risk premiums, prompting a sharp sell‑off in crude futures. In...
Global Natural Gas Prices Fall on Diplomacy Hopes, but LNG Disruptions Deepen
U.S. President Donald Trump announced a pause on attacks against Iranian energy assets, prompting a risk‑off wave that pushed April Nymex natural‑gas futures lower. The diplomatic de‑escalation eased Middle‑East tensions, further depressing global gas prices. At the same time, weak...
EIA Sees Oil Glut Tightening in Wake of Iran War
The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) trimmed its 2026 global oil‑glut forecast to 1.87 million barrels per day (bpd) in the March short‑term energy outlook, down from 3.05 mbpd projected in February. Quarterly projections show a modest surplus early in the year,...
Latin America’s Lithium, Copper Boom
Global demand for copper and lithium is surging as electrification, AI data centers, and defense spending accelerate, pushing copper prices up 53% to around $13,000 per ton and keeping lithium in a $11,500‑$28,500 range. Analysts forecast a copper production deficit...
What Natural Gas End Users Should Focus on as Fundamentals Shift
Rising demand from LNG terminals, industrial plants, petrochemicals and power generators is tightening U.S. pipeline capacity, forcing natural‑gas end users to rethink supply strategies. The surge pushes LNG feed‑gas deliveries toward 20 billion cubic feet per day, creating price spikes during...
Portugal Edges Closer to Declaring Energy Crisis as Gas Prices Surge
Portugal is close to meeting EU criteria for declaring an energy crisis as natural‑gas wholesale prices surge past €180 per megawatt hour (about $195) and are 85% above pre‑war levels. If the European Council confirms the crisis, the government could...
China Eases Planned Increase to Gas Prices for 300 Million Drivers
China's National Development and Reform Commission trimmed a planned gasoline hike, setting the average pump price at $4.70 per gallon instead of the slated $5.10. The adjustment follows a 20% price surge since the Iran conflict began and aims to...
AM Market Report – March 23, 2026
US President Donald Trump’s fluctuating threats and subsequent pull‑back on striking Iranian power plants sent oil prices tumbling and sparked sharp moves in grain futures. Canola, soybean, corn and wheat contracts all slipped, with canola down $6‑7 per tonne and...
Gold Prices Today: March 23, 2026
Gold futures opened at $4,495.20 per ounce on March 23, 2026, slipping 0.09% from the prior close of $4,499.36. The metal has fallen 10.8% over the past five trading days, reflecting short‑term volatility. Despite the dip, gold posted strong gains...
Oil Price Spikes Hit Hardest in Low-Margin Industries
Oil prices have surged as the Strait of Hormuz closure removes roughly 20% of global supply, double the impact of the 2022 Russia‑Ukraine war. In the week of March 9, U.S. diesel jumped $0.96 per gallon to $4.86, marking the largest...
Why Do the West's Farmers Pay the Price for War in Iran?
The war in the Middle East has shut the Strait of Hormuz, sending global oil prices soaring and causing farm diesel in the West of England to double to about £1.25 per litre. Fertiliser costs have jumped from £350 to...
China Copper Stocks Fall on War-Driven Price Drop
China’s refined copper inventories shrank by 78,700 tons in the week to March 23, falling to 486,200 tons—the steepest weekly drop this year. The decline was driven by a roughly 12% price plunge on the London Metal Exchange this month, spurred...
Iran War Pushes up Miners’ Diesel Costs
The Iran‑Israel conflict has nearly closed the Strait of Hormuz, sending Singapore diesel swaps soaring to about $180 a barrel—almost double pre‑conflict levels. Fortescue Metals Group, the world’s fourth‑largest iron‑ore producer, said a 10‑cent diesel price shift translates to $70 million...
The Oil Prices You See Do Not Tell Market's Real Story
Three weeks into the Iran‑Israel war, Brent futures have jumped about 50 % to roughly $110 a barrel, yet physical oil prices are rising even faster as supplies tighten. Spot benchmarks such as Oman ($162) and Murban ($145) are soaring, and...
Malaysia Eyes New Energy Sources as Oil Prices Rise Amid Middle East Conflict: DPM Fadillah
Malaysia’s Deputy Prime Minister Fadillah Yusof said Petronas is preparing contingency plans to source oil and gas from Australia and other Asia‑Pacific nations as the Strait of Hormuz remains closed due to the Middle East conflict. The closure has pushed...
War-Induced Interest Rate Shocks Unlikely to Upset Asia’s Property Markets
A war‑induced energy shock in Iran has tightened global oil supplies, prompting bond markets to price a 50% chance of a U.S. rate hike by October and spurring tighter monetary policy in Asia. Central banks such as the Reserve Bank...
SA Rues Gold’s Plunge – and It Could Get a Heap Worse
Gold prices have fallen 17% since their January peak, pulling South Africa's all‑share JSE index down 14.8% as gold miners, once 20% of the top‑40, saw sharp sell‑offs. The decline is linked to leveraged positions unwinding after gold’s rally to...
Middle East Oil Shock Hits Home for Smaller Japanese Companies
Smaller Japanese companies across auto parts, plastics, and trucking are feeling the impact of the largest Middle East oil‑supply disruption in decades. Crude prices have jumped to multi‑year highs, driving up fuel and raw‑material costs for firms that typically operate...
Thungela Slides Into Full Year Loss After R8.8bn Asset Impairment
Thungela Resources reported a full‑year loss of R7.1 billion (≈$374 million) after taking an R8.8 billion (≈$463 million) asset impairment tied to a steep drop in thermal‑coal prices. South African export coal fell 20% to $89.53 per ton and Australian Ensham prices slipped 17%...
Farmers Sound Alarm over Imminent Food Price Shocks
Australia’s National Farmers’ Federation warns that soaring diesel prices, triggered by the US‑Israel war on Iran, will soon push grocery costs higher. Farmers are struggling to secure fuel for operations, while transport firms face mounting freight expenses. The National Road...
HS2 Firm Says New Steel Tariffs Will ‘Exacerbate’ Cost Pressures for UK Construction Industry
The UK government will double import duties on foreign steel to 50% and slash import quotas by 60% from July, aiming to protect domestic steelmakers. HS2 contractor Mace warned the move will exacerbate already‑inflated construction costs, as the Iran‑war energy...
Crude Oil Prices Rise as US-Iran Tensions Escalate over Infrastructure Threats
Crude oil futures surged on Monday as US‑Iran tensions escalated, pushing Brent crude above $108 per barrel and WTI close to $99. The rise was sparked by President Trump’s ultimatum to Iran over the Strait of Hormuz and Tehran’s retaliatory...
Gold Price Slump Drags Shares of Manappuram, Muthoot Finance; Jewellery Stocks Slide
Gold prices slumped on March 23, pulling down the shares of India’s leading gold‑loan financiers. Manappuram Finance fell about 3% while Muthoot Finance dropped more than 5% in early trading. The decline also spread to jewellery retailers, with stocks like...
Gold Loses Its Luster as Stagflation Risk Jumps on Iran War
Gold’s price has slumped more than 15% this month as stagflation concerns surge following the Iran war, and the market now assigns roughly a 30% chance of a Fed rate hike by year‑end, up from expectations of multiple cuts a...
Copper Falls to Three-Month Low as Global Growth Concerns Rise
Copper slipped to its lowest level in over three months, falling 1.8% on the London Metal Exchange after a 6.7% plunge last week. The decline was triggered by heightened risk aversion stemming from the ongoing Middle East conflict, which pushed...
Middle East War to Dominate Houston's 'Davos of Energy'
CERAWeek in Houston is set to host over 10,000 energy leaders as the Middle East war triggers the biggest oil disruption in history. Attendees include S&P Global’s Daniel Yergin, EDF’s Mark Brownstein, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright, and CEOs from...
Chinese Pig Prices Hit 15-Year Low as War Costs Worsen Margins
Chinese pig prices have fallen to their lowest level in 15 years, pushing producer margins to a four‑year low. Weak domestic pork consumption and rising feed costs linked to the war in Iran are deepening farmer losses. The government has...
Shell, Trafi, Marathon Top SPR Release Buyers
Shell Trading secured the largest share of the first Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) release, receiving 16.2 million barrels, followed by Trafigura (8.86 mn bl) and Marathon Petroleum (7.7 mn bl). The U.S. Department of Energy is delivering 45.2 million barrels of sweet and sour crude from...
LONG READ: Coal Is Back.
Coal is re‑emerging as a key fallback fuel after the Iran‑triggered Operation Epic Fury disrupted global gas supplies. The International Energy Agency now projects 2026 coal demand at a record 8.85 bn tonnes, a 0.5% rise, while thermal‑coal prices have jumped...
Are We Headed for $5 Gas? This 1 Thing Determines How Much You Pay at the Pump (No, It's Not...
U.S. gasoline prices have jumped over 30% in a month, with the national average climbing to $3.88 per gallon from $2.93. The article argues that the single dominant factor is the global price of crude oil, which is rising due...
Oil Futures Face New Pressure as the US and Iran Trade Threats to Strike Key Infrastructure
Oil futures surged on Monday as U.S. President Donald Trump warned Iran of bombing its power plants unless the Strait of Hormuz reopened within 48 hours. Brent crude rose 1.27% to about $113.5 a barrel and WTI to $99, pushing...
What’s Happening in EM: Oil Spikes Upend Local Bonds (Podcast)
Bloomberg’s Emerging Markets podcast notes that soaring oil prices have forced a revision of global interest‑rate expectations, unsettling the once‑popular strategy of investing in emerging‑market local‑currency bonds. The energy price shock is prompting investors to unwind positions as higher rates...
Will The Middle East Crisis Upend The Bull Market In Stocks?
Equity markets are underestimating the risk of a major energy shock from a potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which could choke global oil and LNG supplies. While U.S. economic growth remains solid, driven by fiscal stimulus and a manufacturing...
Coal Imports Likely to Remain Subdued in Near Term
India’s coal imports slipped 4.2% to 213.1 million tonnes in the April‑January window, with non‑coking imports falling to 127.8 MT while coking imports rose modestly to 50.4 MT. The decline reflects a deliberate push toward self‑reliance as domestic output expands. Seaborne coal prices...
Can the Philippines Grow Its Way to Coffee Self-Sufficiency?
The Philippines imports roughly 60% of its coffee, leaving the market vulnerable to global price swings. Nestlé Philippines, which generates $3.2 billion annually, sources only 20% of its Nescafé beans locally and is spearheading a push for self‑sufficiency. Domestic green‑bean output...
Negative West Texas Gas Prices Reveal Mismatch in Global Energy
In West Texas, abundant natural gas produced alongside oil is driving spot prices into negative territory because pipelines and export terminals cannot absorb the surplus. Crude oil prices have surged amid supply disruptions from the Iran war, prompting drillers to...
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Turkey’s Diesel Tax Buffer Evaporates Amid Booming Oil Prices and Refinery Margins
Turkey eliminated the special consumption tax (OTV) on diesel on 20 March, causing the tax buffer to disappear as oil prices and refinery margins surge. The government’s “echelle mobile” mechanism now deducts 75 % of required price hikes from OTV, leaving the...
Crude Awakening
The Cboe Crude Oil ETF Volatility Index (OVX) has surged to 108, roughly three times its level at the start of 2026, as the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran disrupts about 20% of Persian Gulf oil output. This spike eclipses volatility...
3 Natural Gas Names to Watch as a Global Supply Shock Builds
Global LNG supply disruptions, highlighted by Qatar’s Ras Laffan plant shutdown, have removed roughly 14 % of monthly forecast capacity, pushing European natural‑gas prices up about 65 % to multi‑year highs. The tightening market creates investment opportunities in un‑hedged upstream firms and commodity‑focused...
EU Member States Urged to Lower Gas-Storage Targets Due to Iran War
The European Commission has asked EU member states to cut their natural‑gas storage target to 80% of capacity, ten points below the official goal, and to begin refilling reserves gradually. The request follows a sharp 35% surge in European gas...
Barry FitzGerald: Rumble Glitters with More than Gold in a Battered Sector
Gold junior stocks have slumped more than 30% as the sector wrestles with the steepest price retreat in six years, yet the metal still trades about 35% above its 2025 average. Rumble Resources (ASX: RUM) has fallen to a $53 million...
Sugar Sector Complains of Too Much Imports
The Philippines' Sugar Regulatory Administration imported 424,000 metric tons of sugar, far exceeding the industry‑recommended 150,000 tons, creating a massive oversupply. The glut drove cane prices down 38% and molasses prices down 56%, pushing farm‑gate rates below production costs. The...
Hormuz Shock Hits India's Oil Lifeline
India’s crude oil imports plunged 23% in the first half of March as the Strait of Hormuz remained closed, sharply curtailing Gulf deliveries. Refiners responded by nearly doubling purchases from Russia, which now accounts for about 44% of total imports,...
Industrial Diesel Gets Costlier by ₹22/Litre Amid Iran War
State‑run oil firms raised bulk diesel prices by roughly ₹22 per litre, a 25 percent jump, to cushion soaring crude costs linked to the Iran war. Retail premium petrol saw a modest ₹2 per litre increase while regular grades stayed unchanged....