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How Trump's metals tariffs affect the packaging on shelves
Andy Russick sells cans of fruit and tomatoes to major U.S. supermarkets, such as Kroger, and hospitals and schools. He shares the stated goal behind U.S. president Donald Trump's war on trade - combating cheap Chinese imports. When U.S. tariffs were doubled on steel and aluminum imports to 50%, on June 4, Andy Russick's company, Pacific Coast Producers, was collateral damage. Since 2017, Chinese fruit cocktail, vegetables, and other canned food imports from Southeast Asia and Europe are flooding U.S. grocery shelves, undercutting comparable products made in the United States. Russick stated that this trend will accelerate due to the recent round of tariffs imposed on the metal. The cost of specialty steel, which is used to preserve foods, has risen by about 6% at Pacific Coast in Lodi, California, as a result of these tariffs. "We are getting caught in this brush fire," Russick said, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Pacific Coast. Pacific Coast is a major supplier of long-life white label products in the U.S. Steel and aluminum, metals that are used to package food, beverages, and personal care products such as shaving cream, are now more expensive, and forcing companies to consider alternatives, like fiber-based, glass, or plastic containers. The manufacturers of alternative packaging also see an opportunity to increase their business. Russick plans to switch some packaging in the coming years to aseptic cartons like those made by Swedish-Swiss Tetra Pak or Swiss-listed SIG Group. They also plan to sell more sauces to restaurants in foil pouches that are cheaper to reduce costs. Coca-Cola's CEO James Quincey said to investors in February that if the price of cans increased, they could focus more on plastic. "The trade conflict is fueling the discussion that we need aluminum out of beverage packages," SIG Group CEO Samuel Sigrist said, whose firm offers aluminum-free Aseptic cartons. Campbell Co, whose soup cans have become famous works of art, said that it is working to reduce the cost increase from tariffs. It will also continue to use steel cans as packaging. Scott DeFife is the head of the U.S. Glass Packaging Institute which represents these manufacturers. Zak Stambor is an analyst at eMarketer. "In the long term, companies might have to rethink packaging strategies." Pacific Coast's Russick plans to pass on to its customers $8 to $10 million of new costs resulting from tariffs imposed on specialty steel used in cans. The company expects this figure to rise to $40 million by next year. Russick stated that the price of cans for the Pacific Coast harvest could increase by as much as 24% due to tariffs. HUDLES These possible transitions from steel and aluminum to aseptic boxes or glass are not without their logistical and financial challenges. Glass bottles still tend to be more expensive than aluminum bottles, mainly because they are heavier. Aluminum cans are also a popular choice for some beverages in the United States: according to The Beer Institute, 64% of beer will be sold in aluminum cans by 2023. These cans are common in other fast-growing categories of beverages: energy drinks such as Molson Coors Zoa, still water brands like the wildly popular Liquid Death and pre-mixed cocktail. Jack Buffington is the director of supply-chain and sustainability for First Key Consulting, which provides advice to the brewing, beverage and beverage industries. According to the Aluminum Association, the average beverage can in America contains 71% recycled material. This figure could rise if U.S. citizens practiced more diligent recycling. Fernando Tennenbaum was Anheuser-Busch InBev’s chief financial officer in May. Before aluminum tariffs were doubled, he said that the impact on the company's finances of the levies applied to cans "was not relevant". He said that AB InBev does not plan to change its packaging. The vast majority of cans are sourced in the U.S. The company declined comment for this article. Coke, for example, may be able to respond more easily to the aluminum tariffs because they already use different packaging. Buffington explained that brewers who have closed bottling lines in order to concentrate on cans will have to invest heavily to retool. According to Coca-Cola’s environmental report for 2023, plastic packaging already accounts for nearly half of the global packaging, compared with 26% aluminum and steel. According to the company, only 8% of PepsiCo products in 2023 were packaged with aluminum. Coca-Cola & PepsiCo have not responded to our requests for comment. Krones, a leading packaging technology company in Germany, which produces glass bottling systems, has said that it hasn't seen any major shifts towards glass. DeFife, of the U.S. Glass Packaging Institute, said that a rapid, widespread shift to other packaging forms is unlikely in an uncertain environment, as companies are reluctant to make major financial or strategic choices based on policies which they believe could change. He said: "I think that some people are waiting to see if anything sticks or not." "A 30-day period is not going to threaten your supply chain right away."
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REN21: Record renewables capacity is short of global target
The Paris-based think tank REN21 released a report on Tuesday that showed a record 740 gigawatts in renewable energy capacity added globally last year. However, this is still not enough to reach the global goal of triple renewable capacity by 2030. Why it's important At the COP28 U.N. Climate Conference in 2023, a target was set to triple the amount renewables like wind and solar so that a limit of 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit), warming this century can be achieved. Analysts who track progress say that the world isn't on track to triple its capacity. They also say that the 1.5C limit is out of reach. By the Numbers The REN21 report revealed that the trajectory shows a shortfall in the target of 6.2 terawatts, which is greater than the total amount of renewables installed to date. Solar photovoltaics accounted for 81% new renewable energy capacity in the last year, as rooftop solar in developing countries increased and technology costs continued their decline. Solar PV is currently the only renewables technology that will be able to contribute to the global tripled capacity target. CONTEXT Many countries have rolled back climate change measures in the past year or will do so by 2025. The U.S. has withdrawn from the Paris Agreement and New Zealand reversed the ban on offshore oil exploration. Banks and oil and gas companies have also reduced their investments in energy transition. Even before President Donald Trump's tariff actions this year, trade measures also limited renewable development by 2024, as the West sought to protect its industries from cheap Chinese competition. KEY QUOTE "We are deploying solar and wind in record numbers but we have not built the systems required to transition to a renewables based economy," Rana Adib said, executive director of REN21. She added that "without coherent policies, coordinated plans, and resilient infrastructure, including grids, storage, and other components, even record deployments cannot deliver rapid and effective transformation." (Reporting and editing by Barbara Lewis; Nina Chestney)
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MORNING BID EUROPE - Trump touts a 'forever ceasefire' and oil slides
Stella Qiu gives us a look at what the future holds for European and global markets. Donald Trump, the U.S. president, surprised the markets on Monday night by announcing that Israel and Iran agreed to an immediate ceasefire. This could end a 12-day conflict. According to his words, the ceasefire will last "forever". Investors will surely hope that it is real and holds. Only a few days ago, the U.S. began a military strike against Iran that could have drawn it into a costly war. The oil prices fell by almost 3% Tuesday after a drop of almost 9% overnight, as the immediate danger to the Strait of Hormuz shipping route appeared to be lessening. The U.S. Crude Futures have returned to $66.80 a barrel, the lowest price since about June 11, before Israel began its attacks against Iran. This is good news for the global inflation rate, and will help central banks to control inflation. The situation is fluid. Iran was still launching missiles towards Israel. Israeli media reported that a building was struck and three people died in the missile attack on Beersheba. A senior Iranian official confirmed earlier that Tehran had agreed on a ceasefire. However, the country's Foreign Minister said there would not be a cessation in hostilities until Israel stopped its attacks. S&P futures and Nasdaq Futures both rose by 0.7%. The EUROSTOXX futures are pointing to a strong recovery in European stock markets. The MSCI index for Asia-Pacific stocks outside Japan rose 2.1%, while Japan's Nikkei gained 1.1%. South Korean stocks hit their highest level since September 2021. Dollar, which was under pressure after the Middle East conflict and had been able to find some safe haven bids, fell again by 0.5%, falling from a six-week high of 148.45 yen. Investors are now focused on the upcoming appearance of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell before Congress. Due to the inflationary effect of Trump's trade tariffs, the Fed hasn't moved on interest rates yet this year. Some Fed officials have broken ranks with Powell whose hawkish stance on rates has enraged Trump. Michelle Bowman, a Fed official, said that she is open to lowering rates in July. Governor Christopher Waller also said that he will consider doing the same next month. There will be more Fed officials speaking tonight. New York Fed president John Williams is scheduled to give a keynote speech in New York, and Cleveland Fed president Beth Hammack is due to speak about monetary policy at London. Central bankers in Europe are also busy. Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey is scheduled to make public appearances at London's City Hall and a number of ECB officials are also set to give speeches. The following are the key developments that may influence Tuesday's markets: Fed Chair Jerome Powell makes a public appearance before Congress along with other Fed officials, including New York Fed president John Williams, Cleveland Fed president Beth Hammack, and Boston Fed pres. Susan Collins. The NATO summit is underway in Hague Andrew Bailey, Governor of the Bank of England and Huw Pill, Chief Economist of the Bank of England appear at a Conference on Britain's Return to Gold Standard in 1925. Germany IFO Business Survey Confidence in U.S. consumer spending, according to the Conference Board Canadian CPI for the month of May
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Fugro Secures Offshore Wind Site Survey in German North Sea
Fugro has secured contracts to conduct both geophysical and geotechnical site investigations for the development of two large-scale offshore wind farms in the German North Sea.The project, known as Windbostel Ost and Windbostel West, is a joint venture between RWE and TotalEnergies, with a combined generating capacity of 4 GW.Fugro’s comprehensive site characterization work will provide essential geo-data on the seabed and subsurface conditions northwest of the island of Borkum.The geophysical surveys will provide initial detailed mapping of the seabed and shallow subsurface layers, identifying potential hazards and informing early design considerations.The geotechnical investigation will provide data on the seabed’s soil composition and characteristics through in situ testing and sampling.The combined geophysical and geotechnical data will be crucial for foundation design, structural analysis, cable routing, and risk assessment during the construction and operational phases of the project.“This project aligns with our goal of supporting the development of sustainable energy solutions and using our expertise in complex offshore investigations. We are committed to providing the critical Geo-data needed for the safe and efficient development of these important wind farms, contributing to the growth of renewable energy in the North Sea,” said John ten Hoope, Fugro’s Regional Business Line Director for Marine Site Characterisation in Europe and Africa.This contract follows Fugro’s previous geotechnical investigations for the 1.6 GW Nordseecluster project in Germany and builds upon preliminary geotechnical data acquired by Fugro for the German Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH).
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Prio Aims to Double Oil Output in 2026
Brazilian oil company Prio expects to double its daily output next year when compared with 2024 levels, driven by the development of some key offshore fields, CEO Roberto Monteiro said on Monday.Prio forecasts production to exceed 200,000 barrels per day (bpd) next year, Monteiro told an event marking the company's 10th anniversary, up from the 100,000 bpd reported last year.Independent oil producer Prio has expanded in recent years through some high-profile asset purchases, including those of the Wahoo field from TotalEnergies and BP, and the Peregrino field from Equinor and Sinochem.The production target reflects the development of those assets, Monteiro said, with the company currently awaiting approval from Brazil's environmental agency Ibama to connect wells and begin output at Wahoo.The outlook comes amid heightened geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, which have pushed global oil prices higher in recent weeks due to concerns over potential supply disruptions.Global benchmark Brent prices oscillated on Monday, touching a five-month high before falling more than 1% as oil and gas transit continued on tankers from the Middle East after U.S. air strikes against Iran over the weekend."It's horrible to say that a war is a positive thing, but that's a reality," Monteiro told reporters, referring to the recent surge in oil prices. "Brazil, in general, is a geopolitically stable country and a significant oil producer."The CEO emphasized that while Prio monitors global geopolitical developments, its strategic decisions would remain based on operational efficiency and productivity. "Our portfolio was designed with efficiency in mind," he said.Sao Paulo-traded shares of Prio were up around 1% on Monday, outperforming the broader Bovespa stock index, which slid 0.6%.(Reuters)
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China's demand for iron ore is countering Australia's supply outlook.
The price of iron ore futures fluctuated within a narrow range on Tuesday as traders assessed the balance between the strong demand for near-term supply in China and the possibility of an improved supply coming from Australia, a major producer. As of 0310 GMT, the most traded September iron ore contract at China's Dalian Commodity Exchange remained unchanged at 706.5 Yuan ($98.45). The benchmark July Iron Ore at the Singapore Exchange fell 0.18% to $93.7 per ton. According to Chinese consultancy Mysteel, hot metal production, which is a measure of iron ore consumption, increased 0.24% week-on-week to 2.422 millions tons as of 20th June. Analysts at ANZ said that "volumes have remained around 2.4 millions tons since April. This suggests resilience on the largest steel market in the world." Hexun Futures stated in a report that the market still prices in seasonal demand weakness. Mysteel said in a separate report that "Chinese iron ore prices continued to fall during the period of June 16-20 as the seasonal decline in steel consumption during the summer undermined the demand for this steelmaking material." Rio Tinto, world's biggest iron ore producer and Hancock Prospecting enter a joint venture to develop the Hope Downs 2 Project in Western Australia. Rio announced in a press release that the two pits of iron ore will have an annual combined production capacity totaling 31 million metric tonnes. Coking coal and coke, the other steelmaking ingredients traded in a sideways manner. Jiang Mengtian is the chief analyst of Horizon Insights. He said that the Middle East conflict intensification has had little direct impact on ferrous prices, but the coking coal price did benefit from the energy concerns. The benchmarks for steel on the Shanghai Futures Exchange have lost ground. Rebar fell 0.13%, while hot-rolled coils dropped 0.16%. Wire rod slipped 0.75% and stainless steel was down around 1%.
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Gold nears 2-week low following Trump's announcement of Israel-Iran ceasefire
Gold prices dropped to their lowest level in nearly two weeks on Tuesday, as risk appetite increased after U.S. president Donald Trump announced that Iran and Israel agreed to a truce. This lowered demand for safe haven assets. As of 0257 GMT spot gold fell 0.5% to $3351.47 per ounce after reaching its lowest level since the 11th of June earlier in session. U.S. Gold Futures fell 0.9% to $3365.30. Ilya Spirak, the head of global macro for Tastylive, said: "It appears that there is a lot of geopolitical risks leaving the market in the near-term after we've seen signs of deescalation between Iran and the U.S." Trump announced that Israel and Iran would cease all hostilities. This could end the 12-day conflict which saw millions of Iranians flee Tehran, and raised fears about further escalation. Israel did not immediately comment. Israel has not yet responded. An Iranian official confirmed earlier that Tehran had agreed on a ceasefire. However, the country’s foreign minister stated there would be no cessation unless Israel stopped their attacks. Oil prices fell to their lowest level in a week after Trump announced a ceasefire between Israel and Iran. Michelle Bowman, Vice-Chairperson for Supervision at the U.S. Federal Reserve, said that it is time to lower interest rates due to possible risks on the job market. Investors are awaiting the testimony of Fed Chairman Jerome Powell to be given before the House Financial Services Committee on Tuesday. Powell has been careful to signal near-term ease. Spivak stated that "the bias is in favor of gold prices, but there could be a short-term correction and an increase in the dollar in the near term if Powell can convince markets they won't cut more than two times this year." In an environment with low interest rates, gold tends to flourish. Silver spot fell by 0.1% at $36.10 an ounce. Platinum dropped 0.2% to 1,292.39 and palladium was down 0.4% to $1,000.05. (Reporting and editing by Rashmia Aich, Mrigank Dhaniwala and Anmol Chaubey from Bengaluru)
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Metals are on the defensive after Iran-Israel truce announcement
On Tuesday, the London Metals Exchange (LME) and Shanghai Futures Exchange (SFE) were largely rangebound as caution reigned following the announcement by U.S. president Donald Trump of the Iran-Israel ceasefire. As of 0103GMT, LME's three-month copper rose 0.04% to $9671.5 per ton. SHFE's most-traded Copper gained 0.09%, to 78400 yuan. Trump stated in a post to his Truth Social website that a "complete" and "total" ceasefire would be implemented between Israel and Iran with the aim of ending the 12-day conflict. The commodity market has been unpredictable this year, and traders and investors are likely to wait and see how things turn out. As news of a ceasefire eased fears of supply disruptions, the U.S. Dollar fell and oil dropped to its lowest level in over a week. The greenback price of commodities is cheaper for buyers who hold other currencies. LME Aluminium fell by 0.77%, to $2.568.5 per ton. On Monday, it had reached a three-month peak on fears that the conflict could push up energy costs and disrupt supply. SHFE aluminium fell 0.37% to 20 345 yuan. LME zinc fell 0.37%, to $2677 per ton. Tin dropped 0.13%, to $32,650, and lead declined 0.05%, to $2,000. Nickel rose 0.21% to $14.835. SHFE nickel fell 0.58% to reach 117,280 Yuan. Zinc rose 0.68% to 22080 yuan, while lead increased 0.3% to 16920 yuan. Click or to see the latest news in metals, and other related stories. Data/Events (GMT) 0500 Japan Chain Store sales YY May 200800 Germany Ifo Business climate, current conditions, expectations New Jun 1400 US consumer confidence Jun ($1 = 7,1790 Chinese Yuan) (Reporting and editing by Hongmei LI; Sumana Niandy).
BlackRock: US energy independence at risk from coal competition case
BlackRock, BlackRock is the largest asset manager in the world. It said that the U.S. support of a "baseless case" alleging asset management conspired to decrease competition in the coal industry risks undermining the goal of energy independence.
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed a Statement of Interest on Thursday in the case brought by Texas and twelve other states against BlackRock, Vanguard and State Street Global Advisors.
The states claim that the companies used their significant holdings in U.S. companies of coal to discourage competition.
BlackRock stated in a press release that "DOJ's and FTC's backing of this baseless lawsuit undermines the Trump Administration’s goal of American Energy Independence."
It said: "As we stated in our earlier motion for dismissal, this case is an attempt to rewrite antitrust laws and is based upon the absurd theory that coal company conspired with shareholders to reduce coal output."
Asset managers will be unable to invest in their business and their employees if they are forced to divest their assets from coal companies. This could lead to higher energy costs.
In a separate press release, SSGA called the case "baseless", adding that "we look forward" to presenting facts in the legal process. Additional filings do not change our assessment".
Vanguard's own statement said that while it was "concerned" with "many of the legal interpretations that were promoted by the agencies", it "appreciated" their support for investing in passive funds, for shareholder advocacy to improve corporate governance, and for active investing which doesn't hurt competition.
The facts showed that Vanguard had stayed within the framework of this concept, it stated. (Reporting and editing by Conor Humphries; Simon Jessop)
(source: Reuters)