Commodities Weekly “Wait-and-see” prevails in commodities markets It was a mixed week for prices, with energy, agricultural and precious metals outperforming industrial metals. There was a relatively muted reaction to the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas conflict... 13th October 2023 · 4 mins read
Commodities Update China's commodity demand remains rock solid China imported fewer key commodities in September than in August, but its underlying demand for commodities, especially fossil fuels, remains strong and is only likely to strengthen from here. 13th October 2023 · 2 mins read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Weekly How will the Israel-Gaza conflict affect the rest of MENA? The outbreak of conflict between Hamas and Israel this week has not yet spilled over into the wider Middle East and North Africa. But the situation is in flux and, if Iran were to be pulled into the... 12th October 2023 · 8 mins read
China Economics Update Why is China’s commodities demand so strong? China’s recent commodity demand has been stronger than might have been expected given the weakness of its economy and commodity-intensive property sector in particular. This partly reflects a step-up... 12th October 2023 · 5 mins read
Commodities Weekly Few commodities spared from this week's sell-off It has been a week of declines for most commodity prices, as commodities were caught up in the more widespread selling of financial assets. Crude oil prices were among the hardest hit, whereas... 6th October 2023 · 4 mins read
Global Economics Update Falling inflation at odds with ‘higher for longer’ The ‘higher for longer’ narrative on interest rates that is baked into market pricing is at odds with evidence of widespread falls in inflation. Higher oil prices mean that fuel inflation will be a... 5th October 2023 · 5 mins read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Weekly Egypt election and UAE swap line, OPEC+, Saudi labour Egypt’s upcoming election in December has led to policy paralysis, particularly around the exchange rate. The currency swap line opened with the UAE this week appears aimed at bolstering resources to... 5th October 2023 · 8 mins read
Commodities Update China’s latest PMIs are positive for commodities The latest above-50 readings in China’s PMIs are consistent with our view that China’s demand for commodities will remain solid in the second half of this year, but not grow strongly. 2nd October 2023 · 2 mins read
Commodities Weekly Oil also higher for longer There wasn’t a clear trend in commodity prices this week. Natural gas prices in the US and Europe were among the largest risers, though those increases appear to have been driven by dips in regional... 29th September 2023 · 4 mins read
Commodities Outlook Looser monetary policy to support prices in 2024 We expect most commodity prices to struggle over the rest of this year as developed economies flirt with recession, the US dollar remains strong and investor risk appetite moderates. That said, we... 26th September 2023 · 28 mins read
Africa Economics Weekly Nigeria’s subsidy and new MPC, South Africa fiscal fear The recent pick-up in oil prices will provide welcome hard currency income for Nigeria. But, with local fuel prices being kept stable, high oil prices and a weak naira also signal the return of the... 22nd September 2023 · 6 mins read
Commodities Weekly Russia fuel export ban will temporarily lift crude prices Most commodity prices fell this week as the Federal Reserve left the door open to another interest rate hike before the end of the year, and indicated that rates will remain higher for longer. Russia... 22nd September 2023 · 4 mins read
Capital Daily Oil likely to remain a sideshow for financial markets The recent rally in oil prices has had only a limited impact on bond and equity markets so far. And we doubt that this will change anytime soon, given our view that the rally will not last much longer... 19th September 2023 · 5 mins read
Global Economics Update Higher oil prices not a game-changer for inflation We are not convinced that the increase in oil prices has set the stage for a sustained rebound in inflation. Accordingly, there is little chance that developed market central banks will resume or... 19th September 2023 · 5 mins read
Commodities Weekly Commodity prices fire up across the board The mood was upbeat in commodity markets this week, with prices rising across all sectors. Oil stood out, with the price in the US cracking $90 per barrel for the first time this year. Higher oil... 15th September 2023 · 5 mins read
