Metals Watch Fundamentals pointing to higher gold prices Since the start of 2016, gold has benefited from a resurgence in safe-haven demand on the back of global financial market woes. While the gold price could fall back a bit if, as we expect, the Fed... 26th February 2016 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Chart Pack Saudi Arabia not about to change tack on oil policy Recent comments from Saudi Arabia’s veteran Oil Minister Ali al- Naimi have dashed hopes that had been growing in some quarters that the Kingdom was about to shift direction on its oil market policy... 25th February 2016 · 1 min read
Energy Watch When will the oil market rebalance? A potential agreement between some OPEC members and Russia to freeze oil production at January’s levels, along with fears about slowing economic growth in China and the US, have intensified debate... 25th February 2016 · 1 min read
Metals Data Response China and India’s gold imports (Jan.) While gold imports by China plummeted in January, India’s buying remained strong. Looking forward, local price premiums suggest that the weakness in imports of gold is likely to have persisted through... 25th February 2016 · 1 min read
Commodities Update Will poor harvests in India drive wheat prices higher? Lower Indian wheat harvests this marketing year and next are likely to lead to output falling short of consumption in the world’s second-largest producer. But abundant stocks in the country mean that... 25th February 2016 · 1 min read
Latin America Chart Pack Fall in oil prices triggers fiscal responses The past month has seen governments in several countries in Latin America announce measures to repair some of the fiscal damage caused by lower commodity prices. The most impressive package came from... 24th February 2016 · 1 min read
Energy Data Response US Weekly Petroleum Status Report US crude stocks hit another high last week, but gasoline stocks fell, both partly reflecting reduced refinery activity. 24th February 2016 · 1 min read
Commodities Update Prices of industrial commodities may finally be bottoming out Looking past the day-to-day volatility, the prices of many industrial commodities – including oil and base metals – appear to be finding a floor. This is at least consistent with our relatively... 24th February 2016 · 1 min read
Industrial Metals Update The rally in the price of iron ore appears premature The recent surge in the price of iron ore is not supported by fundamentals. Chinese steel production fell sharply in January, while efforts to boost iron ore supply are ongoing. As such, we expect... 24th February 2016 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Economics Update Turkey’s MPC dodges tightening, Hungary’s flags easing The Turkish central bank’s decision to keep interest rates unchanged despite the worsening inflation outlook underlines the extent to which political pressures seem to be bearing on the MPC. The... 23rd February 2016 · 1 min read
Industrial Metals Update China’s aluminium consumption surge isn’t all it seems We think that recent reports suggesting China’s aluminium consumption surged last year and that the world market recorded a deficit don’t accurately reflect the fundamentals of the sector. The reality... 23rd February 2016 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update How have euro-zone consumers spent their oil savings? Euro-zone consumers have spent a lot of their savings from falling oil prices on clothing and, to a lesser extent, furniture and electronics. This boost is unlikely to last and if oil prices rise... 23rd February 2016 · 1 min read
Commodities Update Cotton prices to fall as China plans further sales of stocks With the prospect of further sales of China’s vast state cotton stocks continuing to depress Chinese import demand, and US production rising, we think the price of cotton will drop further this year. 23rd February 2016 · 1 min read
Metals Data Response Global Steel Production (Jan.) World Steel Association (WSA) data, released today, show that global steel output fell by 7.1% year on year in January. Output fell in all major producing regions for the second consecutive month, but... 23rd February 2016 · 1 min read
Global Economics Update Will lower oil prices finally boost global growth? Last year, the slump in oil prices turned out to be less of a bonanza for the world economy than most had anticipated. This year we expect oil prices to be more stable, but still relatively low. In... 23rd February 2016 · 1 min read
Metals Data Response Global Aluminium Production (Jan.) According to the International Aluminium Institute, global aluminium output fell by nearly 2% y/y in January, largely on account of a decline in China’s production. This supports our view that prices... 22nd February 2016 · 1 min read
