Commodities Watch Policy uncertainty is weighing on US agriculture In late February, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) published its first assessment of the prospects for US crops in 2017/18. In this Commodities Watch, we will discuss the USDA’s forecasts and... 8th March 2017 · 1 min read
Commodities Weekly Commodity prices brace themselves for Fed tightening The big news this week was the ratcheting up of expectations of an imminent rate hike by the Fed, which weighed on most commodity prices. That said, the prices of US grains and soybeans rose, on... 3rd March 2017 · 1 min read
Commodities Chart Pack Commodities hold on to their gains, despite uncertainty Most commodity prices traded in a narrow range last month, in the absence of clarity on developments in China (owing to the Lunar New Year Holiday) and on US policy direction. That said, the price of... 1st March 2017 · 1 min read
Commodities Weekly Commodities still looking for direction Commodity prices were broadly unchanged this week, aside from a few notable exceptions. Cobalt was the star performer as concerns about supply and expectations of strong demand led to a surge in... 24th February 2017 · 1 min read
Commodities Weekly Commodities consolidate While a slight weakening of the US dollar provided some support to prices this week, individual demand and supply fundamentals were the main drivers. Oil prices fell as a further rise in US stocks... 17th February 2017 · 1 min read
Commodities Update Investors still in love with commodities The prices of most commodities have risen since the start of the year, boosted by optimism about demand and, in some cases, disrupted supply. A period of weakness in the US dollar has helped, but the... 14th February 2017 · 1 min read
Commodities Weekly Yellen’s testimony unlikely to be a market mover Most commodity prices rose this week despite a sharp appreciation of the US dollar. The latest data on Chinese trade, released today, show that commodity import volumes jumped in January but this... 10th February 2017 · 1 min read
Commodities Outlook Time to sound a note of caution Commodity prices continued their strong run in the early weeks of 2017, but we are concerned that investor optimism may fade in the months ahead. Prices have been buoyed by the pick-up in China’s... 10th February 2017 · 1 min read
Commodities Weekly Mixed news for commodity markets Most commodity prices took a bit of a hit this morning as China raised its short-term interest rate, in a clear sign that supporting growth is no longer the primary immediate goal of policymakers... 3rd February 2017 · 1 min read
Commodities Chart Pack Commodities keep their cool Commodity prices were remarkably stable in January, considering the flurry of executive orders by the new US president, Donald Trump. Data showing that China ended 2016 on a strong note was a key... 1st February 2017 · 1 min read
Commodities Watch Agricultural prices to come under pressure in 2017 For the most part, the prices of agricultural commodities in US dollar terms rose in 2016, owing to a combination of weather-related supply disruptions, rising oil prices and some weakness in the US... 31st January 2017 · 1 min read
Commodities Weekly Industrials continue to do well The prices of the more industrial commodities generally fared better this week, with a few notable exceptions in nickel and palladium. Optimism about demand continues to support prices. Indeed, this... 27th January 2017 · 1 min read
Commodities Update Optimism prevails, for now For the most part, commodity prices have started the year strongly, buoyed by persistent optimism about demand and some weakness in the US dollar. However, we are concerned that, in some cases, prices... 26th January 2017 · 1 min read
Commodities Weekly Commodity prices take a breather The prices of most commodities eased back this week. Agricultural commodities fared slightly better, primarily on the back of weather-related concerns about supply. Data released on Friday confirming... 20th January 2017 · 1 min read
India Economics Update Decent start to 2017 Financial markets in India have made a relatively bright start to 2017. The rupee and bond yields have been stable, while equities have rallied so far in January. Looking ahead however, prospects are... 19th January 2017 · 1 min read
Commodities Weekly Volatility returns to commodity markets After a quiet start to 2016, commodity markets have sprung into life. Late in the week, comments by OPEC members that they would deepen output cuts and possibly extend them until the end of 2017... 13th January 2017 · 1 min read
