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Crude Oil

Crude Oil

MORNING BID EUROPE - Of course Trump would have COUNTDOWN

Wayne Cole gives us a look at what the future holds for European and global markets. Now we have a Middle East war, Iran with ballistic missiles and a terrifying deadline. How very reality television. There will be a red timer in the corner of some news channels screen, counting down the seconds. On Saturday evening, Trump announced on social media that Iran had 48-hours to open the Strait of Hormuz or the U.S. was going to "obliterate' Iran's nuclear power plants. Trump gave Iran a deadline for Monday evening of 7:45 pm EDT (2345 GMT), ruining the morning of...

Crude Oil

Merz, Germany's Merz, says that easing Russia sanctions would be wrong

The German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Friday that any move to ease sanctions towards Russia was wrong. This came after the United States issued a waiver of 30 days for countries to purchase sanctioned Russian petroleum products and oil stranded in the sea. Merz and his Norwegian counterpart held a joint press conference at which they said: "We think that's wrong." "There's a problem right now with the prices, but not?with the supply." In that regard, I'd like to know what other factors led to the U.S. Government to make this decision. The waiver, which was issued to 'ease...

Crude Oil

MORNING BID - EUROPE - Crude shock

Ankur Banerjee gives us a look at what the future holds for European and global markets The selloff of stocks and bonds has increased as markets prepare for a war in the Middle East which could keep oil prices at $100 per barrel. Traders are scrambling to determine the risks associated with stagflation. Investors are bracing themselves for increased volatility as leaders from Iran, Israel, and the United States show their defiance. They have put on their risk-off caps and bought U.S. dollar. The global interest rate outlook has been completely transformed by the fading hopes for a quick resolution....

Crude Oil

Fill up your car now, MORNING BID EUROPE

Wayne Cole gives us a look at what the future holds for European and global markets. Okay, this is shaping up to be a real global energy shock like the one of the 1970s. It is unique, however, in that it was a choice made by one individual. Brent surpassed $100 at the opening and has never looked back, reaching $119.50 as of yet. Brent crude is up by 25% today, which would make it the largest daily gain on record, if the rise holds. Its gains since President Trump's attack on Iran are now at a staggering 60%. These...

Crude Oil

The morning bid is a tumultuous market in Europe and the Middle East

Rae Wee gives us a look at what the European and global markets will be like tomorrow. U.S. European and U.S. stock futures rose?on Friday, while Asian stocks pared their early losses. This was presumably due to a'minor decline in oil prices' as the U.S. It is still unclear how that will work. It doesn't make sense to try and distort derivatives when the actual product is scarce. The war in the Middle East continues to disrupt everything, from air travel to shipping. Donald Trump, the U.S. president who is always eager to get involved in world affairs, said that...

Crude Oil

Morning bid for Europe-Dire Straits for global oil trade

Wayne Cole gives us a look at what the future holds for European and global markets. Everyone is now an expert in crude?shipping across the Strait of Hormuz. Marine Traffic shows the 'tankers' piled up on either side of this vital waterway, which carries about a fifth of all the world’s?oil and liquefied gas trades. It also carries a third of its?fertiliser. The main buyers of Iranian crude oil are Asia and China. It's not closed, but shippers will be reluctant to take a risk, especially if they cannot afford additional war insurance. Charter rates on very large tankers were...

Crude Oil

MORNING BID EUROPE - Trump threatens Iran with violence

Tom Westbrook gives us a look at what the European and global markets will be like today. The weekend was a huddled-down one for traders, with threats flying between Iran and the U.S., and nerves raging through the markets due to listed private equity funds. PMI surveys, ?U.S. PCE and GDP data, corporate earnings and a few other items headlined the calendar. However, politics and war risk seemed to dominate investors' minds. The dollar was heading for its biggest weekly increase in four months. U.S. president Donald?Trump set Iran a 10- to 15-day deadline to reach a nuclear deal or...

Crude Oil

MORNING BID EUROPE-Geneva talks, inflation in spotlight amid Lunar New Year lull

Rocky Swift gives us a look at what the future holds for European and global markets. Investors are still focusing on geopolitical tensions, as well as signs of cooling in the hot tech sector. This is affecting price movements on commodities, currencies and stocks. Asian shares climbed a little higher, after a slight gain on Wall Street, amid concerns about artificial intelligence's impact on the economy and?valuations?linked to it. Many markets in Asia remained closed due to Lunar New Year. The Nikkei jumped more than 1% in Japan on the expectation that the country's tech companies will benefit from the...

Crude Oil

MORNING BID EUROPE - Quiet markets and loud diplomacy : all eyes on Iran

Rocky Swift gives us a look at what the future holds for European and global markets. As much of Asia was closed for the Lunar New Year holiday, all eyes were on the Middle East in the hope that talks between the U.S. Geopolitical tensions will be de-escalated by talks between the?U.S. Gold and oil prices fell after U.S. president Donald Trump announced that he will be participating "indirectly," in the talks scheduled for Tuesday in Geneva on Iran's nuclear program. He also said he believes Tehran wants to make a deal. Following a holiday in the U.S. for Presidents'...

Crude Oil

The Japanese economy could use some Fire Horse energy

Wayne Cole gives us a look at what the markets will be like in Europe and around the world today. The week has started off quiet in the United States and Asia. The Nikkei was stung by Japanese data as the GDP missed expectations. The economy only grew 0.2% annually in the fourth quarter of 2012, while analysts expected a rebound to 1.6% following a contraction in Q3. The GDP also increased by just 0.1% on a year-on-year basis, which is a dramatic drop from the 2% growth rate of mid-2025. The nominal GDP was slightly better, at 3.4% for...

Crude Oil

MORNING BID EUROPE - No longer the Apple in their eye

Stella Qiu gives us a look at what the future holds for European and global markets. The tech selloff is back with a vengeance. Cisco was the cause of this latest slump, as its margins were squeezed due to the rising?costs for memory chips. This frightened investors who had been expecting booming profits. AI is causing a lot of concern about the future of jobs. Overnight, trucking and logistics companies suffered a sharp drop in stock prices. This was not long after the software sector plummeted as Anthropic released Claude Cowork to fuel job concerns. Apple was not spared. Apple,...

Crude Oil

MORNING BID EUROPE - Jobs in the rearview and earnings next

Ankur Banerjee gives us a look at what the European and global markets will be like tomorrow. Investors will be focusing on a slate of European earnings after the U.S. jobs report surprised many with its strength. This has led to expectations that the Federal Reserve would likely keep rates steady at least until the second half. The future of policy is dependent on the labour market and consumer price trends. Investors are reducing their bets on a Fed move in the near future, and the focus is now shifted to Friday's inflation data. The U.S. employment data presented a...

Environment

Environment

US opens unfair trade probes to rebuild Trump’s tariff pressure

The U.S. administration of President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that it was launching two trade inquiries into excessive industrial capacity and forced labor in 16 major trading partner countries. This is to rebuild tariff pressure following the Supreme Court's decision last month which threw out much of Trump's tariff plan. According to U.S. trade representative Jamieson Greer, China, the European Union (EU), India, Japan, 'South Korea, and Mexico could be subjected to new tariffs as early as this summer, under a 'Section 301' investigation into unfair trade practices. Taiwan, Vietnam and Thailand are also trading partners that may be...

Pollution

Research shows that battery-electric cars will reach 23% of the market in EU and Norway by 2026.

As EVs get cheaper and emissions targets are met, the market will be supported by a battery-electric vehicle share of 23% in 2026 in 'the European Union and Norway and a share of?28% in '2027. European 'campaign' groups say Europe is on the right track in its transition to electric vehicles and that it can be profitable for the carmakers. They pushed the European Commission last December to reverse the effective ban on the sale of new internal combustion engines cars starting 2035. T&E stated that 'battery-electric cars prices have fallen in average by 4 percent in 2025 due to...

Carbon Emissions

European utilities fall on the talk of EU emission trading changes

By Danilo Masoni MILAN, February 12 - European utilities plunged on Thursday following a'sharp decline in carbon prices, after suggestions that the EU intervene in the markets, a move which?investors feared could squeeze the sector's earnings. Europe's benchmark "carbon" contract fell to its lowest levels since August, after leaders in countries such as Germany and Italy suggested that the European Union consider revising the bloc’s emissions trading system. Luca 'Moro is the CIO of SpesX - an Italian fund that focuses on energy transition. He said: "If this message gains traction, then those who have been speculating and?buying a green...

Mining

Mineral Resources

Mineral Resources

Norsk Hydro announces Qatalum Aluminium Smelter will stop curtailment and operate at 60%

Norsk Hydro announced on Thursday that its 'Qatalum' aluminium smelter, located in Qatar, would halt the curtailment begun last week. Production will be maintained at around 60% of capacity with reduced natural gas supplies. Qatalum - which has an annual smelting capability of 648,000 tons - began a controlled shut down on March 3, after it was informed that the gas supply would be cut off. QatarEnergy, a state-owned company, announced the day before that it would halt?LNG output after Iranian drones attacked its facilities. Hydro released a statement saying that Qatalum had decided to stop further curtailment after receiving...

Mineral Resources

Andy Home: The fragility of the Western aluminum market is exposed by the war between Iran and ROI

The Iran War has exposed a growing vulnerability of the West's aluminium supply, a metal that is classified by the United States as a "critical manufacturing input" and by the European Union. The London Metal Exchange's (LME) aluminium prices hit a four-year peak of $3,418 per metric ton Wednesday, after a Gulf producer, Qatalum, a joint venture between Norsk Hydro, Qatar Aluminum Manufacturing and Qatar Aluminum Manufacturing started shutting down their smelter, and another, Aluminium Bahrain, declared force majeure. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which is still in place, risks further disruption of a regional hub of production...

Mineral Resources

Copper and other base metals are lifted by China factory data

On Wednesday, copper prices recovered from two sessions of losses due to better than expected private factory data from China, the top metals consumer. The aluminium price rose to its highest level in more than a month, on the back of supply concerns resulting from the escalating conflict in the Middle East. This region is a major producer of this metal. The benchmark three-month copper price on the London Metal Exchange rose 1.5%, to $13,150 per metric ton at 1030 GMT. LME copper has fallen 3% in the last two sessions due to fears that the Mideast conflict will hinder...

Renewable Fuels

EU pushes for green steel, a scarce metal, to fix auto emissions

Buy expensive steel that is made using a "nascent" technology powered by green hydrogen, which barely exists? Under European Union plans, which aim to bolster the steel industry of the EU while still meeting?its environmental targets, this is what Europe's automakers face. They are already under pressure from a fiercer competition in China. The EU changed its CO2 emission targets for new cars in December to 90% by 2035, from 100%. This was a shift from the earlier 100% target. EU WANT TO BOOST EUROPEAN STAINLESS SECTOR The new proposal is tied to the EU Industrial Accelerator Act, due to...

Mineral Resources

Rare Earths Norway reports that the estimate of Europe's largest deposit has risen by 81%

Rare Earths Norway announced on Tuesday that the estimate of mineral resources in a mine under development by Europe's largest project for rare earths has increased by 81% from?the previous evaluation two years ago. The development of Fen in southern Norway, the company's rare earth project, would help the continent to reduce its dependence on the dominant producer China. According to a WSP statement, the project contains 15.9 million metric tonnes of total rare earth oxide in indicated and implied resources. It added that the new estimate is based on additional exploration drilling done last year, and compares to 8,8...

Mineral Resources

Rare Earths Norway reports that the estimate of the deposit is now 81% larger than previously estimated.

The estimate of mineral resources at the?mine that Rare Earths Norway is developing, Europe's biggest rare earth project has increased by?81% from the last evalution two years ago, the privately owned firm announced on Tuesday. The Fen project, which is being developed by the company, would help Europe to reduce its dependence on China as the dominant producer of rare earths. According to a WSP statement, the project has?a total rare earth oxide of 15.9 million metric tonnes in indicated and inferred resource,' It added that the 'new estimate' reflects additional exploration drilling which took place in 2018 and compares...

Mineral Resources

Mining minister: Investor interest in Greenland has increased following Trump's threats

Since the emergence of a?U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to annex Greenland, according to a senior Greenlandic government official. Naaja H. Nathielsen, Greenland’s Minister for Business and Mineral Resources, stated that the UK, Canada, and European Union countries have shown the most interest. She said, "On the investor's side, we saw an increase in interest in investing." She said that although Trump expressed an interest in purchasing?Greenland many years ago, it has been "hectic" over the last two months. The Arctic island is a strategically located, mineral-rich autonomous?territory. Trump has 'intensified his rhetoric about gaining control of Greenland...

Mineral Resources

Greenland's Prime Minister says "no thanks" to Trump's hospital vessel

Greenland's prime minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen responded "no thanks", on Sunday, to the idea of U.S. President Donald 'Trump' to send a hospital boat to Greenland. Trump has said repeatedly that he wants to takeover this territory. Trump announced on social media on Saturday that he is working with Jeff Landry, the Louisiana Governor and special envoy for Greenland to send a hospital boat to Greenland. "President Trump’s idea to send an American?hospital boat here to Greenland was noted. We do have a free public healthcare system. Nielsen said in a Facebook post that it was a "deliberate choice". Nielsen said...

Mineral Resources

Nexperia receives $60 million loan from Invest International for boosting chip production

The Dutch state-owned financial institution Invest International will lend a total of $60 million to the chipmaker 'Nexperia, in order to finance a series of global investments at 'its production sites. The funds will be used to boost production, modernise the production lines and improve productivity. Nexperia in the Netherlands, a unit of China's Wingtech, was caught up in a corporate standoff with Europe after a Dutch state intervention installed an European management team last year. According to the Dutch newspaper FD, this move scared away investors and caused a global crisis in terms of chip supplies for the automotive...

Mineral Resources

Outokumpu, a stainless steel manufacturer, warns that the market challenges will continue

Outokumpu, a Finnish stainless steel'maker, warned on Thursday that despite a core profit of over $500,000 for the fourth quarter 2025 which was above market expectations. At 1319 GMT, the shares were down about 5%. Last year, European Steelmakers were under pressure from a weak domestic market, high energy costs and cheap Asian imports. They welcomed EU protections such as the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism or the European Commission’s proposal to reduce import quotas. Marc-Simon Schaar, the finance chief at CBAM, told reporters that despite the fact that he expected a'significant recovery in volumes' and saw more activity on the...

Mineral Resources

Pandora Platinum-Plated to Reduce Reliance on Expensive Silver

Pandora has switched to platinum-plated items to reduce its exposure to the wild swings of the silver market. This comes after a speculative frenzy drove the metal's prices to record highs over the last year. Silver's sharp movements have become a major factor in the share price of the Danish company. Last week's drop in the metal sparked a surge in the stock. In an interview, CEO Berta De Pablos Barbier said: "We must decouple the performance of the company from the value of its shares." "We are not a trader of silver, we are a jewellery company." Pandora's most...

Mineral Resources

Trump wants to control Greenland, warns Greenland's PM Nielsen

Greenland's Prime Minister Jens Frederik Nielsen warned Monday that despite the fact that Donald Trump, U.S. president has disclaimed military force, Washington is still attempting to gain control of the Arctic island. Trump increased his calls for U.S. sovereignty over Greenland in the beginning of the year. He cited national security concerns relating to Russia and China. Some European NATO allies defended Denmark's sovereignty over Greenland, and said Trump’s pressure threatened the NATO alliance. Since then, the U.S. President has backed away from threats of violence and claimed that he secured U.S. total access to Greenland through a NATO deal....