Commodities Update Aluminium prices range-bound by supply We think that the price of aluminium is unlikely to be able to sustain moves much outside the range of $1,800 to $2,100 per tonne over the next year or two, due to the potential supply responses in... 31st May 2013 · 1 min read
Commodities Update How much does OPEC matter? The twice-yearly OPEC meeting in Vienna tomorrow is likely to confirm the official production target of 30m barrels per day. But the bigger picture is that the cartel now ranks no higher than a... 30th May 2013 · 1 min read
Commodities Update Rise in soybean prices unlikely to be sustained The recent strength in US soybean prices has been driven by fears of tight supplies as congestion at Brazilian ports delays exports. However, as the logistical problems ease and planting of the new... 28th May 2013 · 1 min read
Commodities Update Rising mine output to keep copper price weak Global copper mine output is on track to rise rapidly for a second successive year, despite a recent landslide and a tragic tunnel collapse at two of the world’s largest mines (Bingham Canyon and... 21st May 2013 · 1 min read
Commodities Update Low shipping costs add to concerns over the recovery The persistent weakness in the Baltic Dry Index (BDI) is still primarily a reflection of the surge in the supply of cargo ships over the last few years. Demand for transporting dry bulk commodities... 16th May 2013 · 1 min read
Commodities Update Rally in platinum prices postponed not cancelled Anglo American Platinum’s decision to scale back its planned production cuts mean that the global platinum industry is better supplied than had appeared likely. We suspect that further mine closures... 14th May 2013 · 1 min read
Commodities Update Grain and oilseed supply to surge to record levels Projections of record global crop production in 2013/14 by the United States Department of Agriculture have been the trigger for renewed weakness in the prices of US grains and oilseeds. We had... 13th May 2013 · 1 min read
Global Markets Update Why QE helps equities more than commodities There are three main reasons why further monetary stimulus, including quantitative easing (QE), is likely to benefit equities more than it benefits the prices of industrial commodities, including... 13th May 2013 · 1 min read
Latin America Economics Update Will Brazil’s oil output reach its potential? Brazil is unlikely to meet its ambitious targets for oil production, but crude output could still increase by at least one million barrels per day from current levels by 2020. This would add to... 9th May 2013 · 1 min read
Commodities Update Grain price rally set to be short lived The recent rally in the price of US grains has been driven by renewed fears over supply. However, we think that these concerns are overstated and expect prices to resume their downward trend over 2013... 3rd May 2013 · 1 min read
Global Markets Update What's behind the weakness in oil prices? The recent slump in the cost of Brent crude can be explained by the fragility of the global economy, without appealing to the influence of industry-specific factors that are more likely to be... 2nd May 2013 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Falling oil prices highlight Norway’s long-term problems Due to Norway’s much-lauded fiscal rules, the recent fall in oil prices will have little impact on the economy’s bright near-term outlook. Nonetheless, Norway’s growing dependence on hydrocarbons... 2nd May 2013 · 1 min read
Middle East & North Africa Economics Update Weaker oil production to weigh on Gulf growth We expect oil production in the Gulf to remain lower this year than in 2012, which will be a drag on annual GDP growth. But even so, we don’t think it will lead to a collapse in overall economic... 2nd May 2013 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Update Falling oil prices highlight Norway’s long-term problems Due to Norway’s much-lauded fiscal rules, the recent fall in oil prices will have little impact on the economy’s bright near-term outlook. Nonetheless, Norway’s growing dependence on hydrocarbons... 2nd May 2013 · 1 min read
Energy Watch Oil prices to resume declines despite policy "stimulus" The price of crude has recovered a little in the last few days, but hopes of a significant boost from a further loosening in global monetary policy are overdone. We are also sceptical of assertions... 30th April 2013 · 1 min read
Emerging Europe Economics Update Russia: first tweaks to the fiscal rule The decision by Russia’s Finance Ministry to increase the oil price forecast used in the budget appears to be an effort to paper over shortfalls in non-oil revenues, including from lower-than-expected... 30th April 2013 · 1 min read
