Commodities Update Boost to US harvests puts prices under more pressure Higher estimates by the USDA for US corn and soybean production this year (2015/16) have seen crop prices plummet. But with ample world supplies and rising stocks, we think prices can fall further. 13th August 2015 · 1 min read
Commodities Update What China’s ‘‘devaluation’’ means for commodity prices All else equal, a weaker renminbi means that US dollar-denominated commodities will be more expensive in local currency terms for Chinese buyers. However, with the renminbi unlikely to go into... 12th August 2015 · 1 min read
Commodities Update Further fall in Brazilian real could add to sugar’s woes Continued weakness in the Brazilian currency could undermine the price of sugar further. However, we think greater ethanol production and consumption in Brazil will provide some support to the price... 11th August 2015 · 1 min read
Energy Update Additional cuts in investment to help oil prices rise next year The renewed decline in oil prices has prompted another round of investment and job cuts in the sector. Slower growth in non-OPEC output should therefore support a partial recovery in prices over the... 11th August 2015 · 1 min read
Industrial Metals Update Investor sentiment shows tentative signs of improvement The prices of precious metals (PMs) have fallen sharply since mid-July as sentiment towards commodities in general plummeted. A further slump in Chinese equities and unexpectedly weak Chinese PMI... 10th August 2015 · 1 min read
Commodities Update Malaysia Monthly Palm Oil Data (Jul.) Data released earlier today by Malaysia’s Palm Oil Board show that crude palm oil production in July reached its highest monthly level since October last year. Stocks also rose sharply, adding to... 10th August 2015 · 1 min read
Commodities Update China’s commodity import volumes hold up well China’s commodity import volumes were generally strong in July, for the second consecutive month. Although low prices probably encouraged buying, it is also likely that government stimulus is starting... 10th August 2015 · 1 min read
Commodities Update Corn prices to fall, despite lower EU harvest Despite a large downgrade to the outlook for the EU’s 2015 corn harvest, global supplies and stocks are likely to remain high. As such, we think the price of corn will fall further this year. 7th August 2015 · 1 min read
Precious Metals Update Currency depreciation won’t help producers much longer Depreciating producer currencies have played a major role in cushioning mining companies’ margins in recent years. However, with the prices of most precious metals below production costs even in local... 7th August 2015 · 1 min read
Commodities Update Weak demand to push soybean prices lower The continued fall in China’s pig herd is likely to undermine soybean demand growth over the second half of the year. Coupled with ample supplies, we think soybean prices will end the year lower. 6th August 2015 · 1 min read
Commodities Update Investor sentiment wanes Surging prices of a number of agricultural commodities from mid June to early July saw investors increase the number of net long non-commercial positions. However, recent improvements in the prospects... 6th August 2015 · 1 min read
Energy Update Obama and the EPA escalate the “war on coal” The rules set out by the US Environmental Protection Agency should ultimately serve to reduce demand for coal and put downward pressure on prices, even if there are lengthy legal challenges. 4th August 2015 · 1 min read
Commodities Update Plenty of upside for the price of lumber The price of US lumber fell almost 30% between the start of the year and mid-May, weighed down by a poor start to the year for US housing starts. After a brief rally in June, the price has slumped... 31st July 2015 · 1 min read
Industrial Metals Update Industrial metals weakness to hasten silver supply decline Silver might soon be in a shortage as low commodity prices prompt further capital expenditure cuts across primary and secondary mines. Silver is often mined as a by-product of copper, gold, zinc, and... 31st July 2015 · 1 min read
Energy Update El Niño won’t be enough to reduce demand for gas The strong possibility of an El Niño event this winter could mean slightly lower demand for natural gas for heating and less disruption to offshore production. However, any impact from El Niño is... 30th July 2015 · 1 min read
Commodities Update Weak demand will push palm oil prices lower With huge soybean supplies likely to push down the price of soy oil, we expect demand for palm oil to remain weak. Combined with high stocks, we think the price of palm oil will fall further this year... 30th July 2015 · 1 min read
