Commodities Update Sentiment improves as investors cut short positions As changing weather forecasts in key growing regions shape markets’ expectations for production, some sharp price increases in October saw investors rush to reduce their short futures positions. By... 4th November 2015 · 1 min read
Energy Chart Pack Back on the roller-coaster Volatility returned to the oil market in October with prices being pushed and pulled by swings in sentiment towards China, changes in the value of the dollar and the outlook for demand in the US. The... 4th November 2015 · 1 min read
Metals Chart Pack Producers have started cutting supply Many metals markets have been in comfortable surplus this year, which has been a factor weighing on prices. However, in October there were signs that supply cuts in response to low prices are starting... 3rd November 2015 · 1 min read
Commodities Chart Pack Supply prospects diverge again Dollar strength and fears about demand, particularly from China, continued to overshadow commodity markets last month, but the biggest moves in prices can largely be explained by supply-side... 2nd November 2015 · 1 min read
Industrial Metals Update Aluminium prices weaken as output remains strong Aluminium prices have continued their rapid decline, reaching a six-year low. Production has still not responded to lower prices though, and Chinese output is growing particularly strongly. Therefore... 2nd November 2015 · 1 min read
Commodities Update What does the latest news from China mean for commodities? Recent positive developments in China – including signs of recovery in the equity market and in themanufacturing sector, renewed stability in the renminbi, and additional policy stimulus – support... 2nd November 2015 · 1 min read
Commodities Weekly Focus to shift back (at least briefly) to China The key drivers of commodity prices in the past week have been the ebb and flow of expectations for US interest rates and speculation of tighter supply – the latter boosting US crude oil prices and... 30th October 2015 · 1 min read
Commodities Update El Niño to keep rice prices on the boil With El Niño threatening to reduce rice harvests in South-east Asia and the world stocks-to-consumption ratio expected to hit the lowest level since 2006, we think rice prices will move higher. 30th October 2015 · 1 min read
Commodities Update How could a La Niña next year affect agriculturals? With the Australian Bureau of Meteorology indicating that the current El Niño could see a marked decline during the first quarter of next year, there is a significant risk that La Niña could develop... 30th October 2015 · 1 min read
Energy Update US gas market vulnerable to a correction if cold weather hits High stocks and forecasts of a mild winter have driven down US natural gas prices recently, but given slowing production growth, rising demand and the unpredictability of the weather, we think that... 30th October 2015 · 1 min read
Metals Watch The price of silver to outshine gold in 2016 Silver’s prospects remain closely tied to those of gold, with expectations for US monetary policy the biggest catalyst for changes in prices recently. The upside for silver has also been capped by... 29th October 2015 · 1 min read
Industrial Metals Update Falling mine supply to boost zinc prices in 2016 Scheduled closure of some large depleted mines coupled with producer cutbacks in response to low prevailing prices will lead to a relative shortage of zinc concentrates and will curb the recent... 29th October 2015 · 1 min read
Africa Economics Update Nigeria’s fiscal woes: Looking beyond the deficit Despite the steep fall in oil prices and a very weak economic growth, we expect that Nigeria’s budget deficit will remain relatively contained in 2015 and 2016. As we explain in this Watch, however... 29th October 2015 · 1 min read
Commodities Update Price of palm oil to rise as El Niño hits output With the possibility of this year’s strong El Niño tightening supplies in the months ahead, we now think that the price of palm oil is likely to rise as we move into next year. 28th October 2015 · 1 min read
Energy Data Response US Weekly Petroleum Status Report US crude oil stocks rose for the fifth consecutive time last week, but the latest increase was less than half the previous week’s as net crude oil imports fell and inputs to refineries rebounded... 28th October 2015 · 1 min read
EM Valuations Monitor Commodity currencies may have found a floor Our forecast that the prices of many natural resources will edge a little higher over the next couple of years suggests that the downside for commodity currencies will be limited even after the Fed... 28th October 2015 · 1 min read
