Industrial Metals Update Does the rally in alumina prices have legs? The jump in alumina prices is probably premised largely on the prospect of winter capacity closures in China. But given that aluminium production could also fall, the market may not be as tight as it... 9th October 2017 · 1 min read
Energy Update Should the oil market worry about sanctions on Iran? If President Trump refuses to waive the sanctions on Iran’s oil exports then we would expect oil prices to rise. However, it is not clear that Congress would vote to re-impose sanctions on the country... 6th October 2017 · 1 min read
Commodities Update No clear signal from China’s PMIs China’s official and unofficial PMIs diverged in September, but both suggested that smaller, private sector manufacturers are struggling. The authorities appear aware of the sector’s woes as the cut... 2nd October 2017 · 1 min read
Precious Metals Update Platinum-to-palladium spread turns negative, for now Palladium was in the spotlight yesterday as its price traded at a premium to platinum for the first time in sixteen years. However, unlike platinum, investors’ net-long position in palladium looks... 29th September 2017 · 1 min read
Energy Update Oil demand rises as global economy strengthens Global oil demand was given a boost in the second quarter of this year largely due to a stronger global economy. The latest data point to a bright outlook for oil demand over the next year as the... 28th September 2017 · 1 min read
Commodities Update What can the Baltic Dry Index tell us? The recovery in the Baltic Dry Index (BDI) since early 2016 corroborates data showing a pick-up in global growth and the strength of commodity prices, notably the metals. However, we think that the... 21st September 2017 · 1 min read
Industrial Metals Update China Metal Output Monitor China increased its output of most refined metals in the first eight months of the year. The main exceptions were zinc and nickel. 20th September 2017 · 1 min read
Commodities Update Will new Chinese crude contracts be a game-changer? A new, yuan-denominated crude futures contract should have no impact on oil prices. The development of more futures contracts makes sense given China’s high consumption of most major commodities and... 19th September 2017 · 1 min read
Energy Update Should we expect the rise in coal prices to continue? We are revising our coal price forecast up to take account of the recent rise in prices. However, increasing supply, slowing Chinese demand and more efficient energy alternatives are all likely to... 19th September 2017 · 1 min read
Industrial Metals Update Stock data at odds with prices There has been a dramatic drawdown of Shanghai lead inventories in the last month and a surge in LME copper stocks in the last week. Otherwise, total stock movements have been relatively subdued, with... 18th September 2017 · 1 min read
Industrial Metals Update Investor sentiment could be about to turn Sentiment towards metals remained broadly positive in Q3 as the prospect of capacity cuts in China later in the year supported industrial metals prices whilst heightened geopolitical risks buoyed... 15th September 2017 · 1 min read
Industrial Metals Update China Industrial Metals Demand Monitor (Aug.) China’s August activity and spending data suggest that the slowdown that started in July continued into August. In particular, a downturn in infrastructure spending does not bode well for metals... 14th September 2017 · 1 min read
Commodities Update Investor buying boosts metals prices Commodities prices trended higher in the last month, supported by increased speculative activity and a weaker dollar. Metals benefited from robust Chinese activity data and heightened geopolitical... 13th September 2017 · 1 min read
Commodities Update More bad news for grains & soybeans prices The US Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s latest set of estimates painted a broadly bearish picture for grains – notably corn – and soybeans. While the price of wheat increased following the release... 13th September 2017 · 1 min read
Energy Update OPEC open to extending output deal OPEC has recently been hinting that it may prolong its production cuts. However, some members are planning to increase output next year and compliance with the current agreement will probably have to... 13th September 2017 · 1 min read
Precious Metals Update Investors’ support for palladium to fade We believe that increased speculative activity was the main driver of the recent rally in the price of palladium, which hit a 16-year high on Monday. While it is difficult to know when, if ever... 8th September 2017 · 1 min read
