Industrial Metals Update Is there really a shortage of zinc? The price of zinc has climbed higher since the start of 2017 on expectations that strong demand coupled with dwindling supply, following last year’s output cuts and mine closures, would lead to a... 24th March 2017 · 1 min read
Industrial Metals Update China’s metals imports sink China’s metals imports appear to have started the year on a soft note. Higher prices might have deterred purchases but we think that, in some cases, demand has also been sluggish. That said, we are... 23rd March 2017 · 1 min read
Energy Update China’s coal demand to resume downward trend Cold weather and strong economic growth have supported coal consumption in China recently. But a slowing economy and strong growth in renewables should undermine demand later in the year. 23rd March 2017 · 1 min read
India Chart Pack Demonetisation impact wearing off The latest economic data for India suggest that the most acute impact from the government’s demonetisation measures has now passed. Both the manufacturing and services PMI readings for February came... 23rd March 2017 · 1 min read
Metals Data Response Global Steel Production (Feb.) World Steel Association (WSA) data showed a 4.1% y/y rise in global steel production in February, in large part driven by rapid expansion in China and India. 22nd March 2017 · 1 min read
Energy Data Response US Weekly Petroleum Status Report US crude oil stocks jumped again last week due to a rise in imports, but there were further drops in inventories of gasoline and distillate fuel. 22nd March 2017 · 1 min read
Metals Data Response Global Aluminium Production (Feb.) According to the International Aluminium Institute (IAI), global primary aluminium output rose by 11.3% y/y last month, broadly unchanged from the 11.4% growth rate in January. 20th March 2017 · 1 min read
Global Economics Update Could the world cope with another oil price slump? The recent drop in oil prices has raised the question of how the world economy would cope with a another sustained slump in prices. While some big oil producers would take a hit, and inflation would... 17th March 2017 · 1 min read
Commodities Weekly Optimism prevails, for now It has been an eventful week in commodity markets but, for the most part, prices have risen. The US 25bp rate hike on Wednesday was widely anticipated so markets chose to focus on the fact that the... 17th March 2017 · 1 min read
Commodities Update Commodities shrug off tighter monetary policy The prices of most commodities rose in the wake of the 25bp hike in US interest rates and the 10bp rise in China’s interest rates this week. While tighter monetary policy represents a headwind for... 17th March 2017 · 1 min read
Energy Update Will OPEC extend its production cuts? Steadily rising crude stocks and falling prices have made it more likely that OPEC will prolong its production cuts beyond June. However, there are significant hurdles which will need to be overcome... 16th March 2017 · 1 min read
Commodities Update Commodities unfazed by US monetary tightening Yesterday’s US rate hike was widely anticipated, but we expect the Fed to accelerate the pace of tightening in 2017. That said, US interest rates will remain historically low and, in any case, other... 16th March 2017 · 1 min read
Energy Data Response US Weekly Petroleum Status Report Crude oil stocks declined slightly last week, after rising for nine consecutive weeks, as net imports fell sharply. Product stocks also continued to slump. 15th March 2017 · 1 min read
Precious Metals Update Central banks’ gold demand starts the year on a positive note The latest data show that central banks’ holdings of gold increased in January. However, we think that a strong US dollar will be a major headwind for gold demand from the official sector this year. 15th March 2017 · 1 min read
Industrial Metals Update China Industrial Metals Demand Monitor (Jan./Feb.) China’s activity and investment data for the first two months of the year point to robust metals demand. However, we are wary that this may represent the high point of 2017, given signs of a steadily... 14th March 2017 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Saudi Arabia softening opposition to OPEC deal extension Saudi Arabia has continued to comply with its side of November’s OPEC agreement and recent comments from policymakers suggest that the Kingdom’s opposition to extending the deal beyond June is easing... 14th March 2017 · 1 min read
