Latest News
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VEGOILS-Palm rises on strong Dalian palm olein, crude oil prices
Malaysian palm oil futures rose on Monday for the fourth consecutive session, following the strength of crude?oil and Dalian palm olein. By midday, the benchmark palm oil contract for June delivery on the 'Bursa Malaysia derivatives exchange had gained 85 ringgit or 1.86% to 4,657 Ringgit ($1,184.99), a metric tonne. A Kuala Lumpur based trader reported that Dalian palm oil futures had seen strong gains during the morning Asian sessions, when it traded at its highest price since June 2022. The trader said that "the market was also supported" by "firmer crude oil price." Dalian's soyoil contract with the highest volume increased by 0.34% while palm oil contracts grew by 2.52%. Prices of soyoil on the Chicago Board of Trade fell by 0.95%. As palm oil competes to gain a share of the global vegetable oil?market, it tracks the price movements of its rival edible oils. The price of crude oil rose, as investors focused on threats to Middle East oil installations, despite U.S. president Donald Trump's request for nations to assist in safeguarding the Strait of Hormuz - a vital artery used for energy shipments around the world. Palm oil is a better option as a feedstock for biodiesel due to the stronger crude oil futures. Intertek Testing Services, a cargo surveyor, estimated that exports for Malaysian palm oils products from March 1-15 were up 43.5% compared to a month earlier. AmSpec Agri Malaysia will release its estimates later that day. The ringgit (the currency used to trade palms) strengthened by 0.15% against dollars, increasing the price of the commodity for buyers who hold foreign currencies. Indonesia's senior economic minister has said that if needed, the government may have to impose additional taxes on certain commodities such as palm oil in order to lessen the impact of rising oil prices on the budget. Technical analyst Wang Tao stated that palm oil could test support at 4,494 ringgit a metric tonne after twice failing to break through resistance at 4,612 ringsgit.
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Indian shares are up, but Middle East conflict limits gains
India's benchmark indexes rose on Monday morning, rebounding from their worst week for years. However, investors remain?wary that crude oil will continue to rise above $100 per barrel amid the prolonged Middle East conflict. As of 10:08 a.m. IST, the Nifty 50 index rose by 0.2%, to 23,189. The BSE Sensex increased by 0.18%, to 74697.2. Nine out of 16 major sectors were higher. Mid-cap and small cap fell by 0.2% and 0.7% respectively. The U.S. and Israeli war against?Iran has led to the closure of Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery of global oil?and?gas shipments. Brent crude was hovering around $104 per barrel as U.S. president Donald Trump called on other countries to help secure the Strait of Hormuz. Oil prices rising are bad for India, the third largest crude importer in the world, because they can increase the fiscal deficit and inflation, which will negatively impact the growth. V.K. Vijayakumar, chief investment strategist at Geojit Investments. Vijayakumar stated that foreign portfolio investors will likely continue to sell Indian equities even if the markets rise. Since the start of the war, foreign portfolio investors sold Indian shares totaling more than $5 billion in March. This is a record monthly outflow. Citi, the broker, has lowered the year-end target for the benchmark Nifty 50 index from 28,500 to 27,000 points. The reason given was the impact that higher crude oil prices have had on the economy and earnings. The gains on Monday in Indian markets were similar to those of their Asian counterparts, who rose by 0.4%. Consumer stocks rose 0.7%, while heavyweight financials gained 0.6% to lead the gains in India. IDBI Bank's share price fell 13.3% following?media reports that the Indian government would?shelve bids received for the sale of a majority stake in the lender.
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JSW Steel unit eyes debut $1 billion shorter-duration debt issue, bankers say
Two merchant bankers on Monday said that India's JSW Kalinga Steel is set to issue its first shorter-duration bonds before the end of this month, as it aims to raise up to 95 billion rupees (about $1.03 billion). Bankers said that the company will likely sell two tranches with a five-year term each. The aim is to raise 60 billion rupees or 35 billion rupees through these bond sales. The notes would have zero-coupon paper and put and call options. Crisil rated the bonds of JKSL as AA. The ratings took into account the credit support that was expected from JKSL’s joint venture partners JSW Steel, and Japan-based JFE Steel Corporation. One of the bankers cited above said that "most of the top mutual fund companies have signed up as anchor investors and the bidding will take place at the end of this week, or early next," The bankers asked for anonymity as they were 'not authorized to speak to the media.' JKSL, however, did not respond to an email asking for comment. JSW Kalinga Steel, a 100% subsidiary of Piombino Steel Ltd., also holds a 100% shareholding in JSW Sambalpur Steel Ltd. These?entities were formed to own and operate Bhushan Power Steel Ltd.
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Chinese iron ore buyers ease buying ban
Iron ore futures fell from their two-month highs as China's state-backed buyer of iron ore eased its?ban until next week on a top-miner BHP product, while weaker steel production?and property statistics weighed on sentiment. As of 0237 GMT, the?most traded? May iron ore contract at China's Dalian Commodity Exchange was trading 0.92% higher/lower. It was 807.5 yuan (US$117.08) per metric ton. Sources said that China will ease a ban on BHP's?Jimblebar fines, an iron ore product, until next week. This comes only a day after Beijing expanded restrictions against its third-largest supplier. Sources said that China would ease the ban on BHP’s iron ore product?Jimblebar fins until next week. This comes only one day after Beijing tightened restrictions on its third largest supplier. China Mineral Resources Group (the state-run iron ore buyer) told domestic steelmills they could already take delivery of Jimblebar?fines at ports in a week. Steelmakers and traders are excluded from the exception. CMRG banned steelmakers and traders in September from buying Jimblebar Fines. It has gradually expanded these restrictions, and most recently, this week, while it negotiates the terms of BHP’s 2026 Supply Contract. Statistically, the world's largest steelmaker produced 160.34 millions tons of "crude steel" in January and February, a 3.6% decrease from last year, according to the Statistics Bureau. Beijing has promised to reduce industrial production, including steel, in an orderly fashion as it struggles with persistent overcapacity. In February, home prices in China continued to drop. This indicates that the property sector remains troubled despite some signs of improvement. Steelhome, a consultancy, reported on March 13 that iron ore inventories at major Chinese ports had increased by 2.24 percent. Coking coal and coke are also included in the list of steelmaking ingredients that harden. The Shanghai Futures Exchange steel benchmarks have mostly gained. Hot-rolled coil remained unchanged, while wire rod increased by 0.3%. Stainless steel, meanwhile, lost 1.65%.
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Coal India unit Central Mine Planning seeks $1.33 billion valuation, IPO opens Friday
A newspaper advertisement states that Coal India subsidiary Central Mine Planning & Design Institute has set a price range of 163-172 rupees per share for its 18.38 billion rupee ($198.68 millions) initial public offering. The company that provides support and consultancy services for coal and minerals exploration is looking to be valued at $1.33 billion, i.e. the top of the price range. The IPO will be available for subscription between?March 20 and March 24. Global markets are under pressure due to geopolitical tensions resulting from a conflict in the Middle East. India's primary markets have also been affected by the weak sentiment, as seven out of 11 IPOs that were launched in 2026 listed below their original issue price. Bharat Coking Coal is another subsidiary of Coal India. Its debut in January saw a nearly two-fold increase, thanks to the support?of its parent and the robust demand for coking coal from steelmakers. Central Mine Planning’s IPO is a pure offer to?sell, with Coal India aiming to?offload as many shares as possible. The company reported a?profit?of 4,25 billion rupees?for the nine-month period ending?December 2025. This is up approximately 9% from the year-ago time period.
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Japan's Nikkei index falls for a third consecutive day, as the Iran crisis fuels stagflation fears
Japan's Nikkei average fell for the?third day in a row on Monday, as the Middle East Crisis threatened to cause longer-term economic damage through higher energy prices and a weaker yen. As of midday, the benchmark index?Nikkei225? fell by 1.3% to 53138.42. The Topix index, which is a broader measure of the market, fell 0.7% to 3,602.71. The Nikkei index has fallen more than 9% in the past two weeks since U.S. airstrikes on Iran began. As the conflict spread to neighbouring countries, it paralyzed the shipment of oil through the Strait of Hormuz. The Nikkei briefly rose after U.S. president Donald Trump stated that he was urging other countries in order to safeguard shipping routes. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated that Japan has no plans to send?naval ships to escort vessels in the Middle East. Satsuki Katayama, the Finance Minister, said that the government was prepared to act decisively on the financial markets as the yen fell close to the psychologically significant 160 per dollar line. Maki Sawada is an equity strategist at Nomura Securities. She said that the market appears to be increasingly worried about stagflation. This occurs when economies are gripped with simultaneous increases in inflation and declines in economic growth. Sawada stated that "concerns over an economic slowdown caused by a rise in oil prices" are now being taken into account. "Rather than a general selloff, we are seeing a tendency where these domestic demand segments are performing strongly and underpinning Japan's?stock market." The Nikkei had 43 advancing stocks versus 182 declining ones. Furukawa Electric, Fujikura and other key suppliers in the artificial intelligence industry were the biggest losers. Both fell 6.7%. The index's biggest gainers were NH Foods (up 2.3%) and Denka (a chemical and advanced material company), which gained 2.2%. (Reporting and editing by Sonia Cheema in Tokyo)
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Reactions to Trump’s call for assistance to secure the Strait of Hormuz
U.S. president Donald Trump asked allies to help'secure the Strait of Hormuz' as Iranian forces 'continued attacks on this vital waterway during the U.S. and Israeli war against?Iran in its third week. Trump claimed that his administration has already reached out to seven countries but refused to name them. In an earlier post on social media, Trump said he hoped China would join the effort, as well as France, Japan and South Korea. Iran effectively closed the Strait between Iran and Oman. This narrow passage of water has cut off a fifth global oil supply, the largest disruption in history. Some countries responded to Washington's request to send ships to the region: On Monday, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated that Japan has no plans to send naval vessels to escort ship in the Middle East. "We have made no decisions about dispatching escort vessels." Takaichi, a member of parliament, said that we are "continuing to look at what Japan can do on its own and what is possible within the legal framework". AUSTRALIA A government minister announced on Monday that Australia would not send ships to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz. "We will not be sending a vessel to the 'Strait of Hormuz. Catherine King, who is a cabinet member for Anthony Albanese, said in an interview with ABC that she was aware of how important this issue is. However, the government has not asked her to do so or requested that she contribute. SOUTH KOREAN The South Korean presidential office announced on Sunday that it would "communicate closely with the U.S. about this matter" and then make a "decision following a careful review." BRITAIN A Downing Street spokesperson said that Prime Minister Keir starmer and Trump discussed the necessity to reopen Strait in order to stop disruptions to global shipping. Starmer spoke with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and the two agreed to continue discussions on the Middle East conflict during a Monday meeting, said the spokeswoman. (Compiled by Himani Sarkr; edited by Michael Perry).
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China's aluminium production in January and February is up due to higher profitability
Official data released on Monday showed that China's primary aluminum output in the first two?months of 2026 increased by 3% compared to the same period last year. This was due to higher profits. According to the latest data from the National Bureau of Statistics, China was the world's largest producer of aluminum. In January and February alone, it produced 7.53 million metric tonnes of primary aluminium. Profit margins for light metal, which is widely used in construction, packaging and auto manufacturing, have improved, resulting in an increase in output. According to Chinese research firm Antaike, aluminium smelters made an average profit per ton of 7,879 Yuan ($1,142.26), up?2.2% from month to month, as input costs fell while the price for the light metal increased. The most active aluminium contract increased by nearly 11% in January. However, it fell back almost 7% in February. Antaike reported that the input costs fell 0.7% on a monthly basis and 6.4% annually as electricity prices and alumina raw materials dropped. The production of ten non-ferrous metals, including copper, aluminum, lead, zinc, and nickel, grew by a?3.9% year-on-year to 13.42 millions tons. Other non-ferrous materials include tin, mercury, magnesium, antimony and titanium. China combines the output data from January and February to reduce the impact of Lunar New Year holidays that fall in either month. $1 = 6.8977 Chinese Yuan Renminbi (Reporting and editing by Sonali Paul; Lewis Jackson, Dylan Duan)
Esgian Week 21 Report: Tender Opportunities Emerging in Africa
Esgian provides an update on new commitments confirmed for Odfjell Drilling and Borr Drilling rigs and new tender opportunities emerging in Africa in its Week 21 Rig Analytics Market Roundup.
Report Summary
Contracts
Equinor has exercised an option to extend the use of Odfjell Drilling’s 10,000-ft Deepsea Aberdeen for a batch of eight wells on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. With this, Odfjell Drilling’s owned fleet of four semisubs has a firm backlog until at least mid-2026.
Borr Drilling has confirmed new work for its 400-ft jackup Prospector 1 in the UK and the Netherlands, which will keep the rig busy into early 2025.
Borr Drilling has secured a contract extension for the 400-ft jackup Norve with BW Energy offshore Gabon from August to mid-October 2024, throwing the timing of a previously announced contract with Tower Resources offshore Cameroon in doubt.
Following its April 2024 announcement of a binding letter of award (LOA) for a 480-day campaign for one of its jackups, Borr Drilling has confirmed that this work will take place in Africa and that it has also secured a binding LOA for a term of around 180 days with another jackup in Africa.
Drilling Activity and Discoveries
Malaysian oil and gas company Hibiscus Petroleum has shared the preliminary size estimate of the recently discovered Bunga Aster-1 well. The company plans to drill an appraisal well in 2025 to confirm the full extent of the discovery located in the Malaysia-Vietnam PM3 Commercial Arrangement Area (CAA) PSC.
BW Energy announced a 'substantial' oil discovery in the Dussafu licence offshore Gabon on Monday.
Oil company Perenco has announced that its subsidiary, MIOC, has made the first offshore exploration discovery in the Democratic Republic of Congo in almost 30 years.
Following the consideration of appeals, South Africa’s Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFEE) has confirmed the Environmental Authorisation for TotalEnergies to conduct exploration drilling on Block Deep Water Orange Basin (DWOB) off the west coast of South Africa.
Equinor has made an oil discovery in well 25/11-H-1 H at the Svalin field in the North Sea off Norway.
The Norwegian Offshore Directorate (NOD) has granted Aker BP a drilling permit for an exploration well in the North Sea off Norway.
The Norwegian Ocean Industry Authority (Havtil) has given Equinor consent for exploration drilling in block 35/10 in the North Sea off Norway.
Energean plans to spud the Anchois appraisal well offshore Morocco in August 2024.
Demand
The FEED study for the TotalEnergies-operated Preowei development on OML 130 offshore Nigeria is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2024, with a final investment decision (FID) taken in the fourth quarter of 2024, according to partner Africa Oil Corp.
Chevron has released a tender opportunity for a deepwater rig with an ROV unit to work at the Agbami unit (OML 127/128).
TotalEnergies has released a tender opportunity to a jackup to work offshore Nigeria, beginning in the first quarter of 2025.
Mobilisation/Rig Moves
The Aban Offshore-owned 250-ft jackup Aban II is being towed to Mumbai Anchorage in India.
Dolphin Drilling’s 1,500-ft semisub Borgland Dolphin is en route to Las Palmas, where it will undergo reactivation and special periodic survey (SPS) ahead of a contract in the UK North Sea scheduled for Q2 2025.
The 400-ft jackup Admarine 502, owned by Advanced Drilling Services (ADES), is being towed to Bahrain's Arab Shipbuilding and Repair Yard Company (ASRY).
The COSL-owned 300-ft jackup HAIYANGSHIYOU 936 and the COSL-managed 375-ft jackup SinoOcean Wisdom arrived at Ras Tanura anchorage in Saudi Arabia following the suspension of their contracts with Saudi Aramco.
ExxonMobil has moved the 10,000-ft drillship Stena DrillMAX to EL 1169 in the Orphan Basin offshore Newfoundland, Canada to begin drilling the Persephone C-54 exploration well in around 9,842 ft (3,000 m) of water.
Valaris-owned 350-ft jackup Valaris 143 is being towed to Hamriyah Shipyard in Sharjah, UAE.
Arabian Drilling-managed 400-ft jackup ArabDrill 70 has arrived at Ras Tanura anchorage in Saudi Arabia.
Other News
Brazilian regulatory agency Agência Nacional do Petróleo, Gás Natural e Biocombustíveis (ANP) has approved geological studies relating to four offshore exploratory blocks in the pre-salt area of the Santos Basin and has forwarded the blocks to the Ministry of Mines and Energy for evaluation of possible inclusion in future bidding rounds.
Serica Energy has received final approval from the UK’s North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) to develop the 100% owned and operated Belinda field located in the UK North Sea.
TotalEnergies has announced the Final Investment Decision (FID) of the Block 20/11 development offshore Angola.
Nigerian courts have directed that an existing interim injunction to maintain status quo continue in force pending orders by the arbitrator in the disagreement between Dolphin Drilling and General Hydrocarbons Limited (GHL) regarding the drilling contract for the 6,000-ft semisubmersible Blackford Dolphin.
Criterium Energy has signed a binding sale and purchase agreement (SPA) for the divestment of its 42.5% non-operated working interest in the Bulu Production Sharing Contract, offshore Indonesia.
Brazilian independent oil companies 3R Petroleum and Enauta have reached an agreement to merge, and create one independent company operating in Latin America.
ADNOC has agreed to acquire Galp’s 10% interest in the Area 4 concession of the Rovuma basin off Mozambique.
Orcadian Energy has agreed to a non-binding Heads of Agreement (HoA) with a potential farm-in partner on its recently awarded Southern North Sea licence.
Borr Drilling’s net income nearly halved in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the last quarter of 2023, despite an increase in revenues.
Afentra has completed the acquisition of a 12% non-operating interest in Block 3/05 and a 16% non-operating interest in Block 3/05A offshore Angola.
Malaysia-based Velesto's drilling services business recorded an increase in profit before tax and revenue for the quarter that ended 31 March 2024, driven by higher rig utilisation and dayrates.
The UK’s North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) ran a call for evidence on the potential principles, design, and timing of a possible future levy on UK carbon storage licences.
Chinese oil company CNOOC Limited has signed petroleum exploration and production concession contracts (EPCCs) with Mozambique's Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy (MIREME) and Empresa Nacional de Hidrocarbonetos (ENH) for five offshore blocks in Mozambique.
Equinor and the Troll partners have decided to invest just over NOK 12 billion ($1.1 billion) to further develop the gas infrastructure in the Troll West gas province in the North Sea.
(source: Reuters)