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
Oil prices climbed sharply, with West Texas Intermediate futures rising over 3% in early Asian trade to $99.29 a barrel, as reports that Israel struck facilities in Iran's South Pars field and subsequent Iranian threats against Gulf energy sites heightened supply-risk concerns. Brent traded near $110 a barrel, while markets weighed the potential in…
Brent crude climbed sharply after attacks on Middle Eastern energy infrastructure, pushing the benchmark far above U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) and creating an export arbitrage for U.S. crude. Despite higher freight costs, traders are loading more cargoes from the U.S. Gulf Coast for Europe because the WTI/Brent spread is wide enough to cover…
Israel expanded its air campaign on Beirut and southern Lebanon, killing at least 10 people and demolishing a 10-storey building near the city centre. Warplanes also struck bridges over the Litani River, destroying at least two, as the military said it sought to block the movement of Hezbollah fighters and materiel. The confrontation has produced h…
Brazil’s agriculture ministry has raised alarms after urea prices in the domestic market surged within days of renewed hostilities in the Middle East. Officials and analysts say the spike - and some sellers’ suspension of sales despite existing inventories - could push importers and farmers toward cheaper nitrogen sources such as ammonium sulfate, …
Twelve Democratic lawmakers asked Secretary of State Marco Rubio to require the strongest non-proliferation safeguards in any U.S.-Saudi civil nuclear cooperation pact, warning that recent U.S. reports leave room for uranium enrichment and spent fuel reprocessing. The administration has signaled it is pursuing a 123 Agreement that links U.S. indust…
Since the outbreak of the Israel-U.S. conflict with Iran, demand for U.S. distillate storage has climbed sharply as traders prepare to ship diesel, jet fuel and other middle distillates overseas. The spike is concentrated in Gulf Coast and East Coast export hubs, reflecting competition between Europe and Asia for Atlantic Basin supplies amid strain…
Federal officials are reportedly preparing to suspend seasonal smog-cutting requirements for summer-blend gasoline on a temporary basis. The change would make standard gasoline less expensive by removing the obligation for refiners and retailers to switch to higher-cost summer blends, and would permit continued sales of gasoline blended with 15% et…
Saudi Arabian air defences intercepted and destroyed four ballistic missiles launched toward Riyadh, officials said, producing scattered debris but no reported casualties or damage in initial assessments. The strikes occurred hours before a consultative meeting of foreign ministers from several Arab and Islamic countries convened in the capital to …
The White House announced that China has agreed to postpone U.S. President Donald Trump’s planned trip to Beijing, which had been due in two weeks. Officials say they are working to set a new date, while the president indicated the visit is likely to take place in roughly five to six weeks, citing demands related to the Iran war. China’s embassy in…
Following reported attacks on oil and petrochemical facilities in South Pars and Asaluyeh, Iranian authorities warned they would target energy installations in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. The incidents pushed Brent crude futures higher and prompted disruptions to regional gas exports, including a halt to Iranian gas supplies t…
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz following attacks at the end of February has precipitated a global reassessment of long-term reliance on imported oil and gas. Policymakers are proposing measures that include expanding nuclear and renewable capacity, enlarging emergency stockpiles, boosting domestic output and diversifying import sources to redu…
The U.S. Treasury has issued a general license permitting specified transactions involving Venezuela’s state oil company PDVSA, marking a further loosening of sanctions that were imposed in 2019. The move comes after U.S. forces detained President Nicolas Maduro in January and follows a framework under which Washington manages Venezuela’s oil sales…
Citi says escalating conflict-driven supply interruptions could push Brent crude to $110-$120 a barrel in the coming days under its 50% probability base case. The bank also outlines higher-risk outcomes ranging from a $150-$200 bull scenario to a $65-$70 bear case if diplomatic or strategic developments reopen flows.
U.S.-Israeli air strikes on February 28 and March 17 killed several of Iran’s most senior political and military figures, including the Supreme Leader and top commanders. The attacks, occurring during nuclear negotiations mediated by Oman, have targeted the core of Iran’s leadership and coincided with a conflict that has extended across the Middle …
The Bureau of Land Management will open bids for oil and gas leases in Alaska’s National Petroleum Reserve - Alaska (NPR-A) for the first time since 2019. The sale covers 600 tracts totaling 5.5 million acres and is the first of at least five mandated by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Industry interest has been muted in recent years, and environme…
An escalation in Middle East tensions has pushed oil prices higher, complicating Federal Reserve projections for a single interest rate cut this year. With pipelines and alternate routes being mobilized to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, Brent crude remains above $100 per barrel. Market attention turns to the Fed's rate decision and February producer …
France's finance minister stated the country will not provide additional crude from its strategic reserves now, arguing that reopening the Strait of Hormuz is the only lasting way to relieve pressure on global oil markets. He reiterated that strategic stockpiles are a one-off measure, while the International Energy Agency and its members have coord…
The U.S. embassy is sponsoring a São Paulo meeting between U.S. investors and Brazilian firms seeking to develop critical mineral projects, including rare earths. The gathering comes amid diplomatic friction between Washington and Brasilia after a contentious visit request and a separate U.S. pact with a state governor, raising questions about the …
The U.S. Department of Energy has structured an exchange of barrels from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve that requires energy firms to return more oil than they borrow, with premiums set between 18% and 22% in additional barrels. The program is part of a broader International Energy Agency effort to release 400 million barrels to restrain prices am…
At the National Coffee Association’s annual meeting in Tampa, analysts and traders compared the recent trajectory of coffee prices with last year’s dramatic collapse in cocoa. High retail prices, shifts in consumer behavior and an anticipated recovery in Brazilian output are cited as forces pushing arabica prices lower, though some industry partici…
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi arrives in Washington for talks with U.S. President Donald Trump at a moment of heightened tension over Iran. Trump has pressed Japan to join a multinational effort to escort tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, a demand that risks testing Japan’s constitutional limits, public opinion and the foundations of t…
OCBC said oil prices are likely to remain above $100 per barrel in the near term due to little sign of de-escalation in the U.S.-Iran conflict. With tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz reduced to a trickle and mitigation measures unable to fully close the gap, the bank expects Brent to average around $100 through mid-2026 before easing to a…
Oil prices eased in Asian trading after industry figures showed an unexpected rise in U.S. crude stocks and ahead of a major central bank policy decision. Despite the dip, markets remain sensitive to ongoing disruptions tied to the U.S.-Israel-Iran hostilities, which continue to support elevated price levels.
Oil prices slipped on Wednesday morning as market participants reacted to American Petroleum Institute figures showing a notable rise in U.S. crude inventories. At the same time, regional supply notices from Iraq, Libya and military activity near the Strait of Hormuz contributed to an uncertain backdrop for crude markets.
Gold prices were largely unchanged in early Asian trading as markets awaited further developments in the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran and the outcome of a Federal Reserve policy meeting. Heavy geopolitical risks supported haven demand, but persistent inflation and the prospect of higher interest rates continued to cap bullion's gains.
