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Sources say that Indonesia is planning to centralise the export of commodities through a state agency.
Two sources with knowledge of the issue said that Indonesia is planning to create a 'body' that will oversee the exports of certain commodities. This move is intended to?combat under-invoicing?and increase state revenue. The market has been spooked by the news, as Jakarta's main index fell 3.5% on Tuesday. Sources said that all exports of coal and palm oil will be handled by the state agency. Other strategic commodities are expected to follow. Indonesia is the largest exporter of palm oil and thermal coal in the world. They declined to be named as they weren't authorised by the government to speak in public. One source said that the regulation for the plan is not finalised yet. The plan was not known to the spokesperson of the Trade Ministry, who was contacted on Tuesday. Sources said that the move by President Prabowo, who pledged to maximise?revenue?from the rich natural resources of the country, was intended to address concerns about?under-invoicing?and transfer pricing?by?exporters. Prabowo will deliver a rare address to the parliament later today on?Wednesday.
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Asian stocks drop for the 4th consecutive day, as higher yields bite. All eyes are on Nvidia's results
Investors were waiting for Nvidia's earnings to find out if the world's most valuable company could help markets cope with higher borrowing costs. Investors increased their bets on the Federal Reserve raising interest rates in 2019. The sell-off continued overnight. Overnight, the benchmark 10-year Treasury rate hit a 16 month high of 4,687%, while 30-year Treasury rates climbed to 5,198%. These levels have not been seen since 2007. Brent crude futures fell 0.2% on Wednesday but still remained above $100 a barrel. The Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed, and U.S. president Donald Trump has said that he may need to strike Iran once again. This comes a day after Trump announced he would postpone an imminent attack in order to continue negotiations with Tehran. Xi Jinping, the Chinese leader, will be hosting his "old friend", Russian?President Vladimir Putin in Beijing less than a fortnight after Trump's high profile visit. The Nikkei, Japan's stock market index, fell 1.6%. South Korea's KOSPI fell 2%. Chinese blue-chips fell 0.4% while Hong Kong's Hang Seng index fell 0.7%. The stock futures for Europe as a whole?fell by 0.5%. Nasdaq's futures were unchanged while the S&P 500 futures fell 0.1%. Tony Sycamore is an analyst at IG. He said: "At this time, I still believe that we're seeing a correction after a rally which was absolutely phenomenal." The US yields are causing some rumbles and attracting attention in the market. "Nvidia might come out and exceed expectations, but I don't believe so." "I don't believe that Nvidia can do what it did in the past, which was to shock everyone." The giant chipmaker will release its first quarter earnings on Wednesday after the close of the markets. As always, expectations are high. According to a median forecast of LSEG analysts, revenue is expected to rise by nearly 80%. Treasuries suffered losses in Asia. The yield on the benchmark 10-year U.S. notes remained at 4.6713% despite a 21 basis point jump in the last three sessions. The 30-year yield was unchanged at 5.1858%, after a 17-bps increase from last Thursday. The dollar was?near its six-week high compared to other major currencies. The yen was stable at 159.05, after gaining for seven consecutive sessions. This unwound the majority of the gains made on April 30th when Japanese authorities intervened in the market to protect the yen below 160. Overnight, the?euro reached its lowest level since 8 April. The British pound is at $1.3380 - not far off the six-week low that it reached earlier in the week. The U.S. Dollar gained, and gold prices fell 0.4% to $4.463 per ounce. This is the lowest price since March.
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Oil prices drop after Trump declares US will end Iran War'very soon'
The price of oil fell on Wednesday, after U.S. president Donald Trump re-assured that the war with Iran would 'end very quickly'. However, investors are still unsure about the outcome of the peace talks due to the continued disruptions in Middle East supply caused by the conflict. Brent crude oil futures dropped 45 cents or 0.4% to $110.83 a bar by 0050 GMT. U.S. West Texas intermediate futures were also down 27 cents or 0.3% to $103.88. The benchmarks both fell by nearly $1 after U.S. vice president JD Vance stated that the U.S. had made progress with Iran in their talks and neither side wanted to see military action resumed. Toshitaka Takawa, an analyst with Fujitomi Securities, said that investors are eager to see if Washington and Tehran will be able to?find a common ground and achieve a peace accord, as the U.S. position is changing daily. He said that oil prices are likely to stay high, given the possibility of a renewed U.S. attack on Iran, and expectations that crude supply will not return quickly to pre-war levels, even if there is a peace agreement. Trump said late Tuesday that he wanted to?end the conflict quickly', but he also stated earlier that the United States might need to strike Iran once again. He was an hour from ordering a strike before he postponed it. His comments about the need to strike again come a day after he announced that he had paused a scheduled resumption following a new Iranian proposal to end the U.S. - Israeli war. In his remarks Tuesday, Trump said that Iran's leaders were begging for a deal. He also warned of a U.S. strike in the coming days if an agreement is not reached. According to the International Energy Agency, the U.S. and Israeli war against Iran caused the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. This normally carries a fifth or more of global oil supply. It is the largest disruption of oil supply in the history of mankind. Citi said on Tuesday that it expects Brent crude prices to reach $120 per barrel in the short term. It stated that oil markets are?under-pricing risks of a long supply disruption as well as broader tail risk. In order to make up for the "shortfall" in global supplies due to the war, nations are turning to their strategic and commercial inventories. According to sources, the American Petroleum Institute released data on Tuesday. Fuel stocks were also down. According to a survey, the U.S. crude stocks reported by the Energy Information Administration will have decreased by approximately 3.4 million barrels during the week ending May 15. The EIA will release its weekly data later on Wednesday. (Reporting and editing by Yuka Obayashi, Christian Schmollinger).
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Mexico rejects Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day water park on Caribbean Coast
Alicia Barcena, Mexico's Environment Minister, announced a rejection of a massive water park proposed by Royal Caribbean for the Caribbean coast. This decision was made after residents and environmental groups complained about the 'development's' ecological impact. The rejection of this mega-tourism project reflects the growing opposition to mass development on Mexico's unspoiled coastal regions. Barcena said at a press event that "it is not going be approved". The company had also taken steps to withdraw this project. Royal Caribbean said it regretted its decision, but respected Mexico's environmental authorities. The company said it is still optimistic about its investment in Mexico, and will be talking to stakeholders about job creation in Mexico as well as environmental infrastructure in the coming weeks. Perfect Day, an ambitious project that was slated to debut in Mahahual in the fall of 2027, a coastal town near a coral reef and beach, had been advertised as "the biggest, baddest boldest destination" with beach clubs, bars, pools, and more than 30 water slides. Claudia Sheinbaum, Mexican president, echoed environmental concerns at her morning press conference on Monday. Sheinbaum stated that "we must not do anything to affect that area. It has an important ecological balance and is especially important for the coral reefs." ENVIRONMENTAL PUSHBACK Mahahual is a small town of fewer than 3,00 people located in one of the most fragile and ecologically diverse regions in the Western Caribbean. The area is home to turtle nesting beaches and protected mangrove forests. It also has corridors which are habitats for Central American tapirs, jaguars and ocelots. The Mesoamerican reef is the second largest barrier reef in the world. Greenpeace, an environmental group, warned that the region was "at a crucial juncture" and that the project's link to expanded cruise tourism could have significant environmental effects. Online, there was also a surge in public opposition. In recent days, a Change.org petition requesting the project's halt, which was launched in July 2025 has reached over 4 million signatures. The petitioners claim that the proposed 90-hectare water park (222-acres) would be built over protected mangroves and threaten the local way-of-life, the community's access to the beaches, as well as the survival of marine life. The area is near the route for the?Mayan Train. This government project was designed to help Indigenous Maya Communities beyond the crowded Cancun beaches, but local groups and environmentalists criticized it. (Reporting and Writing by Daina Beth Sola, Editing by Brendan O'Boyle & Cynthia Osterman).
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Bangladesh garment workers suffer heat exhaustion amid power outages
* Energy crunch disrupts factories' cooling systems Plans for heat adaptation go slowly Experts say that legal safeguards and support for brands are necessary Tahmid Zami Tahmid Zami Since late April, the garment belt in the area around Dhaka's capital has experienced alternating rains and scorching temperatures. The temperature has reached 37 Celsius (98.6? Fahrenheit), with high humidity levels. Zahangir Alam is an independent fashion consultant. He said that many smaller garment producers find it too expensive to run generators when grid power fails. They therefore'minimize the use' of fans and cooling equipment. Kalpona Aker, executive director of Bangladesh Center for Worker Solidarity and a workers rights organization, said: "With such oppressive heat, many workers fall sick with profuse perspiration, nausea, cramps, and fainting." Bangladesh imports 95% of the energy it needs. The conflict in Middle East has caused a shortage of energy and an increase in fuel prices. A.K.M. said: "With the disruption of energy supply, industries struggle to maintain production, much less run fans, ventilation, and cooling equipment properly." Kamruzzaman is a manager of Matin Spinning Mill, located in Gazipur near Dhaka. In a survey published by the Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies in February, 78% of 215 garment workers interviewed said they had experienced more summer heat and that about half of them had become weaker due to the high temperatures. The Lancet Countdown 2025, an annual report by The Lancet Medical Journal on climate change and health, reported that in Bangladesh, heat exposure caused the loss of 29 billion hours of potential work in 2024. This is a 92% increase compared to 1990-1999. The loss of income was estimated at $24 billion or 5% Bangladesh's GDP. According to a study conducted by Cornell University’s ILR Global Labor Institute in?2023, the failure to reduce the heat in factories, and the flooding that occurs around them, could cost the clothing industry $65 billion and potentially 1 million jobs in Bangladesh. EFFORTS TO PROTECT WORKERS ARE MOVED SLOWLY Experts in the sector and labour leaders said that protection for workers during heatwaves was patchy. There is no comprehensive framework to cover factory heat risks. A February report from Stand.earth Oxfam, and the Bangladesh Center for Worker Solidarity stated that five major global brands recognized the importance of addressing climate impact. However, little funding was available to help workers deal with heat stress. "But it's even worse at home, where we get only a few minutes of electricity every day," said Sikder. The efforts to protect low-income workers and residents from the heat have been slow. Dhaka North City Corporation (Dhaka South City Corporation) and Dhaka South City Corporation (Dhaka North City Corporation) launched climate action plans for 2024. These plans listed a number of measures that would protect workers and other people from heat, such as early warnings and strengthening the health care system in the city to combat heat-related illnesses and installing cool roofing in buildings and in slums. But Md. Rashid said that there have been few progresses on these plans. Jubaer Rashid is the Bangladesh representative for ICLEI. ICLEI is a global network of local government working on sustainability. ICLEI assisted the city corporations to develop the plans. Dhaka North City Corporation aimed to create a heat-action plan with measures such as planting trees and increasing awareness among residents of low income. Bushra Afreen was the former chief heat officer of Dhaka North City Corporation. She said that the work on the plan had stalled following the political turmoil which led to the overthrow in 2024 of Sheikh Hasina’s government. BRANDS Prioritise Decabonisation over Worker Adaptation The government adopted a national health adaptation plan for the years?2031-31. Meanwhile, the southern municipality of the city announced that it would plant 300.000 trees in the next five year. Farzana Misha is an associate professor of BRAC James P Grant Public Health. She said that her team worked with the government on mapping heat in Dhaka, and drafting a heat action plan. This would include specific interventions for each area, such as creating cooling shelters and early warnings. Misha said that Bangladesh's rules on ventilation, drinking-water and first aid in the workplace are good, but there is still a lack of specific heat-stress protections, such as mandatory breaks at temperatures above specified thresholds, and recognition of fatigue, and heat stress, as workplace health hazards. Climate experts said that brand compliance systems often ignore the issue of increasing heat in supply chains. HeatWatch is an international NGO that promotes heat awareness. The Stand.earth report, Oxfam, and BCWS, cites that better cooling systems, clean drinking water, and health support at factory level, as well as trade union-led initiatives, are all key measures for workers to adapt to heat. Varshney stated that brand sustainability budgets tend to prioritize decarbonisation rather than worker adaptation. Climate finance pledges made under the U.N. process for climate change have not reached garment workers in factory floors.
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Media reports indicate that Russia is concerned about US and EU activities in Central Asia involving rare earths.
The Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, told the 'Izvestia' newspaper that Russia is worried by U.S. efforts to secure access to rare earths and vital minerals in Central Asia. The?G7 nations including the U.S., EU and Canada have been exploring alternative markets to help reduce their reliance on Beijing. Russia is interested in the Central Asian countries - Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Tajikistan Turkmenistan, and 'Uzbekistan. This is at a time when China has been increasing its focus on the region. Galuzin, in an interview with?Izvestia published on Wednesday, said: "We are worried by the intensity of Washington's push for agreements on critical minerals. "This isn't just about competition in economics, but about an effort to push Russia away?and?create a Western controlled infrastructure near our borders." U.S. president Donald 'Trump' called critical minerals a "key priority" when he hosted five Central Asian nations at the White House in November. He also highlighted his administration's efforts to secure and expand U.S. supplies through new global agreements. (Reporting and editing by Jacqueline Wong in Tokyo)
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UK will toughen its regulatory powers against price gouging
Finance Minister Rachel 'Reeves announced on Wednesday that Britain would give its competition watchdog greater powers to 'crackdown on companies who it determines have unfairly increased prices during crises. This move is a formalisation of the warnings made earlier this year by Keir starmer. He said that the government was prepared to give "further tooth" to the Competition and Markets Authority to combat suspected price gouging, as energy prices?surged after the U.S. and Israel’s attack on Iran. The new framework for "anti-profiteering", which was announced by the CMA, would give it and other regulators tools to take action faster in investigating sharp price increases and scrutinising company margins when supply shocks occur. This, officials say, should allow them to intervene earlier. Reeves stated that "working families are the first to feel the impact of global events on costs." She said: "I won't tolerate anyone who exploits a crisis for a quick profit." Regulators will also be able publish data about how margins of firms change during crises. The government says this is a way to discourage excessive pricing. In more serious cases ministers can grant limited time powers to order firms to stop exploitative pricing. Although 'energy costs' have increased since the Middle East conflict began, industry data suggests that the impact is yet to be felt in supermarket prices. In April, grocery inflation eased. Reeves’ office has also pressured major?supermarket group to agree to voluntary cap on essentials like bread, milk and egg in return for regulatory concessions. Sector has reacted with some opposition to the?proposal. The measures are a clear indication of the government's desire to combat rising prices without resorting to direct price control. (Reporting and editing by Edmund Klamann; Sam Tabahriti)
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Investment bank Lincoln International raises 421 million dollars in US IPO
Lincoln International announced?on Tuesday that it had raised $421 in its U.S. Initial Public Offering, clearing the way for one of the rare public market debuts by an investment bank. Chicago-based boutique investment banks and their selling stockholders, who were based in Illinois, sold 21 million shares at $20 each, which was the upper end of the price range they had set. This gave the company an estimated value of $2.04 billion. The IPO market is fueled by a robust investor demand. Cerebras Systems, a company that makes AI chips, has made a stellar debut, which encourages companies to list. However, the Iran War remains largely volatile. Lincoln, founded in 1996, is a mid-market focused investment bank that advises private capital firms about selling and buying businesses, securing financing, and valuing the organization or portfolio. It operates in two main segments: investment banking advisory and valuations and opinions. As of December 31, it had more than 30 offices in 14 countries, with approximately 1,400 professionals. In October, the Lincoln International acquired MarshBerry. MarshBerry is an advisory firm that serves insurance brokerage, distribution, and wealth management sectors. Its acquisition of Spurrier capital Partners in 2022, and TCG Corporate Finance in 2024, also increased its M&A tech franchise. Lincoln's M&A business is focused on private deals between $250 million to $2 billion. They also represent private equity firms in the sale of their portfolio companies. Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley were the two joint book-running managers. Lincoln will be listed on the New York Stock Exchange on Wednesday under the symbol "LCLN". (Reporting from Prakhar Srivastava, Bengaluru; and Natalia Bueno Rebolledo, Mexico City. Editing by Shilpa Majumdar.)
The Indian cooking fuel shortage is driving California's gas price up
There is a cooking gas shortage in India. Californian motorists pay $6 per gallon for gasoline. Both are symptoms of the biggest ever disruption in energy supply. The two are directly related and show the impact of the U.S./Israeli war on Iran. The near-closure of 'Strait of Hormuz by Iran has caused global oil trade to be in chaos, and cut importers off from?around a fifth of global oil supplies that crossed the waterway prior to the war. Oil buyers have been forced to burn down their stockpiles to deal with the global fuel shortage.
The pain is being spread by some attempts to alleviate the shortages. For example, the Indian government has been trying to increase the supply of liquefied petrol gas. India is the world's most populous nation and uses LPG for its primary cooking fuel. New Delhi, cut off from Middle Eastern LPG that accounted for over 90% of India’s total LPG imports before the Iran War, has ordered refiners in New Delhi to increase LPG production. Refiners have reduced production of motor fuel additives, which are made from LPG.
The shrinking supply of alkylates in California is a concern for the state due to the potential shortage of gasoline. This could be caused by the decline in fuel production, and refiners from Asia struggling to get Middle Eastern crude oil. California is a big fan of alkylates because they are cleaner burning than other additives and it requires a special gasoline blend to reduce the smog. Californian motorists are facing a double blow from the war. A slump in Asian fuel imports has hit the motor fuel supply chain and the Indian government's policy of conserving cooking fuel is making it difficult to obtain the additives needed for California's unique gasoline mix.
Mason Hamilton, chief economics for the American Petroleum Institute, said that India's LPG supplies are being restricted by the Strait of Hormuz. Refiners in India are also producing and exporting fewer alkylates, which adds pressure to the already tight California gasoline markets.
INDIA Prioritises Cooking Fuel
The decision by Indian refiners to reduce alkylate exports couldn't have come at a more inconvenient time for California. GasBuddy analyst Patrick De Haan says that Californian motorists are already paying higher gasoline prices than they have since 2022 due to the global fuel crisis brought on by the war.
De Haan stated that the more severe the shortage of alkylates becomes, the higher the prices could rise in California.
California Energy Commission spokesperson said that California was aware of India's changing priorities, but had a good supply of gasoline, and other blending components. A spokesperson for the CEC said that the CEC does anticipate a shortage but is closely monitoring the situation.
GasBuddy's data shows that California's average retail price for motor fuel was $6.14 on Friday. It had been $6.16 per gallon over the past three years on May 7, as gasoline stocks in California hovered near records lows. De Haan stated that prices could cross $6.50 in the next few weeks.
U.S. laws require cleaner gasoline blends in the summer peak season. This increases costs. California has the most stringent U.S. mandate which raises costs compared to the rest. GasBuddy data shows that the average national gasoline price in the United States was $4.52 per gallon on Friday. India has little to do to ensure that California continues to receive alkylates. There is a severe shortage of LPG in California. People have queued up for hours just to buy LPG cylinders. Restaurants and businesses have been warned that they may be forced to close. Reliance, the operator of Jamnagar's world-largest refinery, announced this month that it would reduce alkylate production and exports in order to maximize LPG output. Kpler data shows that India's alkylate exports in April fell to 33,000 barrels a day, which is about half the 61,000 bpd exported by March. This was the lowest level since October 2023.
FEW ?GOOD OPTIONS
California Governor Gavin Newsom, who is also battling LPG shortages in New Delhi, has limited options to stop pump prices from increasing further while the Iran War continues.
De Haan stated that any temporary measures, such as tax exemptions, to lower fuel costs would increase demand. This, in turn, would exacerbate the alkylate scarcity and cause even more sticker shock for consumers.
De Haan stated that "you can't add more pressure to a system already struggling under the weight it is carrying."
GasBuddy's De Haan stated that Newsom's only option to lower California's gasoline prices could be to relax the state's fuel specs to reduce the use of alkylates.
His hands are bound. De Haan stated that the only option he had was to make this decision.
CEC spokesperson stated that the CEC did not believe a waiver on the blending requirements will help the state. Reporting by Shariq Khan in New York, Mohi Nrayan in New Delhi and Trixie Yap, Singapore; Editing done by Liz Hampton & Rod Nickel
(source: Reuters)