Chokepoints Under Pressure: When Geography and Conflict Strain the Arteries of Global Trade
The article highlights how simultaneous geopolitical tensions at the Strait of Hormuz, the Red Sea, and Pakistan’s Arabian Sea threaten global maritime trade. Iranian Revolutionary Guard warnings triggered tanker stand‑offs, navigation interference, and a surge in war‑risk insurance premiums, while Houthi attacks in the Red Sea have forced carriers to detour around the Cape of Good Hope, adding weeks to voyages. These disruptions tighten vessel capacity, raise freight rates, and expose import‑dependent economies to higher energy and food prices. The piece underscores that the cumulative pressure on multiple chokepoints narrows the margin for error in the world’s shipping system.
UAE Fujairah Bunker Market Braced for Impact
Bunker traders in Fujairah, the Middle East’s largest marine fuels hub, are preparing for a sharp decline in demand after heightened Gulf tensions and unverified warnings of a Strait of Hormuz closure. Recent missile strikes near Fujairah and Jebel Ali have...
Qatar March Sulphur Price Announcement Postponed
State‑owned QatarEnergy Marketing postponed its March Qatar Sulphur Price (QSP) announcement to 4 March, citing recent geopolitical developments. February’s QSP was set at $520 per tonne FOB, a modest $3 increase from January. The delay follows the US‑Israeli strike on Iran,...
Crude Oil Prices to Cross $100? What Experts Predict After US, Israel Attack on Iran
Following US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran and the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, crude oil prices surged, with WTI at $67.29 and Brent at $72.87. Barclays raised its Brent forecast to $100 per barrel, citing heightened supply‑disruption risk...
Iran War's Oil Disruption May Have Begun; Oil Majors, Traders Suspend Shipments via Hormuz
Major oil majors and leading trading houses have suspended crude and fuel shipments through the Strait of Hormuz as the Iran‑Israel‑US conflict escalates. Israel launched a pre‑emptive strike on Iran, followed by U.S. air and naval attacks, prompting heightened security...
Thai Gold-Trading Curbs Take Effect as Authorities Rein in Baht
Thailand's central bank introduced strict retail gold‑trading limits effective March 1, 2026. Individuals can now trade up to 50 million baht per day on each online platform, aiming to dampen speculative buying that has lifted the baht. The cap excludes USD‑denominated...
Botswana Advances Copper Beneficiation with Planned Khoemacau Refinery Study
Botswana’s government announced a feasibility study to assess a copper refinery linked to MMG’s Khoemacau expansion. The mine has already shipped about 587,000 tonnes of copper concentrate, containing roughly 177,000 tonnes of copper, and aims to boost concentrate output to...
Egypt Urea Sold Higher After US, Israel Attack on Iran
Egyptian fertilizer producers Mopco and Alexfert each sold 6,000 t of granular urea for March loading, pricing the cargoes at $505/t and $495/t FOB respectively. The transactions reflect a price jump after the United States launched major combat operations in Iran...
Hormuz Traffic Slows After Strike On Iran
Oil tankers are increasingly bypassing the Strait of Hormuz following the US and Israel airstrikes on Iran, prompting major shipping lines to issue cautionary directives. While the waterway remains officially open, Bloomberg tracking shows a buildup of idle vessels both...
DRC’s Cobalt Quotas Reshape the Global Critical Metals Market
The Democratic Republic of the Congo announced strict cobalt export quotas—18,125 tonnes for Q4 2025 and 96,600 tonnes for 2026—while reserving 10% of production as a strategic stockpile. The policy, aimed at curbing smuggling, stabilising prices and capturing more domestic value,...
Iran-Israel Conflict: Expect a Gap-Up Opening in Gold and Silver. Here's How to Trade Bullion on Monday
The recent pre‑emptive Israeli strike on Iran has reignited geopolitical tension, prompting a sharp rally in precious metals. While Indian MCX gold and silver futures slipped modestly on Friday, COMEX prices surged, with gold up 2% to $5,296 per ounce...
METL: Active Diversified Metals Miners, Up 50% Since Inception In The Past Year
Since its September 2025 debut, the Sprott Active Metals & Miners ETF (METL) has delivered a cumulative return exceeding 50%, outpacing the broader Natural Resources sector. The fund’s portfolio is notably overweight in copper and uranium, differentiating it from gold‑centric...
How Sanctions Can Help Stabilise Global Oil Supply
A G7‑backed price cap on Russian oil, introduced in 2022, is shown to boost near‑term extraction while curbing global oil prices and volatility. The cap neutralizes market power and reduces the option value of holding reserves, shifting producer incentives toward...
NRG Targets Data Centers With 6.4 GW of Gas-Fired Capacity
NRG Energy announced plans to add 6.4 GW of gas‑fired generation capacity aimed at powering the United States’ rapidly expanding data‑center sector. The utility sees data‑center electricity demand outpacing traditional commercial loads, prompting a strategic shift toward flexible, dispatchable gas assets....
For Two Large US Gulf LNG Projects, Diverse Paths Ahead
Two major LNG export projects on the U.S. Gulf Coast are taking divergent routes. One developer announced confidence in securing investment and long‑term offtake contracts, signalling a clear path to construction. The second project’s sponsor warned that without an external...
Market View: Spring Fever Drags US Gas Prices to 5-Month Low
U.S. natural‑gas futures slid below $3 per million British thermal units, marking a five‑month trough. The decline stems from milder winter forecasts that curb heating demand as the season ends. Elevated storage levels further buttressed the price drop, while market...
Oil Prices Hit 8-Month High as US-Iran Tensions Fester
Oil prices jumped to eight‑month highs on Friday as diplomatic hopes between the United States and Iran faded, reigniting geopolitical risk premiums. Brent crude breached the $85‑per‑barrel mark while U.S. West Texas Intermediate rose above $80. Traders cited potential supply...
Closing Grain and Livestock Futures: February 27, 2026
U.S. grain futures closed modestly higher on Feb. 27, 2026, with March corn up 5.4 cents to $4.38, soybeans gaining 9.5 cents to $11.57, and Chicago wheat rising 19.5 cents to $5.91 per bushel. Rough rice also posted a 45‑cent...
Vance Addresses Ag Concerns in Post-SOTU Speech
Vice President J.D. Vance used a post‑State of the Union stop in Plover, Wisconsin, to spotlight the farm commodity‑price crisis and rising input costs. He promised continued bipartisan efforts with Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins to keep farmers afloat amid low...
UK HRC Discount to North EU Expands
UK hot‑rolled coil (HRC) prices are trading at an average €62 per tonne discount to north‑European benchmarks after Tata Steel UK closed its last blast furnace in September 2024. Imports have surged from 770,000 t in 2023 to 1.4 million t in 2025,...
Grains Report 02/27/2026
The CME Group’s CBOT delivery intentions for March show modest soybean and corn allocations but a notable 340‑ton commitment for soybean oil and 445 tons of rough rice. Market commentary indicates mixed price trends across major grains—wheat edged higher in...
Global Energy Transition Hits a Hardware Bottleneck
Transformer supply is hitting a critical bottleneck as lead times for large units have more than doubled since 2019 and U.S. prices have surged 79%. Hitachi Energy is responding with a $1.5 billion investment in new manufacturing capacity, part of a...
Weekly Gold (XAU/USD) Forecast: US-Iran Standoff Trumps US PPI, Setting S...
Gold surged past the $5,200 per ounce mark, targeting a seventh consecutive monthly gain as investors seek safety amid escalating US‑Iran tensions. The geopolitical flashpoint has revived haven demand, outweighing the muted impact of a weaker US Producer Price Index....
Gunnison Copper Update Lifts Project Value to Near $2B
Gunnison Copper (TSX:GCU) lifted its preliminary economic assessment, pushing the project’s net present value to $1.95 billion and the post‑tax IRR to 23% while extending mine life to 21 years. Capital spending rose 18% to $1.54 billion, reflecting operational upgrades such as...
The Richest Silver Mine Isn’t Underground but in Solar
Silver has become a strategic material for the clean‑energy transition, with solar photovoltaics now accounting for roughly 17% of global silver demand. Primary ore grades are falling, pushing the industry toward higher‑grade, above‑ground sources such as retired solar panels that...
Burger King's Store-Level Profitability Runs Into a Beef Cost Wall
Burger King has been steadily boosting store‑level profitability, posting double‑digit earnings growth across its U.S. locations. However, a sharp rise in beef prices—up roughly 35% since early 2025—has begun to erode those gains. The chain responded with modest menu price...
Oil Market Is Nervous for the Coming Weekend
SEB analysts warned that the oil market is jittery ahead of the weekend, with Brent crude hovering around $71 per barrel after trading in a $69.16‑$72.61 range. The report outlined four price scenarios, ranging from $55 to $150 per barrel,...
Chinese PV Industry Brief: Polysilicon Prices Slide Amid Low Operating Rates
The China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association reported polysilicon operating rates fell to just 32% of capacity, extending an oversupply that pushed polysilicon prices lower and softened wafer prices across all grades. Wafer prices dropped 3‑8% after the Chinese New Year,...
US LNG Giant Exercises Option for More Newbuild Vessel Charters From Ocean Yield and NYK
Cheniere Marketing International, a subsidiary of Cheniere Energy, exercised its option to charter additional new‑build LNG carriers from Ocean Yield and NYK Line, potentially expanding its fleet to eight vessels. The optional ships will be built by Hyundai Heavy Industries...
VLCC Rates – How High and for How Long?
The crude tanker market is experiencing a sharp surge, with VLCC spot hires topping $200,000 per day and one‑year time‑charter equivalents reaching $135,000. Baltic Exchange data show composite VLCC rates near $169,000 daily, while International Seaways (INSW) reported Q4 2025...
Policy Backing Fuels Europe’s Next Wave of Low-Emission Steel Capacity
European policy tools such as the TRQ, CBAM and the draft Industrial Accelerator Act are reviving investment in low‑emission steel, exemplified by ArcelorMittal’s €1.3 billion Dunkirk electric‑arc‑furnace slated for 2029. While earlier green‑hydrogen DRI projects have been delayed or scaled back,...
Oil Producers Negotiate Ending Windfall Tax with UK Government
The UK Treasury is weighing an early repeal of the Energy Profits Levy, a windfall tax that now sits at a 78% headline rate on North Sea oil and gas. Ministers have been meeting industry groups to assess the impact...
TotalEnergies Signs Preliminary Deal to Offtake Alaskan LNG for 20 Years
TotalEnergies has signed a letter of intent with Glenfarne to purchase up to 2 million tons of LNG per year from the Alaska LNG project for 20 years, pending a final investment decision. The project is being built in two phases: a...
Aramco Starts Gas Production at Jafurah
Saudi Aramco has begun gas production at Jafurah, the Middle East’s largest unconventional gas field, marking the first step toward a 2 billion cubic feet per day (Bcfpd) sales capacity by 2030. The field holds an estimated 229 trillion cubic feet of...
S Korea’s Hanwha to Buy LNG From Venture Global
South Korea's Hanwha Aerospace has signed a sales and purchase agreement to buy 1.5 million tonnes per year of liquefied natural gas from U.S. exporter Venture Global, with deliveries slated to start in 2030 and run for 20 years. The deal...
Gold Price & Investment Outlook: 2026 & Beyond>
VanEck projects gold prices to stay above the $3,000 level reached in 2025 and potentially break $4,000 in the near term, with a longer‑term target of $5,000 by 2030. The rally is fueled by strong central‑bank buying in emerging markets,...
Amendment to Publication Timestamp of Crude Palm Oil Mill Effluent, Fob Malaysia and Refined Palm Oil Mill Effluent, Fob Indonesia:...
Fastmarkets announced that the publication timestamp for its palm oil mill effluent (POME) price assessments will shift to a weekly Thursday release at 6:00 pm Singapore time. The amendment applies to both crude POME FOB Malaysia (AG-PLM-0035) and refined POME FOB...
Natural Resource Partners LP (NRP) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
Natural Resource Partners L.P. reported $42 million of free cash flow in 2025 and $190 million over the trailing twelve months, while net income reached $31 million. The partnership retired nearly $130 million of debt, leaving $70 million outstanding, and maintained a 75‑cent per unit...
Alpha Metallurgical Resources Inc (AMR) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
Alpha Metallurgical Resources reported Q4 2025 adjusted EBITDA of $28.5 million, a 32% decline from the prior quarter, driven by lower tonnage and reduced coal inventory values. Total shipments fell to 3.8 million tons, while metallurgical coal realizations modestly improved to a...
BP Goes Big on Shale Oil Drilling
BP is reviving its U.S. shale operations through BPX Energy, targeting an 8% production rise to 500,000 barrels per day this year and 650,000 barrels per day by 2030, which would represent roughly 20% of the company’s total output. The...
MidDay Snapshot: Natural Gas Cash Slides on Weak Demand Indicators
Natural gas cash prices slipped on Thursday as the front‑month April NYMEX contract lost ground. Spot gas for Friday‑Saturday delivery fell 30.5 cents to $2.040 per MMBtu, reflecting unseasonably mild weather forecasts. The price decline was amplified by a razor‑thin storage...
Ex-China Lithium Hydroxide Production Ramp-Ups Face Delays on Weaker Demand
Wesfarmers reported that its Covalent Lithium joint‑venture refinery in Kwinana is producing high‑quality lithium hydroxide, but the commercial ramp‑up has been delayed by intermittent odor issues. The plant’s gradual scale‑up mirrors broader challenges at ex‑China hydroxide assets, including Albemarle’s Kemerton...
RANKED: Top 10 Gold Mining Companies of 2025
Gold’s 2025 rally pushed bullion over 40% higher, its strongest annual gain since 1979, and sent the VanEck Gold Miners ETF soaring 155%. The surge propelled the world’s largest gold miners into record valuations, with Newmont and Agnico Eagle topping...
MP Materials to Build New $1.25B Magnet Plant in Texas
MP Materials announced a $1.25 billion investment to build a 120‑acre rare‑earth magnet campus in Northlake, Texas, under its “10X” program and a public‑private partnership with the U.S. Department of War. The facility will add roughly 10,000 metric tons of NdFeB magnet...
Core Lithium to Sell Finniss Stockpile to Glencore International
Core Lithium has entered a binding agreement to sell its remaining 5,100 dry metric tonnes of spodumene concentrate from the Finniss Lithium Project to Glencore International. The price is fixed to the Fastmarkets SC6 CIF China rate of $2,023 per...
Chile Moves to Fast-Track New Lithium Deals
Chile’s mining ministry is set to file five new lithium contracts in March, just days before President Gabriel Boric departs office, as part of a push to accelerate the 2023 national lithium strategy. The contracts target the Salar de Ascotán,...
Ukrainian Steel, Agricultural Sectors in the Fight for Market Share Despite Non-Stop War
Ukraine’s agriculture and steel sectors remain economic pillars despite war‑driven disruptions, contributing roughly 7‑8% and 5.7‑7.2% of GDP respectively. Grain exports have fallen to their lowest level since the invasion, while sunflower crushing is 9% below last year and 26%...
China Lithium Prices Surge as Zimbabwe Suspends Raw Mineral Exports
China’s lithium carbonate futures surged after Zimbabwe suspended all raw mineral and lithium concentrate exports. The Guangzhou Futures Exchange contract jumped 6.07% to 178,020 yuan, having peaked above 9% earlier in the session. Zimbabwe, the continent’s top lithium producer, shipped...
Delayed Publication of Iron Ore Value-In-Use Indices
Fastmarkets released five iron‑ore Value‑In‑Use (VIU) indices on February 26, a day later than scheduled. The indices include 61% Fe and 65% Fe fines, as well as fines measured for silicon, alumina and phosphorus, all quoted cfr Qingdao in dollars per dry...
Biggest Oil Cos Need to Find 22MM Bpd by 2040
Wood Mackenzie warns that the world’s 30 largest oil and gas firms must add roughly 22 million barrels of oil‑equivalent per day by 2040 to preserve their share of global demand. Current output of about 50 mbd is projected to fall nearly...