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Energy Markets

Zelenskiy claims that the Ukrainian military can strike Russian logistical systems throughout occupied territories

Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the President of Ukraine, said on Monday that Ukraine was now capable of 'hitting Russian logistical?throughout occupied areas of Ukraine' and had caused shortages of fuel throughout Crimea and Russian-held regions. In his video nightly address, Zelenskiy said: "Our troops can now reach Russian military logistic across the?entire depth of the temporarily-occupied territories." "In reality, there are virtually?no roads safe for the occupiers in the south and the east of our country." In recent months, Ukraine has intensified its?strikes against targets at medium range and others hundreds of kilometers away from Ukraine's border. It is focusing on Russia’s...

Oil & Gas

Oil & Gas

PMI: UAE non-oil businesses grow in May, but the war and Hormuz standoff are weighing on growth.

A business survey released on Wednesday showed that the UAE's private non-oil sector grew only modestly in May, as the war in the area weighed on the output and growth of new businesses. The S&P Global UAE Purchasing Managers' Index, adjusted for season, rose from 52.1 to 52.6 in the month of May. This index is still above 50 which separates growth from contraction. The continued disruption of maritime trade in the UAE had a cascading effect on the economy during May. Export orders fell in May due to both the shipping disruption and the uncertainty about how long the...

Oil & Gas

PMI data shows that Saudi Arabia's non-oil private industry activity reached a three-month peak in May.

A survey on Wednesday showed that the non-oil sector in Saudi Arabia expanded at its fastest pace in three month in May as domestic demand improved. Supply chains also stabilised. However, business optimism was still'subdued' due to conflict in the region. S&P Global's seasonally adjusted Riyad Bank Saudi Arabia Purchasing Managers' Index rose from 51.5 to 52.8 in the month of May. The 50-mark?distinguishes growth from contraction. The output accelerated the most in three months after the March downturn that followed the start of the Iran War.?Firms cited normalising work conditions, renewed contracts, and stronger local demand. The subindex of...

Oil & Gas

Cambodia uses obscure UN processes to resolve maritime dispute between Thailand and Cambodia

Cambodia has been relying on the little-used UN arbitration procedure known as "compulsory reconciliation" to settle a long-running maritime border dispute with Thailand. It is hoping that this will resolve the dispute and allow it to unlock potential oil and natural gas resources worth billions of dollars. What is the CAMBODIA - Thailand dispute about? Since more than 25 years, Cambodia and Thailand both claim about 26,000 square kilometers of?sea? in the Gulf of Thailand. It is estimated that the disputed maritime belt contains nearly 12 trillion cubic foot of natural gas, and large quantities oil worth about $300 billion....

Oil & Gas Refining

After an overnight drone attack by Ukraine, Russia's Ilsky Oil Refinery is on fire

Local authorities reported on Tuesday that the Ilsky oil refinery, located in southern Krasnodar, caught fire overnight after an Ukrainian drone attack. This is part of Kyiv’s campaign to starve Russia’s economy of its oil revenues. Kyiv has targeted Russia's energy grid in a systematic effort to limit Moscow’s ability to fund its four-year-old war in Ukraine, at a time when global oil prices are high. The Ukrainian General Staff confirmed that it has'struck again' the Ilsky refinery, stating that?the facility produces fuel for the Russian Army fighting in Ukraine. There was no immediate word on whether the refinery, which...

Oil & Gas

Indian automakers sales increase in May despite rising fuel costs

India's leading?carmakers have reported increased sales in May. Maruti Suzuki, the market leader, said that bookings for its compressed -natural -gas vehicles had risen by 40% as fuel prices rose because of the energy shock caused by the Iran War. India increased petrol and diesel prices four times in May to offset losses due to soaring crude oil costs related to the Iran conflict. This added to the automakers' woes, as they are also dealing with higher raw materials costs, supply chain disruptions, and labour issues. All automakers reported increased domestic sales on Monday. Mahindra &?Mahindra, a maker of SUVs,...

Oil & Gas

Putin's fifth wartime "Russian Davos" is short on ideas for growth

The Russian President Vladimir Putin will host his fifth conference on wartime economics in St. Petersburg. His government is struggling to find a growth strategy, as the?Ukrainian attacks on the economy are hitting the economy. Businesses also see no end to this war. The $3 trillion economy of Russia, which is heavily dependent on commodities, shrank to 0.2% growth in the first quarter 2026 from 4.9% in 2024. Officials blamed high interest rates, Western sanctions and a strong ruble. The growth rate is expected to be a modest 0.4% in 2018. The Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian refineries, fertiliser factories...

Oil & Gas

As Israel intensifies its incursion in Lebanon, oil prices are up more than 2%.

Early trading on Monday saw oil prices rise by more than 2 percent after Israel ordered troops to advance further into Lebanon, in the midst of a battle against Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed militant group. This was despite a ceasefire that had been announced more than six weeks earlier. U.S. crude?futures?rose by $2.37, or 2.71%, to $89.73 per barrel as of 0028 GMT. Brent futures increased $2.16, or 2.37%, to $93.28 per barrel. This increased fighting came just days after the U.S. held Israeli-Lebanon talks in Washington, and dimmed expectations of a U.S.-Iran ceasefire agreement extension. Brent and WTI had both...

Oil & Gas

Authorities claim that Ukrainian drones have struck a port and oil depot in southern Russia.

Authorities in the southern regions Rostov-Krasnodar reported that Ukrainian drones had struck a tanker overnight at Taganrog, a Russian port. They also reportedly hit an oil depot?in?Armavir. Yury Slyusar, Governor of the Rostov Region, said via Telegram that the fires in Taganrog's port and on the tanker had been put out. No oil spillage was reported. He said that two people were injured. Svetlana kambulova, the mayor of the?city, announced that a local emergency state, which was introduced on May 27th, had been prolonged. The Russian Defence Ministry announced that its forces?had?downed 127 drones over night. Authorities in Armavir in...

Oil & Gas

Reliance gets relief from India's highest court in securities fraud case

The Indian Supreme Court granted relief to Reliance Industries Ltd on Friday in a securities?fraud?case, overturning both a lower court decision and a 2020 order by the markets regulator that claimed the 'firm' engaged in manipulative trading. According to the order, the court ordered the Securities and Exchange Board of India to refund the 2.5 billion rupees (26.32 millions dollars) that it collected from Mukesh Ambani's company while the appeal was pending. RIL and SEBI didn't immediately respond to requests for comment. Requests for comment from RIL and SEBI were not immediately responded to. The case is about RIL's decision...

Oil & Gas

Data analysis shows that Russia's diesel production fell by another 10% in May following drone attacks

Data analysis revealed on Friday that the production of diesel in Russia dropped?by about 10% in 'May. This was on top of a %10% monthly drop in April, as Ukrainian drones attacked refineries, forcing them to cut back or stop their output. Kyiv is targeting Russia's energy infrastructure in order to reduce the amount of money that Moscow can earn from oil and gas, which it could use to fund its war against Ukraine. The Russian government has been focusing on exporting diesel at a high price. However, this is the time of year when farmers are in high demand....

Oil & Gas

EU Ministers: Russia won't choose who speaks on behalf of Europe in possible Ukraine talks

EU foreign ministers warned on Thursday that Russia would not be able to choose who represented Europe in any future talks with Moscow about Ukraine. The bloc's chief of foreign policy also said that Moscow showed no real interest for peace. The?ministers? met informally on Cyprus to discuss their strategy towards Russia, as Kyiv calls for greater European involvement in order to end the conflict while the U.S. is focused on the Iran crisis. The Kremlin told the RIA News Agency on Wednesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin was open to talks with Europe. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has...

Fossil Fuels

Fossil Fuels

Talks at a standstill in the Iran war as hostilities flare up again

On Wednesday, the Gulf was roiled again by reports of missile attacks against Kuwait. Meanwhile, diplomatic talks between Iran & the United States made little progress. Kuwait's army claimed that its air defenses intercepted hostile missiles and drones, while Bahrain reported a warning siren and advised residents to "go to the closest safe space". The United States claimed it had fired at a tanker heading toward Iran. The?news agency of Iran reported that there were explosions heard near Qeshm Island which is near the disputed Strait of Hormuz. This was just the latest in a series of similar flare-ups. The...

Coal

Indonesian business groups demand clarity on new commodity export rules

In a 'joint statement' received on Tuesday, business groups in Indonesia asked the government to provide technical guidance to its plan to centralise exports. The Indonesian Employers Association (IAA), along with associations of coal miners and nickel smelters, palm oil producers and miners, supported the new regulations, but expressed the hope that the government would collaborate with the private sector to implement them. They said that the government should "issue transparent technical guidelines" to eliminate negative speculative and maintain confidence on international markets in Indonesia as a global supplier of commodities. On May 20, President Prabowo announced that resource-rich Indonesia...

Fossil Fuels

US crude exports reach record highs in May, as the war with Iran tightens up global oil supplies

Ship tracking estimates revealed on Monday that U.S. crude oil exports reached a record of?5.6m barrels per day during May, as the Middle East Crisis boosted demand from Asian and European refiners for U.S. oil. U.S. and Israel's war against Iran caused the biggest ever disruption in the global energy market, with refiners scrambling to find alternatives to Middle Eastern supplies. The Strait of Hormuz is the conduit for a fifth of all oil and gas in the world. A key waterway was effectively shut down when the war began at the end February. According to Kpler data and analytics,...

Crude Oil

Mining

Mineral Resources

The price of gold eases due to Middle East tensions, which lift oil prices and US economic data.

As renewed hostilities?in?the Middle East pushed?oil?prices higher, and stalled U.S.Iran talks, investors awaited upcoming U.S.economic data. After a rise of more than 1% the previous session, spot gold dropped 0.3%, to $4,471.38 an ounce, by 0511 GMT. U.S. Gold Futures for August Delivery fell 0.5% to $4499.30. The market is examining the possibility that Trump will not push for a resolution to the peace deal with Iran, said Kelvin Wong. "If we see further escalation that could dampen any recovery that gold may have had." Gulf 'hostilities' flared up again on Wednesday. The U.S. Military said that Iranian missile attacks...

Mineral Resources

Gold remains stable amid Middle East tensions and US economic data is in focus

As 'investors' watched for a?development?in the Middle East, amid increasing inflation fears, and awaited US economic data to be released on Thursday, gold prices held steady. Gold spot was unchanged at $4485.17 an ounce as of 0319 GMT after rising by over 1% the previous session. U.S. Gold Futures for August Delivery fell 0.1% to $4,513.60. The market is now looking at the possibility that Trump will push for a resolution to a peace agreement, even though Trump wants to see a ceasefire with Iran. Kelvin Wong said. If we see a further increase in the price of gold, it...

Mineral Resources

Copper falls from two-week highs as investors pause following rally

Copper prices fell on Wednesday, as investors locked-in profits after the metal reached a two week high. However, uncertainty around a U.S. Tariff on the metal limited losses. As of 0245 GMT, the benchmark three-month price for copper at the London Metal Exchange fell?0.43%. It was $13,980.50 per metric ton. It?touched an over two-week-high and surged beyond the $14,000 mark on Tuesday. The Shanghai Futures Exchange's most active copper contract gained 0.78%, to 106 820 yuan (15 785.90 dollars) per ton. This is lower than the evening trading high of 107.420 yuan, which was set three weeks ago. As the...

Mineral Resources

Iron ore prices fall due to a weak steel market and dwindling margins

Iron ore fell on Wednesday due to a thinning of steel margins and a seasonal decline in demand from the top consumer, China. As of 0309 GMT, the most-traded contract for iron ore on China's Dalian Commodity Exchange dropped 0.57%, to 780 yuan ($115.27), per metric ton. As of 0259 GMT, the benchmark July iron ore traded on Singapore Exchange fell 1.22% and was at its lowest level since April 15, $103.95 per ton. In a post on WeChat late Tuesday, the steel association, a state-backed organization, said that the steel market had entered its traditionally low demand season sooner...

Mining

Top US spy agencies fight over turf and mission

People familiar with the situation say that the CIA has stopped contributing to certain intelligence assessments produced by the office nation's top spy, such as those regarding the Iran War. This is because disputes have erupted over intelligence sharing and areas of responsibility. A?U.S. official and three people with direct knowledge of the matter said that the infighting between the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence has been raging for over a year. This has disrupted collaboration on national intelligence analyses?onwhich presidents have long relied to navigate through complex foreign challenges. Officials and...

Mining

India tightens silver import rules, mandates prior approval

India tightened its restrictions on silver imports by adding powder and grain forms to the list of restricted categories, and requiring valid import authorizations. The world's largest consumer of the metal is trying to?reduce shipments and ease the pressure on the rupee. According to a government directive issued on Tuesday, imports of silver grains, powder and other forms containing 99.9% of silver are prohibited. Importers 'would have to obtain a valid authorization for import from the Directorate of Foreign Trade (DGFT) in order to import silver. India placed all semi-manufactured silver and silver bars of 99.9% purity under a restricted...

Mineral Resources

Copper reaches a two-week high amid US Tariff Uncertainty

The market was supported by tighter supply and tariff uncertainty outside the United States, as well as by a rise in copper. Aluminium also reached a four-year high. Benchmark three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange was up 1% to $13,966 per metric tonne at 0915 GMT, after touching $13,994 earlier. Investors will be waiting for a possible tariff recommendation by the U.S. Department of Commerce at the end of this month. Last year, the prospect of a similar duty helped to boost prices. However, it never materialised. Tom Price, an analyst at Panmure Liberum, said that investors with whom...

Mineral Resources

Sources say that China has told steelmakers to not talk to Fortescue about a new iron ore product.

Two sources with knowledge of the matter said that China Mineral Resources Group, a state iron ore buyer, has instructed some?domestic iron ore producers not to discuss a new product with?Australian Fortescue. The demand 'has stoked' speculation that CMRG might impose a purchase ban on certain Fortescue products, as it did in the long-running negotiations with BHP which concluded earlier this summer. Sources who asked to remain anonymous due to the sensitive nature of the matter said that CMRG and Fortescue are in negotiations over a new contract. CMRG didn't immediately respond to a comment request. A Fortescue spokesman said...

Mining

Copper reaches a two-week high amid uncertainty over tariffs and Iran risks

The market rose more than two weeks on Tuesday, as U.S. Tariff uncertainty and a?tightening of supply outside the U.S. boosted the price. Middle East peace talks also remained a focus. The benchmark three-month contract for copper on the London Metal Exchange rose 0.99% to $13,968.50 per metric tonne at 0705 GMT, after hitting $13,978. This was its highest level since May 14. After reaching its highest level since May 15, the most traded copper contract at the Shanghai Futures Exchange rose 1.86% and closed daytime trading on 106620 yuan. The White House amended tariffs for some copper, aluminum?and iron...

Mining

Copper reaches a two-week high amid uncertainty over tariffs and Iran risks

The market rose more than two weeks on Tuesday, as the?unresolved U.S. Tariff uncertainty and the tightening of supply outside the United States supported it. Middle East peace talks also remained a focus. As of 0258 GMT the benchmark?copper?three-month contract on the London Metal Exchange rose 0.32% to $13,876.50 per metric ton, its highest level since May 15. The Shanghai Futures Exchange's most traded copper contract rose 1.32%, to 106,050 Yuan ($15.682.77) per ton. The White House amended tariffs on certain copper, aluminum, and iron imports, and lowered duties on some agricultural and industrial equipment. However, the order did nothing...

Mining

Shares of Revolution Summit rise as cancer drugs that have been tested show promise in improving survival rates

Shares of Revolution Medicines, Summit Therapeutics and Summit Therapeutics rose in premarket trading Monday after their experimental cancer treatment boosted'survival rates for patients' in late-stage clinical trials. Daraxonrasib is an experimental cancer pill that doubles survival when compared with chemotherapy. Summit's ivonescimab treatment, in collaboration with Akeso, a Chinese partner, helped lung cancer patients to live 15 percent longer than BeOne Medicines Tevimbra. On Sunday, the companies presented their data at the American Society of Clinical Oncology in Chicago. Summit's stock gained 3.6%, while Revolution's shares rose 7.3%. Summit's shares are essentially flat this year while Revolution's has almost doubled....

Mineral Resources

India's April Industrial Output grows by 4.9% according to the first data release of a new series

India's industrial production stood at 4.9% last April, according to government data released on Monday. The surge in energy costs and the disruption of supply caused by the Iran War, which has lasted for months, weighed heavily on parts of Asia's third-largest economic system. This was the first data in a series that had 2022-23 set as the base. The latest data cannot be compared to the growth of 4.1% in March. Economists surveyed by expected industrial production to grow by 3.9%. The reading for April is the second one since the Iran War broke out in February. This sparked...