The extremely high natural gas prices this past winter have left many Europeans reeling. At the time, the increased costs were blamed on a shortage of Russian supplies. Today, many are wondering if the restrictions on gas exports by Russia were intentional. A reminder to Europeans of their vulnerability prior to the invasion of Ukraine, […]
Category: Commodities
Recession Fears: Could the Fed Risk Too Much Too Fast?
Of late, all talk related to the US economy seems focused on inflation. And while the Fed has continually issued statements regarding interest rates, the organization seems split on how to proceed. Moreover, concerns are rising that too much intervention too soon could actually push the economy into a recession next year. In the meantime, […]
Automotive supply chain disruptions ripple out across Europe from Russia-Ukraine war
We naturally focus on metals and energy issues when reviewing the Russian invasion of Ukraine. However, metals and energy are not the only commodities or products Russia and Ukraine export to the world. While neither country dominates any sector, both Russia and Ukraine play a significant enough role in certain sectors for supply chain disruption […]
Will we see $200 a barrel prices for oil?
Metals prices are all over the place, with rapid rises to record levels followed by sharp falls and considerable anxiety — anxiety that has also applied to surging oil prices. Agricultural commodities have likewise seen an unprecedented surge in prices since the war in Ukraine broke out. There is risk of unrest in parts of […]
Rising metal prices from Russia-Ukraine war could hit India the hardest among Asian countries
Many Asian economies are likely to be negatively impacted by the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, including in the form of rising metal prices. India, however, could be the Asian country that is most impacted. The MetalMiner Insights platform includes a wide variety of prices, from forms of steel to precious metals (and more) from a number […]
The MetalMiner take on initial sanctions imposed by the West on Russia
Although the West issued a new round of sanctions late on Sunday, it remains unclear what effect they will have. The new sanctions, including the prohibition of Russia flying over European airspace, as well as the funding of arms for Ukraine, came on Sunday. Nobody at MetalMiner believed the earlier sanctions through Friday would put […]
Construction MMI: Sector remains strong
In The Construction Monthly Metals Index (MMI) increased by 0.6% month over month. US construction spending rose in 2021 U.S. construction spending reached a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1,639.9 billion in December, the Census Bureau reported. The December rate marked a 0.2% increase from the revised rate November. Furthermore, the December figure jumped by […]
Bases metals prices with short term volatility followed by medium term falls
Many metals consumers normally buy if not spot then on a three-to-six-month time horizon. Still others book up to a year out. Those that fix for longer periods often publish annual sales price lists. These companies need to fix input costs to protect margins. However, that too comes at a cost. Of course there is […]
This Morning in Metals: Copper prices pick up
This morning in metals news: LME copper prices have ticked up; the U.S. monthly trade deficit increased from October to November; and, lastly, WTI crude prices made some gains this week. You want more MetalMiner on your terms. Sign up for weekly email updates here. Copper prices rise Copper prices had trended firmly in between […]
How much further does the oil price have to run?
Having risen solidly from mid-December, the oil price took a bit of a hit just prior to the new year as worries about the spread of the omicron variant and its possible impact on travel and GDP growth hit prices. The new year has started more optimistically, though. While significant work days are being lost […]