Crude Prices Dip on Hint of US-Iran Optimism
Crude futures fell on Tuesday after Iran's foreign minister indicated a potential US‑Iran agreement on uranium enrichment could be reached in Geneva. The optimism trimmed the geopolitical risk premium, pushing WTI and Brent below $80 per barrel. Prices had been hovering near $80‑$85 per barrel, showing market sensitivity to diplomatic signals. The dip reflects traders' quick reaction to reduced perceived supply disruption risk.
Gas and LNG Markets, Feb. 24, 2026
The global gas and LNG market entered a volatile phase in late February 2026, driven by tighter supply, rising spot prices, and shifting demand patterns across Europe and Asia. European winter demand outpaced supply, prompting higher contract renegotiations, while Asian...
Live Cattle Mostly Higher, Hogs Rally Despite Uneven Pork Demand
Live cattle futures on the CME edged higher on Tuesday, with April contracts down $0.15 to $239.10 and June up $0.10 to $235.55, while feeder cattle prices rebounded sharply. Cash cattle trade remained muted, as bids and offers were not...
Natural Gas Spot Prices, Feb. 24, 2026
The Energy Information Administration released the February 24, 2026 natural‑gas spot price report, detailing volume‑weighted average prices for next‑day flow and weekend delivery. The data include both wellhead and delivered price composites, along with the day’s trading range, total gas volume, and...
Natural Gas Futures, Feb. 24, 2026
Natural gas futures settled at $2.85 per MMBtu on Feb. 24, 2026, marking a 3% weekly gain. The rally was fueled by colder-than-expected temperature forecasts across the U.S. Midwest and a continuation of OPEC+ production cuts extending into 2027. Liquefied natural...
USDA Seeks Input on Data Reporting as Farmer Trust Concerns Grow
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a 45‑day Request for Information to gather public input on improving its market data reporting. Farmers have voiced growing distrust, citing confusing acreage updates in the 2025 corn report and perceived gaps between supply...
How the EU Could Unlock 22 Trillion Cubic Feet of Barents Gas
The European Union is reviewing its Arctic policy, and a tighter definition could unlock the Barents Sea’s estimated 22 trillion cubic feet of gas. Norway’s offshore fields could then supply 20‑30% of EU gas demand through 2050, offering a lower‑emission alternative...
Pork in Cold Storage Rises Above Year Ago Levels
U.S. pork cold‑storage rose 1 % year‑over‑year to 410.404 million pounds in February, driven by gains in butts and bone‑in hams despite a dip in overall pork production. Beef inventories fell 4 % YoY, pulling total red‑meat stocks 2 % below last year’s level....
More Cheese, Less Butter in Cold Storage Last Month
The USDA reported that U.S. cold‑storage cheese inventories rose modestly in January, reaching 1.38 billion pounds, up from 1.37 billion pounds a year earlier. By contrast, butter stocks fell to 215.4 million pounds, down 45 million pounds from the same month last year but...
Government Allows Export of 25 Lakh Tonnes of Wheat
The Indian government has approved a limited export of 25 lakh metric tonnes of wheat and an additional five lakh tonnes of wheat products, despite the overall export ban remaining in force. The decision, taken in January and notified by...
Pertamina, Halliburton Target Unconventional Fracturing Expansion in Indonesia
Indonesia’s state oil company Pertamina and U.S. service firm Halliburton have signed an MOU to develop unconventional well construction and stimulation across onshore fields. The partnership will evaluate multi‑stage hydraulic fracturing, acid stimulation, advanced cementing and AI‑driven automation to improve...
Shale Giant Diamondback Says Global Oil Glut Fears Are Fading
Diamondback Energy says fears of a global oil glut are receding as resilient demand steadies the market. Recent price action shows U.S. crude futures up more than 15% year‑to‑date, erasing most of 2025’s 20% loss. The company will keep output...
ORLEN Builds 25-MMboe North Sea Portfolio in Ekofisk Area
Polish oil major ORLEN has bolstered its North Sea presence by acquiring a 7.6% interest in the Albuskjell and Vest Ekofisk fields, bringing its total stake in the Tommeliten Gamma field to 62.61%. The three assets, developed under the Previously Produced Fields...
Med Gasoline Market Diverges From Northwest Europe
The Mediterranean gasoline market is diverging from northwest Europe as several key fluid catalytic cracker units undergo maintenance, notably Helleniq Energy’s Aspropyrgos refinery in Greece and Eni’s Milazzo refinery in Italy. With offshore capacity constrained, February‑March spreads have turned backwardated—a...
Poland's Ferrous Scrap Exports Fall; Ukraine Imports Hit Record
Poland’s ferrous scrap exports to non‑EU markets slipped 8.6% in 2025, falling to 1.204 million tonnes after three years of growth. Shipments to India, Pakistan and Morocco dropped sharply, while volumes to Turkey rose 2.4% and exports to the United States...
Motiva Announces US Group II Base Oil Posting Decrease
Motiva announced a $0.50 per US‑gallon reduction to its Group II, II+ and III base‑oil postings, effective 1 March. The cut could translate into contract price declines of 10‑15¢/USG for parties linked to Motiva’s postings or to basket indices, while blenders with...
Copper’s New Fundamental: How Fear Is Shaping the Market
The Fast Forward podcast revealed that fear has become a standalone market fundamental for copper, outweighing traditional supply‑demand metrics. Deglobalization is prompting nations to build strategic stockpiles such as the U.S. Project Vault and forcing firms to adopt just‑in‑case inventory...
UK to Remove Turkish HDG Quota Exemption
The UK Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) plans to strip Turkey of its developing‑economy exemption for hot‑dip galvanised (HDG) steel, moving Turkish shipments into the capped “other countries” quota. The move follows Tata Steel’s complaint that Turkish imports surged to 58,030 t...
DRC Mineral Export Prices Decline, Tin Records Steepest Weekly Drop
The Democratic Republic of Congo’s mineral export prices are set to fall in the week of Feb 23‑28, 2026, with tin posting the steepest decline to $48,089 per ton, a $1,667 drop from the prior week. Copper, gold, and zinc also...
Why Cost Alone No Longer Defines Chicken Value
Rising food‑away‑from‑home prices and growing protein demand are reshaping how full‑service restaurants evaluate chicken. While private‑label chicken still promises lower case costs, operators are encountering variability that hurts labor efficiency and menu flexibility. Brakebush Brothers positions itself as a consistent,...
Kibali Breaks Revenue Record as Gold Prices Surge Despite Lower Output
Kibali gold mine posted record revenue of about $2.3 billion in 2025, a 40% jump from 2024, despite a 2% dip in gold output to roughly 673,000 ounces. Barrick’s 45% share generated $1.04 billion, while the mine’s contribution to group earnings rose...
Sylvania Posts Healthy Financials on the Back of Higher Production, Prices
Sylvania Platinum posted a 110% year‑on‑year jump in net revenue to $99.8 million for the six months to 31 December, driven by a 25% rise in 4E PGM production and a 55% increase in basket prices. Adjusted EBITDA surged 414% to $51 million...
ET Fuels Secures Bunkering Buyer for Texas E-Methanol
Irish developer ET Fuels has signed a binding long‑term offtake agreement with UK shipping firm RFOcean to supply e‑methanol at a fixed price starting in 2030. The fuel will be produced at ET Fuels’ advanced Rattlesnake Gap plant in Texas,...
Ukrainian Bitumen Imports to Remain Steady in 2026
Ukrainian bitumen imports held steady in 2026, following a record‑high 190,000 tonnes in 2025 after a 111,700‑tonne year‑on‑year jump. Major suppliers from Poland and Lithuania, led by Orlen, plan to ship roughly 100,000 tonnes this year, while Orlen Lietuva targets about 550,000 tonnes...
How Full Is the USA Strategic Petroleum Reserve?
The U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve sits at 415.4 million barrels, roughly 58.2% of its 714 million‑barrel authorized capacity, according to the EIA’s February 13 report. This marks a 5.1% rise over the same week last year and a 15.6% increase from 2024, reflecting...
Egypt’s NCIC Awards Fertilizers Sales Tender: Update
Egyptian state‑owned NCIC announced the award of its latest fertilizer sales tender on 19 February, covering March loading. The tender granted 20,000 t of DAP at $750/t FOB, 25,000 t of TSP at $560/t FOB, 20,000 t of granular urea at $492/t FOB, 20,000 t...
Slovakia Halts Emergency Electricity Supplies to Ukraine over Russian Oil Dispute
Slovakia announced it will halt emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine until Kyiv restores Russian oil transit through the Druzhba pipeline. The move follows a dispute over the pipeline’s shutdown after a Russian drone strike and accusations that Ukraine is delaying...
New Cross-Border U.S. Pipeline Proposal Could Revive Idle Keystone XL Assets: Analysts
A private U.S. firm, Bridger Pipeline LLC, has filed a proposal for a 550,000‑barrel‑per‑day pipeline that would run from the Canada‑U.S. border in Montana to a hub in Guernsey, Wyoming. Analysts believe the route is designed to tap the partially...
ICCM Says Government Policy Has Tightened the Metals Cycle
The International Council on Mining & Metals (ICMM) warned that heightened government oversight is tightening the global metals cycle, curbing the explosive price spikes typical of past supercycles. In its 2025 Tax Contribution Report, ICMM members paid $37 billion in taxes...
GRDC Update: Growth Seen in Asian Feedgrain Demand
Grains Australia CEO Richard Simonaitis told the GRDC Perth Update that bio‑fuel policies are reshaping Australian grain exports, with EU canola demand driving Western Australia’s highest‑value market. At the same time, feedgrain demand in Southeast Asia is accelerating faster than...
Bangladesh’s Food Grain Imports Surge
Bangladesh’s food‑grain imports surged 42 percent in the first half of the 2025‑26 marketing year, reaching 4.2 million tonnes, driven primarily by a sharp rise in wheat purchases. Private‑sector wheat imports jumped 31 percent while government imports fell, and rice imports exploded 380 percent,...
US Interior Guts Environmental Reviews for Oil, Gas Drilling
The U.S. Department of the Interior finalized a rule on Monday that slashes the time required to secure oil and gas drilling permits on federal lands. The regulation trims environmental review periods, limiting National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) assessments to...
Clean Energy Sector Sorts Out US Tariff Ruling Impacts
Last week the U.S. Supreme Court invalidated most of the tariffs imposed by the Trump administration on clean‑energy imports. The decision instantly altered market expectations for solar panels, wind turbine components, and battery materials that had been adjusting to higher...
Eastern Arkansas Faces Sharp Decline in Rice Plantings
Eastern Arkansas rice growers are projected to plant only 900,000‑925,000 acres this spring, a sharp drop from the usual 1.3‑1.4 million and the lowest level since the 1983 Payment‑in‑Kind program. AgHeritage Farm Credit’s Greg Cole attributes the decline to persistently...
USDA Reports Good Start to Egg Production in 2026
The USDA reported that U.S. egg production began 2026 on a strong footing, with 9.196 billion eggs produced in January, a 2% year‑over‑year increase. Both the total number of laying hens and output per 100 hens rose about 1%, reaching 374.6 million...
Soaring Tanker Costs Force West African Oil Price Cuts
West African crude traders are slashing discounts as freight rates to Asia surge to a five‑year peak and the Brent‑Dubai exchange‑for‑swaps (EFS) spread widens to about $2 per barrel. The higher shipping costs and broader EFS premium have pushed West...
Kazakhstan to Supply Fresh Uranium to India Under New Deal to Fuel Nuclear Power Plants
Kazakhstan’s state‑controlled miner Kazatomprom announced a new contract to supply fresh uranium to India, reinforcing the latter’s nuclear fuel pipeline. The deal follows earlier agreements that delivered 2,100 tonnes in 2009 and 5,000 tonnes between 2015‑19. While exact volumes were...
First Indian Diesel Cargo Arrives in Europe After New Russian Sanctions Take Effect
A tanker chartered by Reliance delivered about 100,000 tons of diesel to Rotterdam, marking the first Indian petroleum fuel cargo to reach the Amsterdam‑Rotterdam‑Antwerp hub since the EU imposed sanctions on Russian‑crude derived products. The vessel, Proteus Bohemia, loaded in India’s...
U.S. Crop Sector Expected to Face a Challenging 2026
U.S. crop producers face a tough 2026 as input costs stay elevated and policy uncertainty squeezes margins, according to Ohio State economist Carl Zulauf. He highlights that the global stocks‑to‑use ratio now outweighs domestic ratios in determining profitability. USDA chief...
USDA Reports a Big Week for U.S. Corn Export Inspections
The USDA reported a record week of U.S. corn export inspections, with more than 2 million tons shipped out of ports during the week ending Feb 19. Japan, South Korea and Mexico accounted for the bulk of the shipments, underscoring strong Asian...
Most US Ferts Cleared Under New Import Policy
The Trump administration announced a 10% import tariff effective Feb 24, but most fertilizers remain exempt, including urea, ammonium nitrate, UAN, DAP, MAP and other key products. The exemption does not cover sulfur, sulfuric acid and ammonia unless they enter through...
Sanctions, Seizures, and the Limits of Maritime Visibility
In late 2025 and early 2026 the U.S. Coast Guard and allied forces seized three oil tankers—M/T Skipper, M/T Centuries and Bella 1—after months of multi‑source intelligence proved they were moving sanctioned cargo. The operation underscores a new enforcement paradigm: governments...
India’s NPK/NP Stocks Rise in January
India’s NPK and NP fertilizer stocks rose sharply in January as production climbed to 1.14 mn t, a 2% year‑on‑year increase and the highest monthly output of the 2025‑26 fertilizer year. Sales fell 14% YoY to 965,100 t and imports dropped 16% YoY...
Indonesia Restricts Crude Palm Oil Exports Waste
Indonesia confirmed that the ban on exporting crude palm‑oil mill effluent (POME) and used cooking oil (UCO) will remain in place, prioritising domestic energy security and its emerging aviation‑fuel sector. President Prabowo framed palm‑based residues as strategic feedstocks for a...
Zimbabwe: Small Scale Miners Dominate Fidelity Gold Deliveries
Artisanal and small‑scale miners (ASM) delivered 2.24 tons of gold in January 2026, far surpassing the 808.4 kg supplied by large‑scale producers. Both segments posted lower volumes than the same month a year earlier, with ASM falling from 3.17 tons and large‑scale from 903.2 kg....
North America Adds Rigs Week on Week
North America’s weekly rig count rose by two to 775, driven by a two‑rig increase in Canada while the U.S. total held steady at 551. The U.S. rig mix includes 409 oil rigs, 133 gas rigs and nine miscellaneous units,...
Correction to European Steel Plate Import Prices on February 19
Fastmarkets announced corrections to its European steel plate import price assessments after discovering currency conversion errors. The Northern Europe 8‑40 mm plate range (MB‑STE‑0049) is now €609‑650 per tonne, down from the mistakenly reported €720. The Southern Europe range (MB‑STE‑0050) is...
Uniper to Supply Gujarat with 0.5 MMtpa of LNG for 10 Years
Uniper SE has signed a ten‑year agreement to supply Gujarat State Petroleum Corp with 0.5 million metric tons per annum of LNG, with deliveries beginning in January 2028. The contract covers roughly one‑third of Gujarat’s gas demand, serving 2.3 million households and 20 000...
German Distillate Demand Falls on Higher Prices
German demand for middle distillates weakened in mid‑February as higher ICE gasoil futures pushed up prices. Heating oil volumes fell nearly 13% and diesel sales dropped about 12%, while gasoline saw a modest rise on increased travel. Supply remains ample,...
Denmark Considers Extending N Sea Production Licences
Denmark announced it will start a process to consider extending one or more North Sea gas production licences beyond their 2042 expiry, potentially up to 2050. The move aims to bolster European energy security while still fitting within the 2020...