Tshisekedi Prioritises Gold Sector Reform to Boost State Revenue
President Félix Tshisekedi announced a comprehensive reform of the Democratic Republic of the Congo's gold sector, targeting the massive revenue loss from smuggling and informal trade. The plan, presented at a Council of Ministers meeting on 20 February 2026, seeks to bring artisanal and semi‑industrial production into the formal economy through traceability, fiscal incentives, stricter border controls, and regional cooperation. By centralising sales and payments via the Central Bank, the government aims to capture hidden export volumes and safeguard foreign‑exchange earnings. The initiative involves multiple ministries and will be rolled out swiftly under the prime minister’s coordination.
Trump’s Secret Weapon in the Rare Earth War
China’s decades‑long dominance of rare‑earth processing is being challenged as the United States and allies pour over $8.5 billion into reshaping the supply chain. REAlloys Inc. has become the only North‑American company that can convert rare‑earth concentrates into metals and alloys,...
India Braces for Unusually Hot March that Can Put Key Crops at Risk, Sources Say
India is expected to experience one of its warmest Marches on record, with temperatures projected up to 7 °C above normal in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and parts of Madhya Pradesh. These states produce more than 80 % of the nation’s...
Golden Agri-Resources Sustains Strong Performance for Full Year 2025
Golden Agri-Resources reported a record FY 2025 revenue of US$12.95 billion, up 19% year‑on‑year, and EBITDA of US$1.26 billion, a 14% increase, maintaining a 9.7% margin. Net profit rose 10% to US$400 million despite a sharp drop in foreign‑exchange gains. The Board proposed...
Fire Horse Freight Frenzy: VLCC Markets Smash Records in Supertanker Anniversary Year
The 2026 Year of the Fire Horse marks the 60th anniversary of the world’s first VLCC, Idemitsu Maru, and has sparked a surge in supertanker charter rates, with spot prices topping $200,000 per day and rumors of a one‑year deal...
Thailand’s Gulf Energy Seeks More April LNG
Thai private‑sector importer Gulf Energy announced a new tender for two additional April LNG cargoes, targeting delivery windows of 22‑23 April and 25‑26 April. The offers are to be priced against the northeast Asian spot LNG index, with the tender closing on...
Lucas Birdsall on the Impact of Copper and Silver Production on COMEX Futures
Venture capitalist Lucas Birdsall highlights how surging demand for copper and silver—driven by electric vehicles, renewable energy and electronics—is outpacing production capacity. S&P Global projects copper consumption could rise to 42 million metric tons by 2040, while silver’s photovoltaic share sits...
Scrap Metal Sector Calls for Broader Changes as Price-Fixing Probe Highlights Fault Lines
South Africa’s Competition Commission has raided four scrap‑metal firms amid a price‑fixing investigation, prompting the Metals Recyclers Association (MRA) to call for a full, independent inquiry into the sector’s policy framework. The MRA argues that the Price Preference System, export...
Hephae Energy Appoints Andy Bruce as President to Support Geothermal Drilling Commercialization
Hephae Energy Technology has appointed industry veteran Andy Bruce as president to drive the commercialization of its ultra‑high‑temperature geothermal drilling and robotics solutions. Bruce brings more than three decades of leadership in downhole drilling, energy services, and M&A across companies...
5 European Oil Stocks To Buy As Iran Risk Premium Boosts Oil Prices
Geopolitical tensions between the United States and Iran have added a sizable risk premium to oil, pushing Brent into the low‑70s and sparking forecasts of $100 per barrel if conflict escalates. The surge has lifted the STOXX Europe 600 Oil...
Tecnoglass Inc (TGLS) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
Tecnoglass Inc. trimmed its 2025 revenue midpoint guidance by $20 million after commercial construction invoicing slowed, with roughly half of the shortfall expected to roll into 2026. The company faces sharply higher aluminum input costs—LME prices up 15% and U.S. premiums...
Northern Territory Hails Record Gold Production Amid Exploration Push
The Northern Territory recorded a $1.7 billion gold output in 2024/25, aiming for a $2 billion target. Mining Minister Gerard Maley stressed that the region remains under‑explored and called for intensified prospecting to sustain future projects. The government also seeks to broaden...
Soybeans, Corn Find Support From Short Covering, Dollar Weakness
Soybeans and corn rallied on short covering and a weaker U.S. dollar, lifting both grain complexes despite mixed weather signals. Brazil’s soybean harvest is progressing, but export forecasts were trimmed to 10.69 million tons, while Argentina’s rain benefits later‑planted beans. Traders...
USDA’s Canadian Wheat Carryout Much Lower
U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service projects Canadian wheat ending stocks at 5.82 million tonnes for 2025‑26, notably lower than Agriculture and Agri‑Food Canada’s 7.35 million‑tonne estimate. Both agencies still forecast a record 39.96 million tonnes of total wheat production, up 23 %...
Lundin Turns to Space Tech to Find More Gold in Ecuador
Lundin Gold is investing $100 million in 2026 to deepen exploration at Ecuador’s Fruta del Norte mine, aiming to extend its life amid robust gold prices. The Canadian miner has partnered with Australian firm Fleet Space Technologies, using the ExoSphere platform...
Stars Aligning for Upside by This Gold ETF
The WisdomTree Efficient Gold Plus Gold Miners Strategy Fund (GDMN) has surged roughly 42% since the start of 2026, reflecting a broader rally in gold prices. The World Gold Council attributes the rally to heightened geopolitical risk and the prospect of rising...
Ethanol Numbers Mixed on Week, Year, but Do Show some Positives
U.S. ethanol production held steady at 1.113 million barrels per day, slipping 5,000 barrels from the prior week but climbing 32,000 barrels year‑over‑year as plants chase demand. Iowa State University’s Center for Agricultural and Rural Development reported improved operating margins...
Saskatchewan Premier Heads to India for Trade Talks
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe is leading a week‑long trade mission to India, concentrating on agriculture, potash and uranium. The trip coincides with the Raisina Dialogue and runs alongside Prime Minister Mark Carney’s meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Moe aims...
Grocery Prices Will Continue to Increase in 2026: USDA
The USDA Economic Research Service forecasts a 2.5% rise in overall grocery prices for 2026, slightly below the 20‑year average of 2.6%. Seven of the 15 food‑at‑home categories, including beef, fish, sugar and non‑alcoholic beverages, are expected to outpace the...
North Sea Oil Signals Weakness
North Sea crude spreads fell to a two‑month low after Vitol and TotalEnergies halted a heavy buying spree, pushing the WTI Midland spread to just $1.70 above Brent. Derivative indicators turned bearish as weekly Brent CFDs entered contango and the...
Delayed Publication of Spodumene Min 6% Li2O, Contract Price, Cif China
Fastmarkets announced that the contract price for spodumene min 6% Li2O CIF China was published 2 hours 36 minutes later than scheduled. The price is part of Fastmarkets' industrial minerals package and serves as a benchmark for global lithium‑ion supply...
Fastmarkets Proposes to Amend NCM/NCA Black Mass Methodology Specifications
Fastmarkets announced a consultation to revise its black‑mass pricing methodology after China lifted its import ban and imposed stricter metal‑content rules. The new specifications require nickel‑cobalt‑manganese (NCM) black mass to contain 20‑25% nickel, 3‑10% cobalt and 3‑4.5% lithium, with total...
New 10pc US Tariff Keeps Aromatics Arbs Shut
The United States imposed a new 10% tariff on imports of benzene, toluene and mixed xylenes (BTX), effectively closing paper arbitrage opportunities despite sizable price premiums over South Korean supplies. With freight costs around $72 per tonne, the tariff neutralises...
Venezuela's US Crude Flows Far Shy of Trump's Claims
President Donald Trump claimed the United States received over 80 million barrels of Venezuelan crude, a figure far exceeding reality. Vortexa ship‑tracking data shows U.S. imports of Venezuelan oil totalled about 17.7 million barrels, roughly 300,000 barrels per day, in January and...
US to Allow Resale of Venezuelan Oil to Cuba
The U.S. Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced it will approve third‑party applications to resell Venezuelan crude and refined products to Cuba. Transactions must follow the same conditions as U.S.-authorized sales to Venezuela's state oil firm, including depositing...
Bahri Charters Five Supertankers as Rates Approach $200K/Day
Saudi Arabia’s largest oil shipper, Bahri, provisionally chartered five very large crude carriers as daily charter rates neared $200,000, the highest level since 2020. The vessels are slated to move Saudi crude to Asian markets, chiefly China, in the coming...
Germany to Include CCS-Based H2 in 'Acceleration Law'
Germany's Bundestag will vote on a hydrogen acceleration law that expands eligible infrastructure to include carbon‑capture‑and‑storage (CCS) based hydrogen production. The amendment also adds import facilities for power‑to‑liquid fuels such as synthetic aviation fuel. Projects designated as "overriding public interest"...
Cold Storage Market Working Off Oversupply
Lineage reported flat Q4 revenue of $1.34 billion and a modest $6 million net profit as the cold‑storage market works through a 10% oversupply. New refrigerated space expanded 14.5% from 2021‑2025, while demand rose only 5%, creating a capacity gap that is...
Dawn Hub Prices Remain Elevated as Ontario Storage Trends Near Seasonal Floor
Ontario natural gas storage remains well below the five‑year average, sitting 27.7 Bcf short and driving Dawn hub prices higher as winter ends. Seasonal withdrawals are the third‑largest on record, with the March exit projected near 60 Bcf. The forward price curve...
Russia Boosts Budget Reserve Fund Amid Falling Oil Revenues
Russia's finance ministry announced plans to lower the cut‑off price that triggers the transfer of oil revenues into the budget reserve fund. The move aims to channel more of the declining oil proceeds into the $56 billion reserve to protect it...
Overnight Trade
Crude oil rallied to $65.89 per barrel this morning as concerns over a potential Iranian conflict resurfaced, while the Canadian dollar held near 65.89 U.S. cents. In the grain sector, canola futures slipped to C$690.20 a tonne, pressured by a...
Capacity Additions to Lift Indonesia’s Nickel Supply in 2026
Indonesia, which supplies roughly 65% of global nickel, is set to increase output to 2.9 million tonnes in 2026, an 11.9% rise from 2025. The boost stems from expanded mining permits at Weda Bay and the commissioning of several high‑pressure acid...
European Power Prices Plummet as Wind Surges and Demand Falls
European day‑ahead power contracts plunged on Wednesday as wind generation surged and demand fell across the region. Germany's baseload price dropped 20.6% to €75/MWh, while France’s fell 30% to €21/MWh. Wind output is set to reach 23.8 GW in Germany and...
Zambia to Build ‘Rainy Day’ Fund While Metals Surge
Zambia will establish a “rainy day” stabilisation fund to lock away surplus copper revenues as production hits record levels and prices hover near historic highs. The Treasury plans to finalise the fund’s framework this year before beginning deposits, using the...
Project Ramp-Ups and Capacity Expansions to Increase Australian Coal Output in 2026
Australia’s coal output remained flat in 2025 at roughly 65 mt, buoyed by the Olive Downs Complex and efficiency gains at Hunter Valley and Dawson. A 3.9% rise to 483.2 mt is forecast for 2026, driven by the Maxwell underground ramp‑up, capacity...
Mombasa Port Congestion Disrupts Coffee Exports
Severe congestion at Kenya's Port of Mombasa is disrupting East Africa's coffee trade, with major exporter Sucafina warning of missed shipments and rising costs. Truck queues, customs bottlenecks, and limited empty‑container depots have left vessels idle and cargo handovers delayed....
Funds Slowly Lifting Wheat Postion
Managed‑money funds have begun easing their long‑standing short stance in wheat, reducing a net short of 97,370 contracts (13.2 million tonnes) after buying back 26,772 contracts in the week to February 17. The spring wheat market remains the most heavily shorted, with...
EIA Sees USA Energy Demand Under 2025 Levels for Next 2 Years
The U.S. Energy Information Administration’s February 10 Short‑Term Energy Outlook projects total U.S. energy consumption to stay below 2025 levels in both 2026 (96.00 qBtu) and 2027 (96.15 qBtu), marginally under the 96.19 qBtu recorded in 2025. While overall demand flattens, liquid‑fuel use...
Trump Administration to Use Pentagon AI to Set Mineral Reference Prices — Gallium and Germanium Among First Four Targets
The Trump administration will deploy DARPA’s Open Price Exploration for National Security (OPEN) AI system to establish reference prices for critical minerals, starting with germanium, gallium, antimony and tungsten. The tool calculates fair values by stripping out alleged Chinese market...
Australia Ships LNG 16,000 Miles to Canada as Asia Demand Slumps
Australia’s Gorgon‑linked LNG exporter sent a cargo aboard the Maran Gas Hector to eastern Canada, covering roughly 16,000 miles – the longest route for Australian LNG to date. The move reflects a sharp slowdown in Asian demand, where shipments to...
Botswana Diamonds Rebrands, Targeting Copper
Botswana Diamonds announced it will rebrand as Botswana Minerals and adopt the ticker BMIN, reflecting a strategic pivot toward copper exploration. An AI‑driven analysis of its 95,000 sq km geological database uncovered 11 high‑potential copper targets, leading to eight new licences. The...
Nepal's Soyoil Exports to India Jump Tenfold on Duty Free Access
Nepal's soybean oil exports to India surged more than tenfold in 2025, reaching a record 694,153 metric tons and generating over $1 billion in revenue. The growth was driven by duty‑free access under the South Asian Free Trade Agreement, allowing Nepal...
Shell, METLEN Sign LNG Supply and Trading Deal
Shell and Greece’s METLEN have signed an MoU to supply and trade up to 1 bcm of LNG annually from 2027 to 2031. Deliveries will flow through the Revithoussa and Alexandroupolis regasification terminals. The deal leverages the Vertical Gas Corridor to...
UK Energy Bills to Fall by £117 a Year, Offering some Relief to Household Budgets – Business Live
Ofgem announced a 7% cut to the UK energy price cap, lowering the typical annual household bill to £1,641 from April. The reduction translates to about £10 a month, or £117 per year, representing more than £200 savings compared with...
Proposal to Launch Antimony Trioxide 99.5% Sb2O3 Min, Exw China Price Assessment: Pricing Notice
Fastmarkets announced a proposal to launch a new ex‑works China price for antimony trioxide (99.5% Sb2O3 min). The price, quoted in yuan per tonne, will be published weekly and targets a minimum 10‑tonne spot transaction. The consultation period runs from...
SA Bank Says Gold to End Above $6,000/Oz This Year
Standard Bank’s African Markets Conference highlighted a bullish outlook for gold, with its head of precious metals projecting the metal to finish the year above $6,000 per ounce and potentially reach $7,000‑$10,000 next year if interest rates keep falling. Attendees...
Coal India Backs Phased Rollout of National Coal Exchange to Protect Energy Security
Coal India has endorsed a phased rollout of the National Coal Exchange, aiming to move coal trading from traditional e‑auctions to a regulated electronic platform with market‑based price discovery. Executive Director V S Maharaj emphasized that reforms must be calibrated to protect...
Government Monitors Iron Ore Pricing Shifts Amid China Talks
The Australian government is closely tracking new iron‑ore pricing arrangements being trialled between Chinese buyers and major Australian producers. Companies such as Fortescue and Rio Tinto have begun using Fastmarkets, while BHP negotiates with China Mineral Resources Group over alternative...
LSB Industries Inc (LXU) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
LSB Industries reported a strong fourth‑quarter 2018, posting $94.7 million in revenue, a 31% year‑over‑year increase, and adjusted EBITDA of $23.3 million versus $1 million in the prior year. The improvement stemmed from higher fertilizer pricing, robust ammonia and UAN volumes, and plant...
Clean Energy Markets Face a Volatile Year Despite Record Global Investment
Global renewable‑energy investment hit a record $386 billion in 2025, driven by offshore wind and small‑scale solar in emerging markets. In the United States, clean‑energy funding slumped sharply in Q4, falling 36 percent after the Biden‑era EV tax credit was eliminated, resulting...