Energy Update Volatility a reminder scars remain in natural gas markets Price volatility in the wake of news of possible strike action at Australian LNG export terminals serves as a reminder that natural gas markets are still carrying the scars of Russia’s invasion of... 21st August 2023 · 2 mins read
Industrial Metals Update China stimulus not a silver bullet for industrial metals The outlook for industrial metals demand has deteriorated alongside the weakening of China’s economy this year, particularly in the property sector. Monetary and fiscal stimulus might paper over the... 16th August 2023 · 3 mins read
Climate Economics Update A fact-finding mission on EV emissions Given the dominance of coal in China’s energy mix, a medium-sized electric vehicle (EV) produced there currently starts life with a “carbon debt” almost twice that of an equivalent internal combustion... 15th August 2023 · 6 mins read
Commodities Update Coffee prices to ease back, but remain elevated We think that Arabica and Robusta coffee prices will remain historically high over the next 12 months or so, but especially the Robusta price owing to greater El Niño-related supply risks. With that... 15th August 2023 · 4 mins read
Commodities Update China’s commodity imports falter but won’t collapse China’s commodity import volumes fell in July compared to June. Policy support should help lift metals imports over the next few months. And although crude oil imports fell sharply, we think that... 8th August 2023 · 2 mins read
Energy Update OPEC+ supply cuts to keep the oil price supported Saudi Arabia’s announcement yesterday that it would extend its unilateral oil production cut of 1m bpd into September sent the Brent crude oil price climbing to $85 per barrel, where it remains today... 4th August 2023 · 4 mins read
Commodities Update India’s rice export ban: a food security warning shot? We think the price of rice is set to climb after India’s additional rice export restrictions have exacerbated global shortage concerns. For now, though, we don’t expect other major producers to follow... 1st August 2023 · 2 mins read
Commodities Update China PMIs are grim reading for commodities demand China’s PMIs suggest that commodities demand has come completely off the boil. For the recent rally in industrial metals prices to be sustained, China’s policymakers will have to deliver on promises... 1st August 2023 · 2 mins read
Industrial Metals Update El Niño likely to add to supply woes The widely-differing impact of El Niño across continents means that the net effect on global mining output is not clear cut. On balance, though, the likelihood is that it will lead to lower ore output... 18th July 2023 · 3 mins read
Commodities Update El Niño unlikely to fire up the price of all staples El Niño is coming but the picture is more nuanced than one of doom and gloom for global production of all crop types. For corn, soybeans, wheat and rice, larger harvests in some regions can outweigh... 14th July 2023 · 4 mins read
Commodities Update China’s commodity imports remain strong in June China’s commodity import volumes remained high in June, helped by the economic re-opening, but they were held back by softening input-related demand for the manufacture of goods for export. As... 13th July 2023 · 2 mins read
Global Markets Update Why don’t TIPS yields matter anymore? Not so long ago, a higher 10-year TIPS yield almost invariably meant an underperformance of US “growth” stocks vis-à-vis their “value” peers, a lower gold price, and a stronger dollar. That’s changed... 13th July 2023 · 5 mins read
Energy Update Asia LNG price premium to TTF to persist The spot price of Asia LNG should trade at a premium to Europe’s TTF natural gas benchmark at end-2023 given stronger demand growth in Asia and the fact that LNG is more costly to produce. 12th July 2023 · 5 mins read
Global Economics Update El Niño risks concentrated in EMs The likelihood of an El Niño event in the second half of this year adds to upside risks to global inflation and downside risks to activity. For the advanced economies, higher prices of agricultural... 12th July 2023 · 5 mins read
Industrial Metals Update Copper prices to tread water until 2024 Expectations of fiscal stimulus in China have thrown previously floundering copper prices a lifeline. If policymakers go ahead, that may keep a floor under prices before a turnaround in construction... 5th July 2023 · 3 mins read
Commodities Update Lumber price to ease back on demand weakness After fluctuating between $500 and $600 per 1,000 board feet for most of this year, we expect the US lumber price to fall from around $520 today to $475 by the end of the year due to weaker demand... 5th July 2023 · 4 mins read