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.
825 total articles
The White House is set to review a package of measures aimed at limiting energy price increases after strikes on Iran disrupted tanker movements in the Middle East. Options include government assistance to help oil tankers obtain insurance, with senior administration officials scheduled to brief the president and finalise a response. Rising war-ris…
China has publicly opposed recent military strikes by Israel and the United States against Iran and has demanded an immediate cessation of hostilities. Foreign Minister Wang Yi conveyed the position in a phone call with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, reiterated China’s preference for dialogue and negotiation, and signalled Beijing will act t…
Front-month Dutch TTF contracts climbed sharply as QatarEnergy suspended liquefied natural gas output following strikes on two gas facilities. Additional concerns about the Strait of Hormuz and already-low European storage levels added upward pressure, while Asian buyers signal a shift toward spot markets if the disruption persists.
Global oil benchmarks climbed to their strongest levels since July 2024 after U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran, but the uptick does not make up for steep discounts on Russian crude nor the heavy fiscal strains from elevated defence and security spending. Calculations show that Russian Urals prices and the rouble would need to move substantiall…
Wolfe Research analysts contend that Iran’s current capability to significantly interrupt crude shipments looks limited and may weaken further over time. Their assessment comes as military exchanges spread across the Middle East, with strikes and retaliations touching Iran, Lebanon, Israel, and Gulf states. Oil benchmarks rallied sharply on the hei…
A series of Iranian missile and drone strikes across six U.S.-allied Gulf states has sharpened regional fault lines and may be driving the Gulf Cooperation Council toward closer alignment with Washington. Analysts and Gulf officials say Tehran’s aim to compel U.S. restraint appears to have backfired, strengthening Gulf unity, prompting emergency de…
Gold retreated on Tuesday after a sharp rally the previous day, pressured by a firmer U.S. dollar that offset safe-haven buying tied to an intensifying U.S.-Israeli air campaign against Iran. Spot bullion fell to $5,191 an ounce while futures eased, even as shipping disruptions and energy risk kept geopolitical uncertainty elevated. Analysts say th…
Britain has not yet decided whether to dispatch a Royal Navy warship to protect its RAF Akrotiri base in Cyprus after an Iranian-made drone strike damaged the base runway. The report that ministers had discussed deploying HMS Duncan follows confirmation that UK assets were targeted. France has indicated plans to send anti-missile and anti-drone sys…
A spike in attacks on shipping and energy facilities linked to the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran has shut navigation through the Strait of Hormuz for days, prompted major producer shutdowns across the Gulf and sent oil, gas and commodity prices sharply higher, raising the risk of renewed inflation pressures in Europe, Asia and the United States.
United Nations agencies report that at least 30,000 people have been registered in collective shelters across Lebanon since hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah escalated. The number of displaced is expected to grow, 21 government-run shelters are open, and aid agencies are preparing contingency plans as some Syrian refugees return to Syria. UN…
A widening Middle East conflict has driven energy prices sharply higher, prompting volatile moves in global equities, sovereign bonds and currencies. Market participants are weighing the fallout for inflation and central bank policy as regional attacks target shipping and energy infrastructure, with natural gas prices and crude benchmarks at multi-…
Carlyle analysts say oil markets will need to factor in a persistent "security premium" amid heightened risks stemming from the Iran conflict and threats to the Strait of Hormuz. While a recent surplus in supply may blunt the immediate impact of any shipping disruption, the firm expects prices to remain high and volatile due to broader structural c…
The Kremlin announced that President Vladimir Putin intends to convey Arab leaders' concerns to Iranian officials regarding strikes on regional oil infrastructure. After holding calls with four Gulf state leaders, Putin offered to leverage Russia's dialogue with Tehran to help ease rising tensions. The exchange comes amid a series of Iranian strike…
Crude oil futures have surged roughly 15% since last Friday after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran heightened concerns of supply disruptions in the Middle East. Escalating tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, including Iranian threats to close the route and warnings about attacks on vessels, have pushed prices to their highest level since June of …
The U.N. human rights office has called on the forces responsible for an attack on a girls' school in Iran to carry out a prompt, impartial and thorough investigation and to share findings. The office did not name those it held responsible. A U.N. spokesperson described the incident as "horrific." Separately, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said U.S…
Freight rates for very large crude carriers and liquefied natural gas tankers have climbed sharply after Iran attacked ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz and declared the waterway closed. The route, which carries roughly one-fifth of global oil and substantial LNG volumes, has seen activity largely halted, driving record-high tanker charter rate…
Goldman Sachs has raised its forecast for the Dutch TTF benchmark in the first half of 2026 after strikes on Iranian-linked facilities triggered a halt in Qatari LNG production. The bank now expects April TTF to average 55 euros/MWh and the second-quarter average to be 45 euros/MWh, up from prior forecasts of 36 euros/MWh, citing supply uncertainty…
Israeli forces advanced additional units into southern Lebanon overnight to occupy defensive positions intended to protect civilians and key locations from potential attacks by Hezbollah. A military spokesperson described the deployment as limited to the borderline area and defensive in purpose. Defence Minister Israel Katz authorised the move afte…
An Israeli military spokesperson said forces have prepared for an operation against Iran that could last several weeks, while noting that deploying ground troops to Iran is unlikely. The comments came amid ongoing air strikes carried out by Israel and the United States and subsequent Iranian retaliation. Israeli leaders have said the conflict could…
U.S. President Donald Trump told a British newspaper he was "sad to see" the U.S.-UK relationship had weakened after Prime Minister Keir Starmer initially refrained from offering military support for strikes against Iran. Starmer later permitted the United States to use British military bases for defensive strikes, while senior British ministers st…
Following intense strikes on Iranian targets over the weekend, the US dollar strengthened broadly. Market moves were driven principally by energy price repercussions and the relative exposure of other economies to supply disruptions, rather than a straightforward return of the dollar's traditional haven role.
Saudi Arabia’s non-oil private sector continued to expand in February but at the slowest pace in nine months, with the Riyad Bank PMI dipping to 56.1 from 56.3. Strong domestic demand and new project approvals supported activity, while employment rose and staff cost inflation reached a record high for the survey. Regional security incidents have di…
Oil prices continued to rise in Asian trading following a more than 7% surge in the previous session, as an escalation in the Middle East and threats to passage through the Strait of Hormuz kept supply disruption concerns at the forefront of markets. Brent and WTI maintained gains, while investors and analysts assessed how much of the geopolitical …
Oil prices extended gains for a third session as the U.S.-Israeli military campaign involving Iran and related strikes on energy infrastructure and tankers heightened concerns over supply through the Strait of Hormuz. Brent and U.S. West Texas Intermediate rose, refined fuels rallied, and insurers and shippers altered operations amid warnings from …
Gold extended gains into a fourth consecutive session in Asian trading as investors reacted to an expanding conflict in the Middle East, while a firmer U.S. dollar limited how far prices could rise. Spot gold and U.S. futures advanced, supported by safe-haven flows after heavy military action in West Asia and rising oil-price risks that bolstered i…
