US Blocks Ford's Bid for Aluminum Tariff Relief
"US rejects aluminum tariff relief request from Ford" https://t.co/jFypu1NlqH "While Novelis has been making up for lost production with aluminium from its plants in South Korea and Europe, the imported metal is subject to a 50% duty" https://t.co/KYjObj1b2R
No Navy, No Uniform: UK's Deployable Fleet Fails
New rule: nobody in your nation gets to wear a Navy uniform if you don’t have a single deployable warship. Not in ceremonies. Not in parades. Not at NATO. You don’t have a navy. STOP THE COSPLAY
800+ Vessels Trapped in Gulf as Owners Seek Release
More than 800 are stuck inside the gulf. Although the terms for safe passage are still unclear, owners are moving to free up their ships writes WSJ's @CostasParis https://t.co/BQY0GcPPvk
Delta Faces $2 Billion Fuel Cost Surge From Middle‑East Conflict
Latest: Delta Air Lines expects to incur more than $2 billion in higher fuel costs through June because of the US-Israel war on Iran https://t.co/pfNgi3ALzA
US Navy Appears Unhurried to Reopen Hormuz Strait
As I hypothesized a few weeks ago. What if the US Navy is in no rush to reopen the Strait of Hormuz?
Elon Musk’s $16.5B Deal Rescues Samsung From Chip War
Samsung was getting crushed by TSMC in the chip war. - $3.6B in losses - 7% market share vs TSMC's 67% - About to be overtaken by China's SMIC But Elon Musk just changed everything with one $16.5 BILLION deal... Leaving Big Tech in shock. Here's...
Machina Labs Secures $124M for AI‑Powered Aerospace Factory
Machina Labs raised $124mn to build an AI-driven factory for aluminum and titanium aerospace structures. https://www.metalnomist.com/2026/04/machina-labs-aerospace-factory-signals.html
China Upskills, Vietnam Low‑Costs, Mexico Nearshoring Falters
Global trade is rewiring. China is moving into HIGH-VALUE, ADVANCED manufacturing. Vietnam is rising as a LOW-COST HUB. Meanwhile, Mexico’s nearshoring hype has FAILED to deliver. https://t.co/moYJrnHSfE
Hostile Ships Lose Navigation Rights Amid Aggressive Actions
"Vessels and aircraft associated with hostile states—or those facilitating military operations—cannot simultaneously claim protective navigation rights while engaging in aggressive acts." The US and its proxies have only themselves to blame for the closure of the Strait to their traffic.
German Factory Orders Flat, Recovery Still Elusive
Good Morning from Germany, where industry was showing little sign of recovery even before the war. Factory orders rose just 0.9% in Feb MoM, missing expectations. Excl volatile large orders, demand was up a stronger 3.5%. Still, a downward revision...
IMO Seeks Mechanism to Secure Hormuz Ship Transit
IMO sec-gen: "I am already working with the relevant parties to implement an **appropriate mechanism** to ensure the safe transit of ships through the Strait of Hormuz. The priority now is to ensure an evacuation that guarantees the safety of...
Chinese Interest in Iranian Oil Wanes as Discount Disappears
Chinese refiners are inquiring about Iranian oil, although it's not a wholesale rush given prices are still significantly higher than before the war (the ~$10 discount to Brent is gone). Story link at the end
Asia Pivots to Russian Oil Amid Middle East Turmoil
Asia’s energy reality is shifting FAST. As the Middle East’s supply of oil is disrupted by the US-Israeli war on Iran, countries are turning to Russian oil. RUSSIA = BIG WINNER. https://t.co/akGGPsbivA
China's LNG Demand Stalls, Shifts to Domestic and Pipeline Sources
Don't expect China's LNG demand to bounce back from the Middle East turmoil 🇨🇳🚢 China gets a quarter of its LNG from the world's biggest export plant in Qatar.. which remains offline. To makeup for the shortfall, China is expected to...
Japan, Australia Forge Graphite Anode Supply Chain
Japan and Australia are building a graphite anode supply chain to strengthen battery materials security and reduce import dependence. https://www.metalnomist.com/2026/04/japan-australia-graphite-anode-supply.html
Jet Fuel Supply May Need Months to Rebound Post-Hormuz Reopening
IATA chief says jet fuel supply could take months to recover after Hormuz reopening https://t.co/9qcnn6QlNE
Kipushi Zinc to Boost US Critical Minerals Stockpile
Ivanhoe’s Kipushi zinc concentrate could support US critical minerals stockpiling through a proposed Mercuria and Gécamines deal. https://www.metalnomist.com/2026/04/kipushi-zinc-concentrate-could-link-drc.html
800 Oil Tankers Await Hormuz Reopening in Gulf
POV: The 800 oil tankers stuck in the Gulf when the Strait of Hormuz opens up again. https://t.co/jmhUZYYjld
Iranian Trade Vessels Near Toll Booth, Not Strait Opening
Two ships are heading towards the Iran Toll Booth - between Qeshm and Larak Islands. The ships are the 37k ton, St Kitts-Nevis flagged bulk carrier, which just loaded at Busheur, Iran and is sailing for India. The other is the...
Watching Strait of Hormuz Traffic Amid Ceasefire Uncertainty
Lots of conflicting messages about the proposed ceasefire between the US and Iran. I am waiting to see if there is any movement of ships into the Strait of Hormuz and not through Iran's Toll Booth. https://t.co/poGvHY51S7
IRGC Slashes Hormuz Flow to a Quarter
15 ships per day thru Hormuz 5 mmb/d of oil (vs 20) 2.5 bcf/d LNG (vs 10) That's a starvation diet. Controlled by the IRGC #LNG #NaturalGas #EnergyMarkets #OilMarkets #Geopolitics https://t.co/ej80nFO2XR
Ceasefire May Reopen Hormuz, 800 Ships Await Release
Shipowners are now scrambling to understand the fine print in a ceasefire that could temporarily open up the Strait of Hormuz 🚢🚢🚢 There are currently more than 800 vessels trapped in the Persian Gulf https://t.co/cDsoyn09pr
Hormuz Closure Irreversible: Once Shut, No Reopening
The Strait of Hormuz May have been “shut” like a tap. It cannot be turned back “on” like a tap.
Tomorrow’s Hormuz Tanker Count Cuts Through Market Noise
Let’s see how many tankers cross the Strait of Hormuz tomorrow. Literally everything else is noise.
Hormuz Ceasefire Permits Mere 10‑15 Ships Daily
From account close to Tehran—not saying it’s correct, but it’s the first real colour we’re getting on what any interim Hormuz reopening during the ceasefire could look like: “During the two-week ceasefire, only about 10 to 15 ships will be permitted...
Future Impacts Already Set Despite Strait Reopening
Even if the Strait fully opens and stays open…the ramifications 6-9 months down the road are already baked in. https://t.co/wlXmGv0rls
LNG Ships Stalled; None yet Navigating Hormuz
I'm not seeing any LNG ships moving to go through Hormuz yet 🚢🚢 Those two Qatari LNG ships that had aborted an attempt earlier this week are sitting tight (pic below) But of course it is very early days. It will take...
Spot Brent Lags Futures Yet Set to Drop Quickly
It takes an oil tanker between 2 and 4 days to go from the Persian Gulf to India, which is where the most severe shortfall exists. The spot Brent oil price (white) will be slower to fall than the futures...
Iran, Oman Authorized to Charge Strait of Hormuz Fees
JUST IN: Iran and Oman can now impose fees on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz under the ceasefire deal, per a regional official.
Flatbed Rates Surge to $4.05, Rejections Hit 48%
DAT bullish, except for flatbeds, with SONAR signaling flatbed as white hot and the strongest mode at unprecedented strength. Flatbed rates up to $4.05/mile and flatbed rejections at 48%. https://t.co/MaglxTT53T
Strait Reopening Will Eliminate Dark Ship
Heads up that if that Strait *actually* reopens, ships will be crossing with their AIS transponders on so we can cut it with all the contested dark (ie AIS off) transit estimates.
Supply Chain Instability Is Inevitable and Growingly Volatile
The disruptions to supply chains are unfortunately predictable, while the actors and dates are fluid. And here is the preview: supply chain instability is a permanent feature and things are bound to get more volatile https://t.co/qYNbnvbpPZ
Freight Volumes Set to Stay Strong Amid Lean Inventories
LMI suggesting freight market volumes expected to be robust over next near term horizon as inventories stay lean https://t.co/5XGm9vl5J5
Iran Gains Strait Control, Better Deal, Yet Costs Lives
So we get the strait reopened with Iran controlling it and a toll. And Iran gets a much better deal than JCPOA. And it cost them the death of some old men and some destruction of some stuff. ...
Iran Claims to Guide Ships Through Hormuz, Knows Mine Locations
🚨 Iran says their military will coordinate passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz during the ceasefire. -probably because they know where the mines are...
Iran Offers Two‑Week Safe Passage Through Hormuz, Coordination Required
Iran says safe passage via Hormuz is “possible” for two weeks 🚨 … but must be via coordination with Iran's Armed Forces and with due consideration of technical limitations (So far, no loaded LNG tanker has gone through Hormuz in over...
Open Hormuz Strait Triggers Massive Eastward Market Rush
If the Strait of Hormuz is open, get ready to watch for a stampede to the East. https://t.co/3rohg52Jti
Iran Claims Open Strait, Demands Payment; Trump Disagrees
And this is why it’s hard to believe that Iran has agreed to not regulate passage at this point because it’s Irans primary leverage. In Irans eyes the strait IS open—you just have to pay them & the insurance companies....
Flatbed Rates Hit Record $4.05/mile Post‑Easter
Flatbeds come out of Easter surging to record high of $4.05/mile Up from $3.93/mile before the Easter Holiday. https://t.co/lhIwUSiFya
$2 Million Toll
and the new point of contention? the $2 million+ tolls on traversing the Strait of Hormuz?
Trump Delays Iran Attack as Ceasefire Nears
President Donald Trump postponed by two weeks his threat to attack civilian infrastructure across #Iran, as negotiators inched closer to a ceasefire deal that will see Tehran reopen the Strait of Hormuz. https://t.co/jaoOe5416G
No One Cares if Oil Passes the Strait
I guess there's zero interest in whether oil is actually going to move through strait unobstructed ...
South Africa’s ASP Offers US‑backed Gas Alternative to Russia, Qatar
ASP Isotopes to the rescue? $ASPI Strategically positioned in geopolitically neutral South Africa and bolstered by the backing of the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), ASP’s Virginia Gas Project - integrated through the Renergen acquisition - stands as a...
US Withdrawal Fuels Iran's Stronger, Angrier Toll Regime
Very plausible scenario. The US bombs for a few more weeks, then leaves. Iran starts charging a toll for ships leaving the Strait of Hormuz. After some period of rebuilding, it leads to an Iran that's stronger and angrier than...
Iran's Oil Flow Restored, Excluding Genocide Coalition
Just as Iran was taken out of SWIFT money traffic in 2011, the coalition of genocide has been taken out of HORMUZ Oil traffic. The Strait remains wide open for those nations who PAY and those who are not participating in...
Industrials and Chemicals Strong, Intermodal Soft on Slow Imports
TD Cowen call with railroad and shipper execs: strength in industrials, with chemicals showing strength with confidence for rest of 2026 Intermodal soft Intermodal is likely soft due to slow imports https://t.co/04LgKSMRa9
Four Core Systems Power a Responsive Supply Chain
The Four Pillars of Your Supply Chain Information System To build a truly responsive supply chain, you must understand the specific software sources that feed your data. In our latest lesson, we dive deep into the four essential systems that power...
Iran Strikes Saudi Petrochemical Plant, U.S. Media Silent
Whoa I missed this: Saudi Arabian petrochemical plant struck by Iran at Jubail Industrial City Not reported in mainstream U.S. press but from sources generally accurate (AFP, by way of Times of Israel) https://t.co/5PXGglvqpg
Amazon’s AI Gripper ‘Feels’ 75% of Items
The main robotics invention Amazon made to help automate 75% of its fulfilment center is called the Vulcan system. An AI-powered gripper has the “sense of touch”, which can handle 75% of Amazon’s 1 million unique items. The previous picking robots...
Oil Benchmark Hits Record, Reflecting Iran War Shortages
A key benchmark for physical oil has surged to its highest level on record, showing that global crude markets are increasingly pricing in supply shortages caused by the Iran war. https://t.co/OCII5LIP6Z https://t.co/V7iFSd47Gu