United States

Analysts and traders said that Russia's exports of naphtha to Asia will?fall? in January. The storage volumes are increasing as U.S. Sanctions pressure key buyers such as Taiwan, India, and Venezuela, forcing Moscow to find new markets. After Washington imposed sanctions against top Russian oil producers, buyers have become more cautious. Sellers are now forced to store naphtha in foreign storage or on ships, so that it can be reexported. Armaan Ashraf is the director of Asia oil and natural gas liquids at FGENexant. He said that this would mean premiums for "legitimate barrels" of full-range heavy naphtha or discounts...

Four people who are familiar with these reports in recent days have expressed doubts that interim Venezuelan president Delcy Rod will cooperate with Trump's administration by cutting off ties to U.S. enemies. Officials of the United States have publicly stated that they want Venezuela's interim president to cut ties with allies such as Iran, China, and Russia. They also want their diplomats and advisors expelled from Venezuela. Rodriguez, who was sworn in by the representatives of these countries at the beginning of this month, has not yet publicly announced such a decision. She was elected president on January 3 after...

The price of oil fell on Tuesday, despite a major winter storm that hit the crude production in the U.S. Gulf Coast and affected refineries. Brent crude futures fell 28 cents or 0.4% to $65.31 per barrel at 0145 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate Crude was $60.39 per barrel, down by 24 cents or 0.4%. Analysts and traders estimate that oil producers in the U.S. lost up to two million barrels of oil per day, or about 15% of the nation's production, over the weekend. This was due to a winter storm which swept through the country and put strain...

The U.S. economic system is experiencing a productivity boom, and it may even be spreading globally. Artificial intelligence will accelerate the trend of technological leaps that have been a hallmark of U.S. efficiency, flexibility and dynamism. However, there are some early signs that AI's benefits may be spreading. The Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI), released on Friday, showed that British businesses have started the year off on a good footing. Demand at home and abroad has been robust since April 2024. The pace of job loss has also increased since December. Since late 2024, the sub-indices of employment in Britain's PMI...

India and the European Union have completed negotiations on a long-coveted deal which will be announced Tuesday, said?the South Asian nation’s trade secretary on Monday. Both sides hail this agreement as?historic in light of strained U.S. relations. The agreement paves way for the free exchange of goods between India and the 27 European nations, who together account for a quarter the world's Gross Domestic Product and have a combined market of over 2 billion consumers. "It's a deal that is balanced and forward-looking for better integration of the EU into the economy." "The deal will boost trade and investment between...

The U.S. economic system is experiencing a productivity boom, and it may even be spreading globally. Artificial intelligence (AI) is expected to accelerate these trends. However, there are some early signs that AI's benefits may be spreading. The Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI), released on Friday, showed that British businesses have started the year off on a high note. Demand at home and abroad has been robust. This is the fastest growth in output since April 2024. The pace of job loss has also increased since December. Since late 2024, the sub-indices of employment in Britain's PMI have been below that...

Prices of oil were not much different on Monday, after rising more than 2% the previous session. Supply concerns held back benchmarks despite disruptions to production in major U.S. oil-producing regions. Brent crude futures dropped 7 cents or 0.1% to $65.81 per barrel at 0221 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate Crude was $61.01 per barrel, down by 6 cents or 0.1%. Both benchmarks closed Friday at their highest levels since January 14, with weekly gains of 2.7%. In the next few days, a U.S. aircraft carrier strike force and other assets will arrive in the Middle East. "Oil prices have...

The United States imposed sanctions Friday on 'nine vessels from what is called 'the shadow fleet' and eight firms related to them, according to the United States. The Treasury Department issued a statement as Washington sought to increase pressure on Iran for the recent killings of protesters. Treasury stated that the vessels, their owners, or management companies, including?entities located in India, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates have collectively "transported hundreds millions of dollars worth of Iranian petroleum and oil products to foreign markets." The sanctions imposed today are aimed at a key component in how Iran raises funds to...

Hardeep Singh Puri, the Oil Minister, said on Friday that India could leverage its increasing energy demand to secure better deals for oil and gas supplies, while its refiners are still looking for alternatives to 'Russian oil. India was the largest buyer of Russian crude oil after Moscow invaded Ukraine in February 2022. However, Western sanctions forced Indian refiners eventually to import more from other sources. Puri, a senior Indian official, said that Indian officials had avoided directly mentioning Russian oil imports. However, he added that the supply from "one source", which had surged following February 2022 is now decreasing....

Indian Oil Corp, the top refiner in the country, has purchased 7 million barrels from Petrobras and other suppliers for loading in March to replace Russian oil. Indian refiners have re-calibrated their strategies in order to move away from Russia as the top supplier and increase imports from the Middle East. This could help New Delhi to clinch a deal with the United States for lower tariffs. Sources said that the refiner purchased 2 million barrels Upper Zakum and 1 million barrels Murban from Shell. IOC also purchased 1 million barrels of each Angola Hungo and Clove grade from Exxon....

The U.S. took over Venezuela's oil imports and redirected crude barrels which were used to pay off debts owed to China. What is the debt owed by Venezuela to China and why was it paid after Venezuela defaulted? HOW MUCH DO VENEZUELA OWES CHINA? The data on Venezuela's debt are sketchy, especially since 2017, when U.S. sanctioned triggered a default. AidData, a?research laboratory at the U.S. University William & Mary that tracks lending, estimated official sector Chinese lenders extended loan commitments of $106 billion to Venezuela from 2000 to 2018. Separately they calculated that $44 billion was outstanding in 2017....

The "Sell America' trade is back in the news, and even though it may quieten down after reports of U.S. president Donald Trump's possible Greenland deal it's safe to assume that it won't?go away. We've done this before. Last year, the term "de-dollarization", which was coined by Trump's tariffs-based trade war, became a buzzword. Investors were worried that they would reduce their exposure to U.S.-based assets. This?didn’t happen. U.S. Treasury official figures show that foreigners purchased a net of $1.27 trillion in U.S. Securities during the first eleven months of last year. This was primarily due to a flood of...

The gold price surpassed $5,300 an ounce on Wednesday for the 'first time,' driven by economic uncertainties and a weakening?U.S. dollar. Investors waited for the Federal Reserve to announce its policy amid growing concerns about their independence. By 12:45 pm, spot gold had risen 1.9% to $5,289.48 per ounce. After reaching a record of $5,311.31, ET (1745 GMT), gold prices fell to $5,289.48 an ounce. The previous session saw prices rise by more than 3%. U.S. Gold Futures for February Delivery jumped by 4% to $5286.50 per ounce. Dollar-priced gold is now cheaper for foreign buyers. Peter Grant, senior metals...

After the U.S. Dollar fell to a?four-year low, speculative traders continued to make?bullish investments in industrial metals. At 1700 GMT, the benchmark three-month copper price on 'the?London Metal Exchange' was up 0.6% to $13,088 per metric ton. Aluminium rose 1.6% to $3.258, reaching its highest level since April 2022. Zinc was up 0.5% to $3.366.50, after hitting its highest level since January 2023. The dollar has stabilized after Tuesday's?lowest level since February 2022. The dollar's weakness makes dollar-denominated commodities more affordable to those who hold other currencies, and this can increase demand. Analysts from brokerage Sucden Financial stated on a...

Investors waited for the Federal Reserve to announce its policy, amid growing concerns about the independence of the Fed. By 11:05 am, spot gold had risen 1.7% to $5,278.28 per ounce. After reaching a record of $5,311.31, ET (1605 GMT), gold prices fell to $5,278.28 an ounce. The previous session saw prices rise by more than 3%. U.S. Gold Futures for February Delivery jumped by?3.8% to $5275.30 per ounce. Dollar-priced gold is now cheaper for foreign buyers. Peter Grant, senior metals analyst at Zaner Metals and vice president at Zaner Metals said: "The rally has taken on a new life...

Gold prices rose to $5,300 an ounce on Wednesday for the first-time as a result of waning confidence in the U.S. Dollar and growing concerns about the independence of the U.S. Federal Reserve. Gold spot jumped by 1.3%, to $5,255.95 per ounce, at 1131 GMT, after reaching a record of $5,311.31. Prices rose by more than 3% during the previous session. U.S. Gold Futures for February Delivery jumped by 3.3%, to $5.250 an ounce. "Gold is not only rising because of market anxiety but also due to a shift in confidence towards a more 'cautious stance,'" said Linh Tran senior...

Gold prices surpassed $5,300 an ounce on Wednesday for the first-time as a result of waning confidence in the U.S. Dollar and growing concerns about the independence of the U.S. Federal Reserve. Gold spot jumped by 1.7%, to $5,275.68 per ounce, at 0940 GMT, after reaching a record of $5,311.31. Prices rose by more than 3% during the previous session. U.S. Gold Futures for February Delivery jumped by 3.7%, to $5,271.70 per ounce. "Gold is not only rising due to'market anxiety', but also as confidence in global monetary and fiscal order is shifting towards a more conservative stance," explains Linh...

Goldman Sachs raised its London Metal Exchange aluminum price forecast for the first half of 2026 to $3,150 per tonne, up from $2,575. The investment bank cited a balanced global market that had supported investor confidence, without triggering an explosive production increase. Goldman Sachs also raised its forecast for the fourth quarter of 2026 to $2,500 from $2350, but kept its projection for 2027 at $2400. Goldman has revised its forecast for 2026 surplus from 1.1 million to 0.8 millions tonnes, but kept the 2027 surplus unchanged at 1.6million. It also raised its 2028 forecast to 2.3million, anticipating a higher...

USA Rare Earth announced on Monday that Trump's administration will support a $1.6billion debt-and equity funding package for it to build a Texas magnet and mine facility to supply the defense and high tech sectors. Over the weekend, it was reported that the U.S. Department of Commerce had taken a 10% stake of USA Rare Earth in Oklahoma as part of an effort to?boost the production of critical materials and reduce reliance on the market leader China. USA Rare Earth shares grew 15% on Monday to $28.42. Rare earths are a grouping of 17 minor elements and magnets made of...

Century Aluminum will take a 40% share in a U.S. aluminum smelter planned by Emirates Global Aluminium. This is the first primary aluminium plant built in the United States in nearly 50 years. EGA,?which retains 60% of the joint-venture, announced plans to construct the smelter at Inola in?Oklahoma in May 2025. The financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed by either company. EGA said last year that it was expecting to invest $4 billion in the development of the project. The smelter will now be able to produce 750,000 tons of aluminum annually, up from the previous 600,000 tons,...

The companies announced that Zijin Gold would buy Canada's Allied Gold at a price of?about C$5.5billion ($4.02billion) in cash. This is as the Chinese miner accelerated its global expansion amid record-high yellow metal prices. Gold prices have risen, boosting margins and cash flow for miners. This has led to consolidation as large producers look to boost production through acquisitions instead of developing new mines. Canada and China have also agreed to a deal to improve their relationship after reaching a preliminary agreement this month to reduce tariffs on canola and electric vehicles, while vowing to lower trade barriers and enhance...

USA Rare Earth shares jumped up to 62% on Monday in premarket trading after reports that the Trump administration would take a 10% stake as part of a $1.6billion debt-and equity investment package. Sources who were briefed about the plans over the weekend said that the deal and a separate $1 billion private investment would be announced on Monday. The company will also host a conference call in the morning with investors to discuss terms. According to LSEG data, a 10% stake would?make administration the largest shareholder in the company. USA Rare Earth is developing a mine with Texas Mineral...

Gold miners' shares jumped on Monday in premarket trade as bullion prices surged to record highs of $5,100 per ounce. This extended a historic rally driven by safe-haven demand amid market volatility and geopolitical uncertainty. Gold's annual rise of 64% is the highest since 1979. This was a result of U.S. monetary policy ease, central?bank purchases and investors flowing into ETFs to hedge against macro-uncertainty and global policy risks. Gold is a non-yielding asset that benefits from a low interest rate and an uncertain economic environment. Bullion prices have risen by more than 18% in the past year. Gold prices...

On Monday, gold reached a new record of $5,000 per ounce as investors continued to pile into the asset that is considered a safe haven amid increasing geopolitical tensions. By 2321 GMT, spot gold had risen 0.94% to $5,029.62 an ounce, while U.S. futures for delivery in February rose 1.02%, reaching $5,029.70. Independent analyst Ross Norman stated that "our forecast for the coming year is gold will reach a maximum of $6,400 per ounce, with an average price of $5,375." Gold's recent gains have been fueled by the escalating tension between the United States, NATO and Greenland. This is due...