Price movements and fundamentals across major commodities.
Analysis and reporting on commodities such as oil, natural gas, gold, industrial metals, and agricultural products. Focuses on supply-demand dynamics, geopolitical risks, inventory trends, and macro drivers affecting commodity markets.
1,590 total articles
Traders executed roughly $430 million of short bets on crude futures in the quarter-hour preceding U.S. President Donald Trump's declaration of an indefinite ceasefire extension with Iran. The trades, placed during post-settlement hours, are the latest in a series of sizable, well-timed directional wagers around major Iran-related announcements thi…
Barclays says the recent US-mediated ceasefire has not reopened the Strait of Hormuz to normal oil and gas traffic. Analysts report more than 50 days of closure, roughly 600 million barrels of crude blocked and more than 10 million barrels per day effectively shut in, while shipping remains exposed to security incidents and thousands of seafarers a…
On April 22 Iranian forces seized two container ships attempting to transit the Gulf via the Strait of Hormuz after firing on them and a third vessel. Authorities said the ships lacked required permits and had tampered with navigation equipment. The incidents prompted a rise in oil futures and underscored continuing disruptions to traffic through t…
A broad array of governments have announced measures to protect consumers and key industries from sharp increases in energy prices attributed to the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran. Responses range from tax cuts and temporary export bans to higher subsidies, reserve releases and production mandates designed to secure domestic supplies and ease bills for h…
Shipping executives at the FT Commodities Global Summit said Asian shipowners, including government-linked fleets, are more likely to restart voyages through the Strait of Hormuz before Western companies. The imbalance reflects differing tolerance for sanctions risk, access to government-to-government channels, and the prospect of Iranian tolls and…
The head of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum cautioned that the temporary demand destruction for natural gas triggered by the Iran war could become structural if the conflict endures. Since the crisis began late in February, over 500 million barrels of crude and condensate have been removed from global markets, prompting some gas-importing countri…
President Donald Trump announced a unilateral extension of a ceasefire in the Iran conflict beyond a Wednesday deadline, but participants on the other side have not clearly endorsed the move. Oil markets registered only muted gains, while global equity markets and futures leaned toward optimism driven by strength in technology stocks. Key macro and…
Gasoline prices that helped fuel Republican campaigns against Democrats have rebounded, creating a political problem for GOP incumbents who relied on that issue to win close districts. In Michigan, Rep. Tom Barrett - who ran in 2024 promising to bring down fuel costs - is now defending his record as average state pump prices climbed back toward the…
Hungary and Slovakia say Russian oil deliveries via the Druzhba pipeline through Ukraine are expected to restart after months-long interruption caused by damage in western Ukraine. The resumption may remove Hungary’s objection to a 90 billion euro EU loan for Ukraine. Authorities and industry participants reported that pressure-building work has be…
The U.S.-Israeli war with Iran and the shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz have produced the largest single-day oil supply loss on record, when measured by daily output removed. Calculations based on International Energy Agency and U.S. Department of Energy data show the peak loss exceeds previous highs from the 1973 Arab oil embargo, the 1978-79 Iran…
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer has told allied countries they should be prepared to pay higher prices - a 'national security premium' - for critical minerals sourced outside China. Greer said he is preparing draft details to share with partners and criticised a narrow focus on cost efficiency as a driver of Western reliance on Chinese sup…
Gold climbed in Asian trading after the United States said it would extend a ceasefire with Iran indefinitely, but gains were limited amid uncertainty over future negotiations and remarks from Federal Reserve Chair nominee Kevin Warsh. Other precious metals also advanced while the dollar's firmness and signals about U.S. monetary policy weighed on …
The White House is weighing an extension of a temporary waiver that permits foreign-flagged cargo ships to transport fuel and other goods between U.S. ports. The initial 60-day waiver, issued in March, was intended to increase domestic oil shipments and help offset higher gasoline prices associated with the Iran war. U.S. officials say discussions …
Oil prices declined in volatile Asian trading after U.S. President Donald Trump said he would indefinitely extend a ceasefire with Iran. Prices swung through the session but ended lower, held back by persistent supply concerns tied to the closed Strait of Hormuz and a U.S. naval blockade that has left ship traffic scarce. Uncertainty over whether I…
BHP reported a 3% year-on-year increase in iron ore production in the fiscal third quarter driven by Western Australia operations, even as shipments were disrupted by two tropical cyclones. The miner left its annual iron ore guidance unchanged and announced the conclusion of sales contract negotiations with China Mineral Resources Group. Copper vol…
U.S. benchmark crude futures rose in early trade after Washington announced an indefinite extension of a ceasefire with Iran, but uncertainty about whether other parties will agree to the extension and a continued de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz kept markets on edge. West Texas Intermediate touched $90.70 before trading at $90.26, up 59 ce…
Halliburton has begun commercial discussions with customers to potentially resume operations in Venezuela after inspecting its former facilities there. CEO Jeff Miller said the company is receiving numerous inbound inquiries and that many bases appear in better shape than anticipated. Interest from producers and investors has surged following the U…
Goldman Sachs maintained its forecast that copper will average $12,650 per metric ton this year and left its projection of a 490,000-ton surplus in 2026 unchanged. The bank warned that continued shipping disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz and China’s ban on sulphuric acid exports from May 1 could tighten supplies of sulphuric acid, a critical…
Boston, April 21 - A federal judge in Boston has issued a preliminary injunction preventing the Trump administration from enforcing a set of permitting policies that industry and advocacy groups say have effectively stalled wind and solar project development across the United States. Plaintiffs argued a July Interior Department memorandum and relat…
European natural gas prices climbed on Tuesday amid uncertainty about whether talks between the U.S. and Iran will extend a temporary ceasefire. The Dutch front-month TTF contract rose 3.5% to 41.65 euros per MWh at 09:23 ET (13:23 GMT), according to Intercontinental Exchange data. Supply strains from the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz a…
The International Energy Agency's executive director described the ongoing conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel as the largest energy crisis in history, citing combined strains on oil and gas markets. Maritime bottlenecks in the Strait of Hormuz, which carries about one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas flows, and the l…
In a televised interview, President Donald Trump said he did not want to extend the current ceasefire with Iran, asserting the United States holds a strong negotiating position and could secure a favorable deal. He reiterated that time was limited, noted that talks with Iran were expected to proceed in Pakistan with Tehran considering participation…
Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz was largely suspended on Tuesday, with just three ships recorded transiting in the preceding 24 hours, shipping trackers and satellite analysts said. The disruption follows a U.S. blockade of Iranian ports and Iran's imposition of its own restrictions on the strait, which ordinarily handles about one-fifth of g…
The European Commission will issue guidance to airlines on airport slots, anti-tankering, passenger rights and public service obligations should jet fuel supplies tighten amid the Iran war. Commissioners say there are no shortages currently, but a sustained blockade of the Strait of Hormuz would have catastrophic effects. The EU plans a new fuel ob…
Japan's prime minister and Mexico's president held a telephone discussion during which they committed to bolstering cooperation on energy amid global supply disruptions tied to the Iran war. The Japanese leader also proposed a structured dialogue covering economic security and sought Mexican help in creating a favourable operating environment for J…
