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Trump warns that "there will be bombings" if Iran fails to make nuclear deal

Donald Trump, the U.S. president, threatened Iran on Sunday with bombings and secondary duties if Tehran failed to reach an agreement with Washington regarding its nuclear program. In a phone interview with NBC News Trump stated that U.S. officials and Iranian officials are talking, but did not provide any further details. Trump warned that if they do not make a deal there would be bombing. "But if they do not make a deal I may impose secondary tariffs like I did in 2004." Trump, in his first term 2017-21, rescinded the U.S.'s participation in a 2015 agreement between Iran and...

Fossil Fuels

After board shakeup, Couche-Tard launches charm offensive against Japan's Seven & i

Alimentation Couche-Tard wants to convince the Japanese people to accept its $47 billion offer for Seven & i. It also wants to address the antitrust concerns which have become a major stumbling-block in its bid to purchase the 7-Eleven owners. Canada's Couche-Tard which owns Circle-K has been pursuing Seven & i since months despite the cold reception it received from the Japanese retailer. If the deal goes through, this would be the largest foreign acquisition in Japan's history. On Thursday, executives from Couche-Tard held their first press conference at Tokyo. This was months after announcing a takeover bid for Seven...

Fossil Fuels

Couche-Tard on charm offensive with Seven & i in Tokyo

Alimentation Couche-Tard's management will address the antitrust concerns raised by Japan's Seven & i during a visit to Tokyo to advance talks on its $47 billion offer for 7-Eleven's convenience store operator. Circle-K's owner has been pursuing Seven & i since months, despite the cold reception it received from the Japanese retailer giant. If the deal goes through, this would be the largest foreign acquisition in Japan's history. Couche-Tard is holding its first press conference on Thursday in Tokyo since it announced a purchase bid for Seven & i back in August. This was part of their efforts to convince...

Fossil Fuels

Singapore Hin Leong creator O.K. Lim sentenced to 17-1/2 years in jail, media reports

The founder of collapsed Singaporean oil trading company Hin Leong Trading Pte Ltd was sentenced to 171/2 years in prison on Monday for unfaithful global bank HSBC and abetting forgery, regional media reported. Lim Oon Kuin, known as O.K. Lim, was founded guilty on 2 counts of unfaithful and one of instigating forgery in May. The convictions were over the disbursement by the bank of $111.7. million in March 2020 as payment for 2 oil sales agreements. that prosecutors said were made. Lim, 82, has been going to court in a wheelchair however. district attorneys stated no weight ought to...

Oil & Gas

China reveals first diagnosis standards to battle escalating obesity crisis

China's National Health Commission (NHC) published its very first set of standards to standardise the medical diagnosis and treatment of obesity, with more than half of China's adults currently obese and obese, and the rate anticipated to keep rising. The guidelines, revealed on Oct 17, come as China experiences an upward morbidity trend of its obese and obese population. The rate of obese or obese individuals could reach 65.3% by 2030, the NHC said. Weight problems has become a significant public health problem in China, ranking as the sixth leading danger element for death and disability in the country, the...

Oil & Gas

Cboe to list hedged ADRs established by Precidian

Precidian Investments released hedged ADRs on Monday that U.S. investors can utilize to purchase foreignlisted stocks while restricting the impact of fluctuating currencies. Precidian, an exchange-traded fund developer, said it will list the hedged American Depositary Receipts on Cboe's U.S. equities exchange. Financiers buying shares of business overseas, consisting of ADRs, are exposed to varying currency exchange rate in between the dollar and the foreign currency. But by coupling the ADRs with a. currency overlay into one security, financiers can alleviate. currency direct exposure, said Cboe. The Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce will be the. counterparty supplying the currency hedge....

Environment

EU probes into Chinese aids and imports

The European Commission obtained the necessary support in a vote to enforce tasks of up to 45% on imported electrical lorries made in China, as part of the EU's. highestprofile probe into supposed Chinese aids that has. provoked dangers of retaliation from Beijing. It has actually also launched examinations into whether Chinese. tidy tech producers are discarding subsidised items on EU markets. and whether Chinese-owned companies unjustly take advantage of. subsidies while running inside the European Union. The EU executive states its aim is to prevent unfair. competitors and market distortion. Here's what you need to understand about the investigations:...

Fossil Fuels

Cross-border M&A recovers in Asia as dealmakers look abroad for growth

Crossborder mergers and acquisitions involving companies in the AsiaPacific area have actually recovered this year and are flourishing in Japan as services look for brand-new development after adjusting to handle greater rate of interest. The total announced worth of such offers rose 25%. year-on-year to $286 billion as of Sept. 30, LSEG data showed,. with around 80% of them transacted with an entity outside the. area. There has actually been a noteworthy pick-up in cross-border. deals as political stability returned to some markets. simply as pent up demand for investments and dealmaking and. modifications to higher interest rates began to...

Oil Refineries

Saudi Aramco raises $3 billion from second debt sale since July

State oil giant Saudi Aramco has raised $3 billion from twopart Islamic bonds, or sukuk, tapping the financial obligation markets for the 2nd time this year as it expects to pay huge dividends, primarily to the government. The state oil giant on Wednesday offered $1.5 billion in five-year sukuk at a spread of 85 basis points (bps) over U.S. Treasuries and $1.5 billion in 10-year Islamic bonds at 100 bps above the same benchmark, 2 sources with direct knowledge of the matter stated, tighter than earlier assistance on strong demand. Aramco did not right away react to an ask for...

Fossil Fuels

Saudi Aramco raises $3 billion from 2nd debt venture since July

State oil giant Saudi Aramco raised $3 billion from twopart Islamic bonds, or sukuk, tapping the debt markets for the 2nd time this year as it anticipates to pay huge dividends, primarily to the government. The state oil giant on Wednesday offered $1.5 billion in five-year sukuk at a spread of 85 basis points (bps) over U.S. Treasuries and $1.5 billion in 10-year Islamic bonds at 100 bps above the same benchmark, 2 sources with direct knowledge of the matter stated, tighter than earlier guidance on strong need. Aramco did not right away respond to a request for comment. Aramco,...

Fossil Fuels

Saudi Aramco prepares two-tranche dollar Islamic bonds, term sheet says

State oil giant Saudi Aramco is preparing a 5 and 10year U.S. dollardenominated sukuk, or Islamic bonds, deal, according to a term sheet examined by Reuters on Tuesday. Banks will hold financier calls starting on Tuesday, the term sheet said. Aramco, the world's leading oil exporter, has long been a money cow for Saudi Arabia, which is looking for funds to invest in new markets and wean its economy far from oil under its Vision 2030 plan. Al Rajhi Capital, Citigroup, Dubai Islamic Bank, First Abu Dhabi Bank, Goldman Sachs International, HSBC, JP Morgan, KFH Capital and Standard Chartered are...

Fossil Fuels

Syrah Resources' losses deepen as China glut strikes graphite need

Syrah Resources on Monday published a broader halfyear loss after its graphite production and sales plunged in the middle of a glut in significant market China. The Australian miner's half-year loss widened to A$ 67.1. million ($ 44.66 million) in the 6 months to June 30, from. A$ 38.6 million in the very same period a year previously. Its profits fell 33% to A$ 19 million. Graphite is a carbon-based material utilized in batteries and is. an essential part in electric automobiles. China accounts for more. than 70% of international supply of both natural, mined graphite and. the artificial range,...

Crude Oil

Crude Oil

China retaliates against Trump tariffs by dumping oil and stocks

The Nasdaq Composite is heading towards a bear market as China retaliated against U.S. president Donald Trump's new tariffs, and concerns about a trade war escalated. The fact that the U.S. economy created far more jobs in March than was expected did not brighten the mood. China responded to Trump's new tariffs by announcing that it would add an additional 34% tax on American goods. This confirms investor fears of a global trade war. Trump imposed a 10% tariff Wednesday on the majority of U.S. imports, and even higher levies against dozens of other countries. This is the most severe...

Crude Oil

Dollar and shares tumble as Trump tariffs cause recession fears

The stock market limped into the weekend on Friday. The dollar was headed for its worst month-end in a while, and gold flirted near a record high as investors worried that U.S. president Donald Trump's tariffs could tip the global economic system into recession. Asian shares have struggled to recover the heavy losses of Thursday's session. The Nikkei 225 index in Japan fell by 1.85%. This is a continuation of its 2.8% decline from last Thursday. MSCI's broadest Asia-Pacific index outside Japan fell 0.26% on thin trading, as markets in China Hong Kong and Taiwan were closed for the holiday....

Crude Oil

Stocks fall as tariffs hurt tech stocks

Stocks plunged, bonds surged and the dollar rose on Thursday, as U.S. president Donald Trump announced an even larger-than-expected wall around the largest economy in the world, disrupting trade and supply chain. Nasdaq Futures fell 4%. Tech was on the frontline because China, which has been hit with an additional 34% tariff on top of its previous 20%, is a major manufacturing hub. Apple shares fell nearly 7% after-hours. S&P futures declined 3.3%, while Nikkei Futures fell more than 4%. Australian shares fell 2%. The U.S. Dollar was higher on a rollercoaster of currency trading, except for the safe-haven Japanese...

Mining

Mineral Resources

Mineral Resources

China responds to global trade war by imposing sweeping tariffs on U.S. products

China announced an additional 34% tariff on U.S. products on Friday. This is the most significant escalation of a trade conflict with President Donald Trump, which has fueled fears of a worldwide recession and caused a stock market crash. Beijing announced that it had added several U.S. companies to an export control listing and classified others as "unreliable". From Canada to China, nations have prepared retaliation as a trade war escalates after Trump raised U.S. Tariff Barriers to their highest levels in over a century. This led to a drop in the world financial markets. Shigeru Shiba, the Prime Minister...

Mineral Resources

LME fines Access World Access World $77,000 for violating warehouse rules

London Metal Exchange (LME), has taken disciplinary actions against Access World Vlissingen B.V. for breaches of LME warehouse rules that date back to 2022. The company agreed to pay an amount of 60,000 pounds ($77328) as a penalty. The exchange, which is the oldest and largest industrial metals market in the world, announced that a settlement had been reached prior to the institution of any disciplinary proceedings. Four warrants of full-plate nickel cathodes, between October 18, 2022, and November 16, 20,22 were loaded erroneously out of a shed at Access World's Rotterdam office. LME warrants confer ownership. A third party,...

Mineral Resources

Japan Q2 Aluminium drops to $182/T due to weak demand, sources

Six sources involved in the pricing discussions said that the premium for aluminium shipped to Japanese buyers from April to June is $182 per metric ton. This is a 20% drop compared to the current quarter as domestic demand remains weak. This is a lower figure than the $228 paid per ton in January-March and marks the first quarterly decrease in five quarters. However, it is still below the initial offers made by global producers of $245-$260 per ton. Japan is the largest Asian importer for premiums and light metals For primary metal shipments, it agrees to each quarter pay...

Mineral Resources

Asia Gold: High prices of gold surpass interest in buying physical gold in Asian hubs

The gold demand in India was sluggish due to record-high prices, and jewellers busy closing their accounts for the year. Most other Asian hubs saw a similar trend. Harshad Ajmera, a wholesaler at JJ Gold House Kolkata, said that "Jewellers weren't making purchases." India's fiscal year runs from April through March. The domestic gold price hit a new record of 89 796 rupees for 10 grams in the first week of this month. It has risen by nearly 15% since 2025. This week, Indian dealers offered a discount Discounts of up to $33 per ounce on official domestic prices, inclusive...

Mineral Resources

ICE, the parent company of NYSE, plans to introduce battery metals as derivatives in 2019.

An executive at Intercontinental Exchange said that the exchange plans to launch derivatives for battery metals Nickel, Cobalt, and Lithium Spodumene later this year in London. "Our customers are looking to us for products to hedge." "Our role is to ensure that there is a broad range of products," Chris Rhodes said at the FT Global Commodities Summit held in Lausanne, Switzerland. The launch of battery raw materials will begin this year with lithium, cobalt and spodumene. The global exchanges are attempting to capitalize on the expected strong growth in demand of minerals required for electric vehicles and batteries. The...

Mineral Resources

China's net gold imports through Hong Kong plummet m/m in February

Data from the Hong Kong Census and Statistics Department showed that China's net imports of gold via Hong Kong dropped by more than five times in February and fell below its exports, for a second month running. Data showed that China's total imports of gold via Hong Kong rose 7.5% in February compared to January. Why it's important China is the largest consumer of gold in the world, and it's purchasing activity can have a significant impact on global gold prices. Hong Kong's data might not be a complete view of Chinese gold purchases as it is also imported through...

Mineral Resources

Elliott hedge fund says it could take further action in response to LME nickel trades that were voided

Elliott Associates, a U.S. hedge fund, said Monday that it is considering taking further action against London Metal Exchange after a watchdog fined the exchange last week for allowing nickel to spiral out of control in 2013. Elliott lost its lawsuit against the LME for cancelling millions of dollars in nickel trades when the price reached a record of over $100,000 per tonne by March 2022. This led the LME, which is the largest exchange in the world, to suspend nickel trading. Elliott stated in an email that it felt vindicated following the Financial Conduct Authority's last week decision to...

Mineral Resources

Asia Gold-India Gold discounts reach 8-month highs as record prices curb the demand

This week, gold discounts in India reached a record-high of more than eight months as the demand for gold fell after spot prices soared past records. Indian dealers offer a discount Up to $41 per ounce compared to official domestic prices. The domestic gold price hit a record of 89 796 rupees for 10 grams this week. It has risen by over 15% this year. The price is constantly rising. It's reaching new heights every week. "Customers are waiting, just sitting there and watching for a dip," said New Delhi bullion dealer. India's gold exports will drop 85% from the...

Mineral Resources

Rusal, a Russian company, will buy a 50% stake in the Indian owner of an alumina refinery in phases.

Rusal, the Russian aluminium giant, announced on Friday that it has agreed to purchase a 26% share in an Indian alumina refining company for $243.75 millions and will acquire up to 50% over time. This move should help reduce Rusal's reliance on third party raw materials. Rusal is the largest aluminum producer in the world outside of China. Although the sanctions against Moscow for the conflict in Ukraine have not directly targeted Rusal, it has lost 40% of its alumina supply after Australia stopped exports to Russia, and Rusal closed its alumina refining plant in Ukraine. Rusal reduced its deficit...

Mineral Resources

Asia Gold Discounts in India Hit 8-Month High as Record Prices Weigh on Demand

The gold discounts in India reached their highest level in almost eight months this week, due to the record-high prices and customers staying away from other major hubs. Jewelers are reporting fewer sales. The rising price of bullion has caused a significant drop in demand. On Thursday, the domestic gold price reached a new record of 87.886 rupees for 10 grams. This week, Indian dealers offered a discount Up to $39 per ounce, including import duties of 6% and sales taxes of 3%, compared to a discount from $10 to $21 the previous week. A Mumbai-based dealer from a bullion...

Mineral Resources

Asia Gold: High prices and a year-end slowdown dampen India’s gold demand

This week, gold demand in India was low due to the near-record prices and jewellers' hesitation to buy at the end of the financial year. Harshad Ajmera, a wholesaler at JJ Gold House Kolkata, said that jewelers were wrapping up their financial accounts and weren't looking to purchase anything new. The Indian financial year runs between April and March 31. On Friday, domestic gold prices traded at around 85,860 rupies per 10 grams after reaching a record of 86592 rupies last month. This week, Indian dealers offered a discount The discount is down from last week's $12 to $27 per...

Mineral Resources

LME suspends temporarily lending rules for cobalt contracts

After tracking the movement of stocks, the London Metal Exchange (LME), announced on Thursday that it had temporarily suspended certain lending obligations for parties who held large quantities of cobalt inventories under its contract. When one party is in a dominant position on the exchange, lending rules are triggered. This forces that party to lend material to other investors. In a press release, the LME announced that it had canceled its requirement for parties with cobalt positions equaling 90% or more available inventories to borrow at a standard premium. The document added that the measure was designed to make sure...