Analysis: Commodities

Commodities: The snowball effect

On commodity markets, soaring energy prices and shortages disrupt other industries, leading to further price increases, and so on. It is the snowball effect.

It's not just gas that's going up

Price inflation, supply chain disruptions and idling factories... These has almost become the new normal this year, with the semiconductor crisis and the explosion in freight prices. And there is more...

Canada's second largest pension fund moves away from oil

Canada's second-largest pension fund, Caisse de Dépôt et Placement du Quebec, announced on Tuesday that it would divest all of its oil production assets, valued at CAD3.9 billion , by the end of...

Oil: Fresh boost due to supply tensions

The oil market slump did not last long. The decline in US production, temporarily affected by Hurricane Ida, has offset the increase in extractions decided by OPEC+, the organization following to the...

Precious metals: bad week for palladium, gold recovers

Gold rebounded above $1,800 on Friday, supported by bets that central banks could keep interest rates relatively low to stave off persistent growth risks. On the week, however, the ounce lost ground...

Sea freight: one route, two ways

Much has been written in recent months about the ins and outs of the current disruption of global freight. The result is an explosion in the cost of ocean freight, as illustrated by the Freightos...

Copper edges higher on weak dollar, U.S. jobs report eyed

Copper rose on Friday as the dollar sank to its lowest in almost a month, and was on track for a second straight weekly gain ahead of a crucial U.S. jobs report that is expected to guide markets on...

Gold extends decline on firmer dollar, pre-Jackson Hole jitters

Gold extended a retreat on Thursday as a firmer dollar and U.S. Treasury yields combined with uncertainty about the stance the Federal Reserve's could take on tapering of its economic support in its...

Corn down as USDA says U.S. crop better than expected

U.S. corn futures fell on Tuesday after a U.S. Department of Agriculture report eased concerns about the condition of crops in the United States. Soybeans firmed on hopes of more Chinese demand...

Commodities: A backlash and Beijing's iron ore offensive

The first half of the year has been full of twists and turns for commodity markets. Timber is certainly the most interesting case. Its price, which has doubled in a few months, is now back to levels...

Why the cost of ocean freight is set to rise further

ING experts believe that the cost of shipping has not yet finished rising. Shipping costs have risen sharply and fierce competition for ocean freight capacity is the new normal, they explain in a new...

Gold and cocoa miss out on broad-based commodity rebound

The commodity boom has been much talked about lately, especially its impact on inflation expectations. This gives us the opportunity to take a quick look at the situation in order to better understand...

CO2 prices become punitive for coal plants in Europe

The soaring price of European Union emissions permits is prompting more utilities to switch from high-carbon coal to natural gas for power generation in Germany, which could accelerate the phase-out...

More than beans: Nestle recycles cocoa fruit waste to replace sugar in chocolate

As confectionery groups scramble to reduce added sugar, chocolate sweetened with cocoa fruit pulp is about to hit supermarket shelves with food giant Nestle ready to launch its Incoa bar....

Oil slips, retreats from gains notched on strong Chinese data

Oil prices edged lower on Monday, pulling back from early gains fostered on strong Chinese economic news and ongoing supply restraint from major oil producers....

Oil settles near $70/bbl on hopes of recovering demand

Oil settled near $70 a barrel on Friday, supported by production cuts by major oil producers and optimism about a demand recovery in the second half of the year....

BofA hikes 2021 Brent price view by $10/bbl on strong oil balances

Bank of America Global Research lifted its forecast for Brent crude oil prices for this year citing tighter supplies due to the Texas freeze and OPEC+ output curbs and unmatched global monetary...

Chilean miner Codelco says copper price spike will bolster war chest, raise costs

Chile's state-owned Codelco, the world's largest copper producer, views the recent spike in the price of the red metal as a good opportunity to generate cash for investments and hold down debt, but...

Amid Texas freeze, oil producers still shut; governor bans natural gas exports

Texas oil producers and refiners remained shut for a fifth day on Wednesday after several days of blistering cold, and the governor ordered a ban on natural gas exports from the state to try to speed...