Commodities Weekly Precious metals rise again; gas markets unstable The stronger-than-expected US CPI data for March may have sent the dollar and Treasury yields higher but commodity prices largely shrugged off the news. Indeed, precious metals rose strongly this week... 12th April 2024 · 6 mins read
Commodities Update Chinese gold craze likely to unwind later this year We think the price of gold will ease back from current record highs by end-2024, but falling US Treasury yields and some softness in the US dollar will keep the price elevated. Similarly, we expect... 12th April 2024 · 4 mins read
Commodities Update A firm start to the year for China’s commodity imports China’s energy and industrial metal imports were generally strong in the first quarter. We expect them to hold up well in the coming months as fiscal stimulus continues to support construction... 12th April 2024 · 4 mins read
Industrial Metals Update China property contraction to hit metals prices hard In light of our China team’s new non-consensus view that an aggressive slowdown in property sector construction seems almost inevitable in the years ahead, we have revised our price forecasts. We now... 10th April 2024 · 4 mins read
Energy Update Tentative signs of coal’s demise in China in 2024 A resurgence in hydropower in China this year combined with the continued rapid expansion of its wind, solar and nuclear power capabilities may pave the way for 2024 to mark the start of a steady... 10th April 2024 · 4 mins read
Commodities Update Grain pain is over – wheat prices will remain low Wheat prices have been in decline for most of the past two years. We think that they are now near their trough, but the prospect of another good global harvest in 2024/25 means that we shouldn’t see a... 9th April 2024 · 3 mins read
Capital Daily Chinese gold craze likely to unwind later this year We think the price of gold will have eased back from current record highs by end-2024, but falling US Treasury yields and some softness in the US dollar will keep the price elevated. 9th April 2024 · 4 mins read
Commodities Weekly Don’t read too much into rising gold and oil prices The prices of oil and gold have surged since the start of the year. However, we do not think that the co-movement is necessarily linked. Admittedly, tensions in the Middle East are a common upward... 5th April 2024 · 5 mins read
Industrial Metals Update US steel prices on shaky foundations US steelmakers are preparing for robust growth in steel demand over the next few years, however we think those expectations will fall flat. Steel demand from property construction is likely to fall... 5th April 2024 · 3 mins read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Weekly Consulate strike and the threat of a Iran-Israel war The Israeli strike on Iran’s consulate in Syria this week has ratcheted up tensions in the region and the threat of an outright conflict between Iran and Israel is at its highest since the war in Gaza... 4th April 2024 · 7 mins read
Commodities Outlook Energy prices to cool, but metals to hold firm for now We expect most commodity prices to fall over the next couple of years as greater supply enters the market. Industrial metals are the exception, China’s policymakers have stepped up stimulus in recent... 4th April 2024 · 33 mins read
Commodities Weekly Baltimore tragedy not a major issue for energy flows The collapse of the Francis Scott Key bridge in Baltimore this week is unlikely to have a large impact on global energy flows. For oil, flows of crude and refined products to or from Baltimore are... 28th March 2024 · 5 mins read
Latin America Economics Weekly Copom’s concerns, Maduro tests the US, Chile’s lithium The minutes to the Brazilian central bank’s meeting last week confirmed our view that Copom will soon start to slow the pace of easing. Meanwhile, developments in Venezuela this week mean that it now... 28th March 2024 · 6 mins read
Global Economic Outlook On course for a soft landing In the quarters ahead, economic activity in most of the world will be characterised by soft landings. We expect GDP growth to be below trend, but meaningful recessions should be avoided and the US... 28th March 2024 · 45 mins read
Africa Economic Outlook Recovery stuck in low gear Sub-Saharan Africa will record a pick-up in growth over the coming years, helped by an improving external environment reducing the threat of further large currency falls as well as sovereign defaults... 27th March 2024 · 20 mins read
