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Silver extends its rally above $60; gold dips ahead Fed decision
The gold price fell on Wednesday, as investors awaited a rate cut by the U.S. Federal Reserve and clues about future policy. Silver prices meanwhile?extended? their rally to new heights. At 1113 GMT, spot gold had fallen 0.4% to $4193.60 an ounce. U.S. Gold Futures for February Delivery were down 0.3% at $4,221.60 an ounce. Spot silver rose 0.7% to $61.11/oz, after reaching an all-time record of $61.61 in the previous session. This was due to rising industrial demand, falling inventories and its designation by?the United States as a critical metal. The white metal is up 112% this year. Silver broke through the $60 an ounce mark, attracting more short-term traders and trend followers to the market. Carsten Menke, Julius Baer's analyst, said that this also reflects a narrative of a physical tightness on the silver market. Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) policy meeting ends later. A rate cut is expected to be announced by 1900 GMT, and Jerome Powell will speak at 1930 GMT. Markets assign an 88% chance of a 25 basis-point reduction. Nitesh Sha, commodities analyst at WisdomTree said that gold was currently trading in a range until the FOMC announced its decision. "What will move gold? Not necessarily the cut itself, but rather the guidance for future," he added. Benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury Yields are at their highest level in more than three month. The demand for gold, as measured by the holdings of physical-backed products, was lower than for silver in the last few weeks. Menke said that they see this as being the primary factor preventing gold from gaining traction. Carolane de Palmas, an analyst at ActivTrades, said that "gold's performance is one of the primary drivers of silver price volatility -- any correction in gold can lead to increased volatility in silver." Kevin Hassett is the White House's economic adviser and the leading candidate to succeed Powell as Fed Chair. He said on Tuesday that "there was plenty of room" for further interest rate cuts, but rising inflation might change this calculation. Gold and other non-yielding investments are favored by lower rates. RBC Capital Markets increased its long-term forecasts for gold prices to an average $4,600 per 1 ounce by 2026, and $5,100 in 2027. They cited geopolitical risk, a softer monetary policies, and persistent deficits. Palladium dropped 0.7%, to $1,495.88, while platinum fell 1.7%, to $1662.33. Reporting by Pablo Sinha from Bengaluru. Alexandra Hudson, Mark Potter and Alexandra Hudson edited the article.
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Marubeni expects Japan aluminum premiums to be between $85 and $203 by 2026
Marubeni Corp, a trading house, said that Japanese buyers will pay premiums between $85 and $203 per metric ton of aluminium in 2026 as overseas premiums are higher. This is because the flow to Asia has been reduced due to higher premiums, which have also slowed down. Japan is a major aluminum importer in Asia. The amount it pays for primary metal shipments above the London Metal Exchange Cash Price each quarter sets the benchmark for Asia. Japanese premiums have been lowered to $86 per tonne due to a combination of sluggish demand, ample supply and low prices. This quarter, the price was $228 compared to $190-$203 in January-March. In negotiations that began earlier this month for shipments in January-March, global suppliers have offered premiums between $190 and $203 per ton above the benchmark price. This is up 121%-136% compared to this quarter. Marubeni is one of Japan’s largest aluminum traders. They forecast Japan premiums of $140-$203 per tonne in January-March. $125-$200 from April-June. And a range between $85-$175 in the remainder of 2026. IMPACT OF US TARIFFS ON PREMIUMS "Premiums are rising in Europe and America amid concerns about supply and tariffs. This is raising fears that flows into Asia will be reduced, and has pushed up Japanese spot premiums over the past few weeks," Eisuke Akasaka said, General Manager of Marubeni's Light Metals Section. He noted that spot?premiums had risen to almost $140. Akasaka noted that an outage in a smelter located in Iceland and the expectation of the potential mothballing South32's Mozambique aluminum smelter, as well as front-loading before a new Carbon?Border Adaptation Mechanism under the EU have all contributed to the increase of European premiums. U.S. premiums are up because of high import tariffs. Akasaka said he expects European premiums will ease in the second halves of 2026, as the underlying demand is weak. This would lead to a small decline in Japanese premiums during the same period. (Reporting and editing by Barbara Lewis; Yuka Obayashi)
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GE Vernova shares rise after bullish 2026 revenue outlook, buyback boost
GE Vernova shares rose by more than 8% on Wednesday in premarket trading after the company forecasted higher revenue for '2026, and a $4 Billion increase 'in its share buyback program. This was due to rising demand for GE Vernova power equipment used in data centers. GE Vernova is positioned to expand in the United States for a longer period of time, thanks to its continued growth across its gas turbine and grid businesses. Vernova, which was spun-off from General Electric in 2024, has seen a?rise of more than 370%. The stock jumped?8.2% before the bell Wednesday to $676.46. GE Vernova increased its share repurchase authority to $10 billion, up from $6 billion. It also doubled the quarterly dividend per share to 50 cents. Analysts at Jefferies said that the forecast was "well over on margins, EBITDA, and FCF," pointing out the "uniquely positive" outlook of the company's free cash flow for 2026 as well as the positive electrification margins above 20%. The company anticipates a 16% to 18% growth in organic revenue in 'its power segment, and a 20% increase in electrification in 2026. It?projected a free cash flow between $4.5 and $5.0 billion in the next year. This is higher than the $3.5 to 4 billion it expected to reach by 2025.
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The price of 2026 diesel is higher at major Asian refineries
According to several trade sources, major Asian refineries have signed term agreements for diesel exports by 2026, at a higher premium than the benchmark Singapore prices this year. This is supported by the firmer prices of November. The spot premiums for refiners’?sales? of 10ppm diesel in December were at their highest level in two years as the?prompt?supplies tightened because refinery outages exceeded expectations and year-end demand by regional importers increased, traders reported. The higher premiums on 2026 supply indicates that traders are still bullish about the prospects for motor and industrial fuel in the coming year. Three sources familiar with this matter claim that the Taiwanese refiner Formosa Petrochemical Corp. (FPCC), sold two cargoes of 750,000 barrels per month at 10ppm sulphur to a Western trading house for a premium of 60-70c a barrel. They added that two more?buyers can load a 750,000-barrel shipment every quarter for a premium of up to 80 cents a barrel. The contract prices for this year were higher by 20-40 cents a barrel. The 'premiums' for diesel and jet-fuel are largely up on an annual basis due to'stronger forecasts of supply-demand next year', said FPCC spokesperson KY Lin. However, he declined comment on the deal. He added, "We expect global supply-demand fundamentals to be better than this year for most oil products such as diesel and jet fuel due to some refinery closures and shutdowns since the second half of this year." Some refineries in Asia have experienced longer than expected outages. Others on the West Coast of the U.S. West Coast refineries have permanently closed due to high cost. SK Energy (a unit of SK Innovation) and GS Caltex, two South Korean oil companies, have been selling?several cargoes of 10ppm sulphur-free diesel per month? to a few Western trading houses as well as regional end users at a premium of 30 cents a barrel?, compared to around 20 cents a barrel this year? SK Energy and GS Caltex didn't immediately respond to our requests for comment. Two sources confirmed that Japan-origin barriques were also being discussed, with premiums of 30-50 cents per barrique. However, further details couldn't be confirmed. Traders said that FPCC?and GS Caltex jet fuel and kerosene were both sold at a premium of 80 cents up to $1 per barrel compared to FOB Singapore prices. Several buyers took advantage of this opportunity to lock in supplies, expecting a stronger heating demand through the first quarter next year. Reporting by Trixie YAP. Joyce Lee contributed additional reporting. Mark Potter (Editor)
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Copper prices rise on the prospect of support for Chinese real estate sector
On Wednesday, copper prices rose, returning to record levels on the back of hopes for more stimulus, particularly in China's battered real estate sector. Benchmark three-month Copper on the London Metal Exchange rose?1.2%?to $11,624 per metric ton at 1005 GMT, after falling by 1.3% Tuesday. It had reached a record high of $11,771 one day earlier. The shares of China's real estate sector soared on Wednesday, amid unsubstantiated market rumours about a government mortgage subsidy package worth 400 billion yuan (56.63 billion dollars). Property is one of the largest consumers of industrial metals, including copper. Dan Smith, managing Director?at Commodity Market Analytics, said: "A lot of?data from China recently was pretty abysmal in construction. It wouldn't?surprise me at all if there will be more stimulus for that part of economy to continue to grow." Analysts said that a stimulus for the Chinese economy as a whole was needed. Data on Wednesday revealed?that domestic demand is still weak and deflationary pressures persist. LME copper prices have risen 32% in this year, on fears of mine disruptions leading to deficits. Also, the flow of metals into the U.S. has tightened the supply of the rest of world. "I think that the risk for now is still on the upside. Smith stated that he had a "hunch" we would reach $12,000 by the end of the calendar year. The Shanghai Futures Exchange's most traded copper contract closed the daytime trade down 0.2%, at 91.850 yuan per ton. The U.S. Federal Reserve, expected to cut rates on Wednesday afternoon, may also dampen expectations for further rate cuts. Analysts at Chinese broker Jinrui stated that investors have'scaled back their positions due to the uncertainty of future rate cuts. The expected supply pressure outside of the U.S. keeps prices high and volatile. Other metals saw a 0.3% rise in LME aluminium to $2,863.50 per ton. Lead rose by 0.2% at $1,983, Nickel increased 0.2% at $14,760. Tin gained 1.4% at $40,400, while zinc fell 0.1% to 3,086.50.
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A Chinese rare earth manufacturer receives a streamlined license for magnet exports
Ningbo Jintian Copper, a Chinese rare earth producer, announced on Wednesday that it had obtained streamlined export?licences. After a meeting in late October between Donald Trump, the U.S. counterpart of President Xi Jinping, and Xi's Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, the?new general licences? are intended to allow individual customers more exports with year-long permits. On an investor interactive platform, Ningbo Jintian Copper said that its rare earth magnets are used in electric cars, wind turbines and robots as well as consumer electronics, medical equipment, and consumer electronic products. Last week, it was reported that three Chinese rare-earth magnet manufacturers including JL Mag Rare Earth Ningbo Yunsheng High-Tech and Beijing Zhongke San Huan High-Tech secured the licenses which would allow them to speed up exports to certain customers. Beijing added several rare earth elements and magnets in early April to its export control list, requiring dual-use licenses for export. China's exports of rare-earth magnets plummeted in April and may, forcing automakers to shut down parts of their production. The dual-use license regime will continue to exist. Reporting by Beijing Newsroom. (Editing by Jan Harvey, Mark Potter and Jan Harvey)
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Intel wins reduced fine after losing its challenge to EU antitrust ruling
Intel, the U.S. chipmaker, lost its appeal against a 376 million euro ($438 millions) EU antitrust penalty imposed two years earlier for 'thwarting competitors.' But it gained some comfort as Europe’s second highest court reduced the fine by a third. The European Commission (which is the EU's competition enforcer) handed out the fine in 2023, after the court threw out an earlier penalty of 1.06 billion euro imposed by the tribunal in 2009 for blocking Advanced Micro Devices. The 376 million Euro fine was a result of payments Intel made to HP, Acer and Lenovo between November 2002 and December 2006 to stop or delay competing?products. These payments are often referred to as "naked restrictions" and are frowned upon by regulators. The Luxembourg-based tribunal stated that "the General Court upholds Commission 2023's decision against Intel, but reduces fine by about?140million euros." The judges said that a fine of 237 million euros is more appropriate in light of the severity and duration of the violation at issue. The company cited the limited number of computers that were affected by Intel?s restrictions and the 12-month interval between?some of these anti-competitive activities. On legal issues, the Commission and Intel may appeal to the European Court of Justice (the highest court in Europe), which is Europe's highest. T-1129/23 Intel Corporation V Commission.
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Silver extends rally beyond $60; gold steady ahead of Fed rate-cut decision
Investors awaited comments from Jerome Powell, the chair of the Federal Reserve, on future policy decisions, as gold prices remained unchanged. Silver extended its historic rally over $60 an ounce. As of 0844 GMT, spot gold dropped 0.2% to $4199.92 an ounce. U.S. Gold Futures for February Delivery fell 0.2% to $4.228.10 an ounce. Spot silver rose 1.2% to $61.37/oz after hitting an all-time record of $61.61 earlier. Silver broke above the $60 an ounce mark, luring in more short-term traders and trend followers. Carsten Menke, Julius Baer's analyst, said that this also reflects a narrative of "physical tightness" in the silver markets. White metal prices have risen 113% in the past year. This is due to a combination of factors, including a decline in inventories and the United States' designation of it as a "critical" mineral. Today, the two-day Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) policy meeting ends. A rate-cutting decision is expected at 1900 GMT. Powell will then make his remarks at 1930 GMT. The markets assign an 88% chance of a 25 basis-point cut. In the last few weeks, investors' demand for gold measured by holdings in physically-backed products was not as high as silver. Menke said that this is the primary factor holding gold back. Holdings of the largest gold-backed ?exchange-traded-fund (ETF), New York's SPDR Gold Trust, fell 0.1% on Tuesday, while New York's iShares ?Silver Trust, gained 0.53%. Kevin Hassett is the White House's economic advisor and a frontrunner for replacing Powell as Fed Chair. He said on Tuesday that "there was plenty of room" to lower interest rates further. However, rising inflation may change this calculation. Gold is a non-yielding asset that tends to be favoured by lower interest rates. RBC Capital Markets has raised its long-term forecasts for gold prices to an average $4,600 per 1 ounce by 2026, and $5,100 in 2027. They cited geopolitical risk, a softer monetary policies, and persistent deficits. Palladium dropped 0.3%, to 1,501.71, and platinum fell 1.2%, to $1670.70. (Reporting and editing by Alexandra Hudson in Bengaluru, with reporting by Pablo Sinha from Bengaluru)
Gaza suffers from a terrible thirst due to polluted aquifers, broken pipelines and contaminated aquifers
Gazans are weakened by hunger and must carry all of their drinking water, washing water and toilet paper across the ruined landscape every day. This is a heavy load which still falls far short of what's needed to maintain health.
Aid groups say that the water crisis in Gaza is as serious as the starvation, which has been causing global concern after 22 months of an Israeli military offensive. A global hunger monitor claims that a famine is developing.
Some water is sourced from desalination plants run by aid organizations, but the majority comes from wells that are located in a brackish, contaminated aquifer. Sewage and chemicals have seeped through the rubble and spread diarrhoea, hepatitis, and other diseases.
COGAT, an Israeli military agency that coordinates aid in the Israeli occupied Palestinian Territories, claims to operate two water pipelines which provide millions of litres per day of water into the Gaza Strip.
Officials from the Palestinian Water Authority say that these devices haven't been working lately.
Israel cut off all water and power supply to Gaza in the early stages of the war, but later resumed some supplies despite the damage done to the pipeline network.
The majority of water and sanitation infrastructure is destroyed, and pumps that draw from the aquifer rely on small generators for electricity - fuel is scarce.
COGAT reported that the Israeli military allowed coordination with aid organizations to bring in equipment for maintaining water infrastructure during the conflict.
Moaz Mukhaimar (23 years old, a student at a university before the war) said that he had to walk a kilometer and wait in line for two hours to fetch water. He goes to fetch water three times per day on a metal handcart, over rough terrain.
How long can we stay in this state? He asked, pulling out two large canisters with very salty water for cleaning and another two smaller ones that contained cleaner water.
Umm Moaz said that the water he collects will be used by the extended family, which consists of 20 people, who live in a small group of tents at Deir al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip.
The children are constantly coming and going, and the weather is hot. They want to drink. She said, "Who knows if we can fill up tomorrow?"
The struggle for water is repeated across the tiny, crowded area where almost everyone is living in tents or temporary shelters, without sewage facilities or hygiene facilities, and with not enough water to cook, wash and drink as diseases spread.
According to the United Nations, the minimum level of emergency water consumption per individual is 15 litres daily for drinking, washing, cleaning, and cooking. According to Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics, the average daily consumption is 165 litres.
Bushra Khalidi is the humanitarian policy leader for Oxfam's Palestinian-Israeli occupied territories. She said that the average daily consumption in Gaza was now 3-5 litres.
Oxfam reported last week that waterborne diseases, which are preventable and treatable, "ravage Gaza", with rates rising by 150% in the past three months.
Israel says that it is providing adequate aid to Gaza's 2.3million residents and blames Hamas.
QUEUES FOR WTER
Danish Malik is a Norwegian Refugee Council official in charge of global water and sanitation. He said that water scarcity was increasing every day. People are rationing their water use between drinking and hygienic purposes.
Many Gazans spend hours each day queuing and carrying water, which often involves jostling for position in the line. Gazans claim that sometimes fights have broken out.
Children are often responsible for collecting water while their parents go out to buy food or other necessities.
Munther Salem is the head of water resources at the Gaza Water and Environment Quality Authority. He said that children are now carrying plastic containers and running behind water vehicles to fill them up for their families.
Many people who live near the beach, wash their clothes in the sea because water is so scarce.
The United Arab Emirates are planning to build a new water pipeline that will serve 600,000 residents of southern Gaza. It will be fed by a desalination facility in Egypt. It could still take several weeks for the pipeline to be connected.
Aid agencies claim that more needs to be done. UNICEF's James Elder, spokesperson for the organization, said that long-term poverty was becoming fatal. "Starvation, dehydration and other side effects are no longer a part of this conflict. "They are frontline effects."
Khalidi, from Oxfam, said that a ceasefire was necessary and aid agencies should have unrestricted access to the area.
"Alternatively, we will see people die from the most preventable illnesses in Gaza - as is already happening right before our very eyes."
(source: Reuters)