Opalesque Commodities Briefing » Market Pulse http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing Thu, 20 Jun 2013 03:13:17 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 en Are commodity prices about to explode? http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125868 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125868#comments Thu, 20 Jun 2013 03:12:39 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125868 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125868>Article Link</a> Prices in financial markets are determined by psychology, by what people think stocks, bonds and commodities are worth rather than what they are actually worth. Recent sentiment readings for some key commodities such as copper, gold, sugar , wheat and cattle, etc. were/are at extreme levels of negativity. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=125868 Rumors of OPEC’s demise exaggerated http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125844 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125844#comments Wed, 19 Jun 2013 03:20:28 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125844 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125844>Article Link</a> A mixed picture is starting to emerge from the Middle East in terms of oil production. Several members of the 12-member OPEC oil cartel are embroiled in turmoil or struggling to ensure post-war political gains. Oil production from the Middle East declined by 1.5 million barrels per day in 2009. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=125844 Does the future of OPEC look cloudy? http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125828 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125828#comments Tue, 18 Jun 2013 01:20:26 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125828 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125828>Article Link</a> Cartels succeed under two conditions. First: Can the cartel control the supply of the product it wants to monopolise? De Beers did this with diamonds; OPEC with oil. It also means that consumers should not easily find substitute products either. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=125828 Will oil fracking be bullish for gold bullion? http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125807 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125807#comments Mon, 17 Jun 2013 00:15:12 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125807 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125807>Article Link</a> The process of “fracking” in the production of oil is increasing global oil reserves by around 11%. More importantly, it has been a success in the US but is yet to be used in Europe and Russia to the same extent. Nevertheless, this is expected to happen. The initial impact is that the world’s dependence on Middle Eastern oil is falling fast and the stranglehold Opec has had on oil prices is weakening considerably. But how should this affect the gold price you may well ask? (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=125807 Shale estimates cement shift from oil to gas: Kemp http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125742 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125742#comments Wed, 12 Jun 2013 00:36:09 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125742 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125742>Article Link</a> The shale revolution is likely to have a far bigger effect on the global gas market than on oil supplies, entrenching the long-term price advantage of gas, according to new data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA). (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=125742 US shale boom putting OPEC on the defense http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125700 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125700#comments Mon, 10 Jun 2013 01:12:52 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125700 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125700>Article Link</a> OPEC’s weakening grip on international oil markets is causing a lot of head scratching and hand wringing among countries that aren’t used to not getting their way. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=125700 Gold on the rise again, bets jump 35pct at speculative funds http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125632 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125632#comments Wed, 05 Jun 2013 02:51:46 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125632 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125632>Article Link</a> Speculative investors are dipping a toe back in the gold market. Analysts’ faith in the power of gold buyers in China and India continues. Those factors, plus the loss of momentum in other assets, seem to be helping gold’s price lately. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=125632 Is oil the new “gold standard” http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125612 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125612#comments Tue, 04 Jun 2013 01:11:44 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125612 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125612>Article Link</a> Something very interesting just happened at the 2013 MoneyShow in Las Vegas. The purveyors of doom and gloom were all still hawking their services there. But the primary solution they offer – a cure-all elixir for everything that ails markets – was beginning to wear thin. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=125612 Opec set to roll over oil production target http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125577 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125577#comments Fri, 31 May 2013 00:53:35 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125577 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125577>Article Link</a> The Opec oil cartel is set to keep its production target unchanged, betting that a seasonal rise in demand as Americans and Europeans take to their cars for summer will keep oil prices above $100 a barrel. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=125577 OPEC to meet amid Saudi-Iran frictions http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125576 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125576#comments Fri, 31 May 2013 00:53:12 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125576 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125576>Article Link</a> Once the symbol of oil dominance, OPEC faces new challenges as its members gather for a ministerial meeting this week on how much crude to pump. For the 12 oil ministers from countries ranging from Venezuela to Nigeria and Iran, the formal focus of Friday’s get-together is to determine production levels. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=125576 The geopolitics of gold http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125532 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125532#comments Wed, 29 May 2013 00:54:08 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125532 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125532>Article Link</a> Western central banks have got themselves horribly wrong-footed as a result of not adjusting their anti-gold policies to allow for the realities of Asian gold demand. Though their dealings are shrouded in secrecy, there is compelling evidence that much — if not most — of Western central bank gold has been quietly sold over the last three decades. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=125532 Opec faces deadlock over secretary-general http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125515 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125515#comments Tue, 28 May 2013 05:15:29 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125515 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125515>Article Link</a> Saudi Arabia and Iran face off at Friday’s Opec meeting – not about oil prices and supply, but over the leadership of the cartel of oil producers. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=125515 ‘Smart money’ most bullish on gold in five years http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125508 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125508#comments Tue, 28 May 2013 05:13:20 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125508 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125508>Article Link</a> Commercial participants in the gold market, also known as “smart money” given that they work in the industry as opposed to being speculative trend followers, are the most bullish on gold in nearly five years. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=125508 Stay long equities, short commodities, says Deutsche Bank http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125497 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125497#comments Wed, 22 May 2013 01:29:50 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125497 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125497>Article Link</a> This probably isn’t a surprise coming from one of Wall Street’s most prominent bulls, but Deutsche Bank chief strategist Binky Chadha isn’t among those fretting that the stock market’s string of record highs has left markets overextended and due for an imminent pullback. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=125497 Oil-fixing probe accelerates as EU asks traders for help http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125495 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125495#comments Wed, 22 May 2013 01:29:15 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125495 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125495>Article Link</a> The investigation into possible oil-price fixing gathered pace as trading houses from Glencore Xstrata Plc, the $70 billion mining firm, to Gunvor Group Ltd. were asked to provide information to European regulators. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=125495 OPEC forecasts hike in oil demand http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125475 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125475#comments Tue, 21 May 2013 05:46:52 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125475 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125475>Article Link</a> The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) will need to pump slightly more oil than it thought in 2013 and expects global consumption to be much higher in the rest of the year, signs of a stronger market that argue against any calls for supply restraint when the group meets on May 31. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=125475 The IEA says peak oil is dead. That’s bad news for climate policy http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125437 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125437#comments Thu, 16 May 2013 01:01:10 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125437 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125437>Article Link</a> No one—aside maybe from survivalists who’d stocked up on MREs and assault rifles—was really looking forward to a peak-oil world. Read this 2007 GQ piece by Benjamin Kunkel—while we’re discussing topics from the mid-2000s—that imagines what a world without oil would really be like. Think uncomfortable and violent. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=125437 Oil shockwaves from U.S. shale boom seen by IEA ousting OPEC http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125417 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125417#comments Wed, 15 May 2013 01:32:53 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125417 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125417>Article Link</a> The U.S. shale boom will send “shockwaves” through the global oil trade over the next five years, benefiting the nation’s refiners and displacing OPEC as the driver of supply growth, the IEA said. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=125417 OPEC crude exports to rise on refiner demand, Oil Movements says http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125361 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125361#comments Fri, 10 May 2013 03:12:53 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125361 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125361>Article Link</a> The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries will increase crude exports this month as refiners boost processing ahead of the peak summer travel season, tanker tracker Oil Movements said. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=125361 How the OPEC cartel undermines American consumers and business operations http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125321 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125321#comments Tue, 07 May 2013 03:36:02 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125321 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125321>Article Link</a> If oil prices across the globe don’t seem to square with what one would expect in a free market system, there’s a reason for that. The OPEC cartel, according to a new published by Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE): (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=125321 Platinum market shifts to deficit, first time in 7 years http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125274 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125274#comments Fri, 03 May 2013 03:14:11 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125274 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125274>Article Link</a> Labour disruptions in South Africa pushed the platinum market into a narrow deficit in 2012, for the first time in seven years, Thomson Reuters GFMS said on Thursday. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=125274 Saudis dare U.S. to play oil ball http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125263 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125263#comments Thu, 02 May 2013 03:24:03 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125263 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125263>Article Link</a> The latest assessment of the estimated oil reserves in the Bakken and Three Forks formation in the northern U.S. plains states was about twice as much as previously thought. Those plays, spread out over North Dakota, South Dakota and Montana, could bring the United States one step closer to energy independence, the U.S. interior secretary said. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=125263 Physical gold rush follows April price declines http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125260 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125260#comments Thu, 02 May 2013 03:22:58 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125260 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125260>Article Link</a> Gold’s sharp decline, which saw the metal fall to $1,321 on April 16, led to a global surge in physical demand. But some market participants question whether this appetite and the upward price moves are sustainable. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=125260 Global cotton-ending stockpiles seen higher as output gains http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125245 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125245#comments Thu, 02 May 2013 03:18:49 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125245 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125245>Article Link</a> Cotton inventories at the end of July 2014 will be 11 percent higher than estimated last month as production gains outpace improved demand, according to an industry group. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=125245 Don’t write off the commodities super-cycle just yet http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125242 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125242#comments Tue, 30 Apr 2013 03:40:16 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125242 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125242>Article Link</a> Here’s something unexpected: commodity prices have actually been rising, at least according to Bank of Nova Scotia’s monthly commodity price index.The index rose in March by 1.6 per cent over February and inched up slightly in the first quarter as a whole.“Firmer overall prices in March – likely a surprise to financial markets – were led by the oil and gas index (+6.8 per cent month over month),” Scotiabank said. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=125242 Commodities tipped to drop further on demand fears http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125218 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125218#comments Mon, 29 Apr 2013 01:55:59 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125218 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125218>Article Link</a> Macquarie Research, a unit of Macquarie Group, said that despite China’s economic growth, apparent demand for metals remained weak, particularly in the US, Europe and South Korea. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=125218 The collapse of OPEC power http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125174 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125174#comments Thu, 25 Apr 2013 02:48:15 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125174 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125174>Article Link</a> Since its inception in 1960, OPEC has never been shy in flexing its energy-fuelled power over the West. But those days are gone. And it’s not just the US and Israeli shale gas and oil revolution which threatens OPEC decline. OPEC is already grappling with a whole bunch of serious energy problems that are colluding to hasten its demise. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=125174 Is Europe running out of investment gold bars? http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125169 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125169#comments Thu, 25 Apr 2013 02:47:00 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125169 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125169>Article Link</a> There an oddity about gold at the moment with phenomenal physical demand in Asia, U.S. and Europe, while the actual spot prices languishes. We have written before about the strange disconnect between paper and physical demand — with the former bearish yet the latter bullish — but rarely has there been such a clear divergence. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=125169 UAE sees no need for OPEC oil production rise http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125152 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125152#comments Wed, 24 Apr 2013 03:11:31 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125152 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125152>Article Link</a> Describing the current demand supply patterns in the world oil market as well-balanced, United Arab Emirates’ (UAE’s) Energy Minister Suhail Al-Mazroui said there is no need for OPEC countries to increase production, Xinhua news agency reported citing a local media report. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=125152 Wall Street recycles its commodities call http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125112 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125112#comments Mon, 22 Apr 2013 03:10:20 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125112 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125112>Article Link</a> There’s no way of falling off a cycle gracefully, but that won’t stop Wall Street from trying. The past week or so has seen a clutch of reports from bank analysts signaling that the end is nigh for the commodities supercycle, with at least two on Friday alone. It comes amid a broad sell-off in hard assets of all descriptions, with gold’s slide the most prominent. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=125112 Hedge funds show: We aren’t afraid of no gold http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125110 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125110#comments Mon, 22 Apr 2013 03:09:41 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125110 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125110>Article Link</a> Hedge funds and other big speculators plowed new money into gold even after the precious metal posted a record loss in dollar terms this week, according to trading data on Friday that also showed inflows for many other commodities. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=125110 Iran oil minister opposes emergency OPEC talks http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125098 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125098#comments Mon, 22 Apr 2013 03:06:33 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125098 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125098>Article Link</a> Iran sees no need for an emergency meeting of OPEC over a recent drop in crude prices before the producers’ annual session at the end of May, Oil Minister Rostam Qasemi sai. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=125098 Is this the biggest threat to OPEC? http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125013 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125013#comments Mon, 15 Apr 2013 03:11:45 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125013 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125013>Article Link</a> The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, or OPEC, describes itself as “a permanent intergovernmental organization of 12 oil-exporting developing nations that coordinates and unifies the petroleum policies of its Member Countries.” (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=125013 Europe: Back to the dark ages http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125010 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125010#comments Mon, 15 Apr 2013 03:10:56 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125010 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=125010>Article Link</a> Coal’s golden renaissance … While coal use in electricity generation has dwindled in the United States, it has been staging a quiet comeback in Europe. Coal-fired power generation is growing at an annual rate of 5% and 22% in Germany and Spain, while gas-fired generation is falling by 15% and 23% respectively. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=125010 OPEC: China leads in oil demand growth http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124994 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124994#comments Fri, 12 Apr 2013 04:15:57 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124994 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124994>Article Link</a> U.S. oil demand is expected to trend lower in 2013 while China will account for much of the oil demand growth, OPEC said in its monthly report. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124994 IEA cuts oil demand growth forecast http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124992 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124992#comments Fri, 12 Apr 2013 04:15:24 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124992 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124992>Article Link</a> The International Energy Agency has revised down its estimate of European oil demand for the second consecutive month and warned that the Cypriot bailout is weighing on the continent’s demand for oil. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124992 JPMorgan analysts say big investment banks are ‘uninvestable’ http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124979 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124979#comments Fri, 12 Apr 2013 04:11:36 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124979 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124979>Article Link</a> JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM), the largest U.S. bank by assets and the top investment bank by fees, is questioning the so-called universal bank model’s future. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124979 Saudi sees limited hit to OPEC from shale http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124966 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124966#comments Thu, 11 Apr 2013 04:19:06 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124966 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124966>Article Link</a> Production of oil from shale deposits will be too limited and costly to significantly harm the interests of established oil exporters, the adviser to Saudi Arabia’s oil minister said, in the most comprehensive response yet from OPEC’s top producer to an energy boom that is reshaping global markets. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124966 Corn boom goes bust with U.S. sales in record drop: Commodities http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124952 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124952#comments Thu, 11 Apr 2013 04:15:17 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124952 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124952>Article Link</a> The record collapse in U.S. corn exports and shrinking domestic demand are leaving more grain in silos, spurring a bear market just eight months after drought drove prices to an all-time high. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124952 EIA trims world oil use growth forecast for 2013, 2014 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124949 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124949#comments Wed, 10 Apr 2013 04:08:10 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124949 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124949>Article Link</a> World oil demand will rise in 2013 and 2014, but moderate recovery in economic growth will keep the gains lower than projected a month earlier, U.S. government forecasters said Tuesday. In 2013, rising consumption in China and in other developing nations is expected to offset weakness in European economies, the Energy Information Administration said. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124949 Oil exporters must be wary of dependence on oil revenues http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124929 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124929#comments Tue, 09 Apr 2013 03:56:50 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124929 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124929>Article Link</a> Recently, I explained how high oil prices can bring on financial collapse for oil importers. In this post, I’ll discuss the flip side of the situation: how oil exporters reach financial collapse. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124929 China’s changing oil calculus http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124911 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124911#comments Mon, 08 Apr 2013 03:30:40 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124911 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124911>Article Link</a> The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) said in a report this week that it now expects China to overtake the U.S. in terms of oil imports next year. The report estimates that China will be importing 6 million barrels a day (bpd) by the end of the year, and that U.S. imports—which declined by 21 percent in 2012—will drop below the 6 million bpd mark in 2014. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124911 IEA seeks closer relationship with emerging economies http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124908 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124908#comments Mon, 08 Apr 2013 03:29:55 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124908 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124908>Article Link</a> The International Energy Agency is interested in deepening its ties with emerging economies, as changes to supply and demand trends increase their role in global energy markets, the group said in a statement published on its web site Friday. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124908 Gold price breakout & breakdown http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124906 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124906#comments Mon, 08 Apr 2013 03:29:29 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124906 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124906>Article Link</a> It seems that collective memory is becoming shorter and shorter. We just celebrated two important holidays in the Judeo-Christian traditions that commemorate events that took place thousands of years ago. Yet, now, in the age of Internet, people seem to forget major events after weeks, or even days. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124906 Can OPEC survive the Arab Spring? http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124868 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124868#comments Thu, 04 Apr 2013 03:46:38 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124868 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124868>Article Link</a> U.S. oil production is putting a crimp on demand from OPEC suppliers, the cartel said in its monthly report for March. Saudi Arabia alone cut its output by around 700,000 barrels per day during the last two months in 2012. Some reports said that if U.S. oil production expands as it has, it may overtake Saudi Arabia by the end of the decade. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124868 Asian LNG demand uncertain, says IEA analyst http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124820 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124820#comments Tue, 02 Apr 2013 02:09:22 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124820 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124820>Article Link</a> The market for liquefied natural gas (LNG) in Asia faces uncertainty on a number of fronts, even as gas projects worldwide are seeking customers there, International Energy Agency (IEA) analyst Anne-Sophie Corbeau told Canada’s Financial Post this week. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124820 Russia, South Africa seek to create OPEC-style platinum bloc http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124767 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124767#comments Wed, 27 Mar 2013 04:08:59 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124767 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124767>Article Link</a> Russia and South Africa, which together control about 80 percent of the world’s reserves of platinum group metals, plan to create a trading bloc similar to OPEC to control the flow of exports. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124767 Russia, Turkey raise gold holdings in Feb - IMF http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124748 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124748#comments Tue, 26 Mar 2013 04:10:31 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124748 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124748>Article Link</a> Russia, Kazakhstan and Turkey increased their official gold reserves in February, data from the International Monetary Fund showed on Tuesday. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124748 China’s foreign oil drive set to continue http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124734 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124734#comments Mon, 25 Mar 2013 02:13:53 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124734 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124734>Article Link</a> China’s state-owned oil companies reported falling net profits last year due to the economic slowdown and state-controlled fuel prices, even as they are set to continue their rapid expansion overseas. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124734 Is the US oil boom coming to an end? http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124674 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124674#comments Wed, 20 Mar 2013 02:11:30 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124674 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124674>Article Link</a> Though US oil production is experiencing steady expansion, Graeber writes, it’s starting to slow down and with it potentially goes the revenue on which Paul Ryan’s budget plan depends. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124674 OPEC Output to rise, indicating price gain, Morgan Stanley says http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124637 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124637#comments Mon, 18 Mar 2013 04:42:32 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124637 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124637>Article Link</a> OPEC’s output may rise in the second quarter to meet increasing demand from refiners, indicating prices will increase as spare production capacity is reduced, Morgan Stanley said. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124637 Global commodities forum to ponder how to turn farm goods, raw materials into higher living standards http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124625 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124625#comments Mon, 18 Mar 2013 04:39:02 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124625 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124625>Article Link</a> For decades, the basic farm goods and industrial raw materials that underpin the economies of many poor countries sold at low and volatile prices on world markets. Development experts and government officials lamented that these low returns kept nations in Africa, Asia and Latin America from expanding their economies and reducing poverty. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124625 Commodity supercycle is resting between courses http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124598 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124598#comments Thu, 14 Mar 2013 01:40:56 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124598 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124598>Article Link</a> In the world of commodities, the past couple of years should be viewed as an abrasive palate-cleanser between the first course of the supercycle — which ran from 2000 until 2008 — and the main course that is now being prepared. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124598 Oil demand hit by China refinery outages http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124595 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124595#comments Thu, 14 Mar 2013 01:40:02 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124595 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124595>Article Link</a> Maintenance at newly built Chinese refineries is weighing on global oil demand, according to the International Energy Agency. In recent years China and other Asian governments have invested heavily in domestic refining capacity to process crude oil into usable products such as petrol and diesel. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124595 Will we see a silver breakout in 2013? http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124586 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124586#comments Thu, 14 Mar 2013 01:37:47 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124586 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124586>Article Link</a> Silver has been trading sideways so far in 2013, but what will the rest of the year bring? Will 2013 be the year silver prices break out or crash and burn? What is a sustainable silver price for mining companies and where will the metal come from to supply the next generation of industrial and investment demand? (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124586 OPEC: U.S. shale oil to cut into demand http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124571 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124571#comments Wed, 13 Mar 2013 03:26:06 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124571 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124571>Article Link</a> The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries cut its forecast of demand for its oil this year, citing growing production from U.S. shale deposits. If the scaled-back forecast proves correct, OPEC could be on track to have its lowest share of the global oil market in more than 10 years. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124571 No scarcity of copper in China – UBS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124569 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124569#comments Wed, 13 Mar 2013 03:25:29 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124569 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124569>Article Link</a> Its the season for Chinese traders to replenish downstream copper stocks, but while some restocking is expected ahead of summer, price spikes are not, says UBS. According to the bank, the main reason for this is high warehouse stocks that have subdued the price traders are willing to pay for local metal. As a result, it says, writing in a new note titled, ShortKut: Will China Restock? Currently, copper traders in China seem comfortable with the abundance of metal. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124569 Has the commodities bubble burst at investment banks? http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124557 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124557#comments Tue, 12 Mar 2013 03:31:28 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124557 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124557>Article Link</a> Investment banks are notorious for their “boom-bust” approach to business, riding cyclical profit opportunities to the hilt until the opportunity dwindles and they are forced to retrench. If commodities markets continue to normalize and volatility remains muted, we could see another wave of savage job cuts at the investment banks. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124557 How to beat OPEC http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124518 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124518#comments Fri, 08 Mar 2013 04:09:36 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124518 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124518>Article Link</a> If you suffer a heart attack but your doctor thinks you’ve got a nasty case of indigestion, the medicine he prescribes probably won’t cure you. The same applies to policy-making and legislating: Misunderstand the problem, and you’re likely to come up with a useless — or damaging — response. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124518 IEA adjusts measure of China’s oil demand http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124487 http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124487#comments Wed, 06 Mar 2013 03:22:13 +0000 VRS http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124487 <br> <a href=http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?p=124487>Article Link</a> Few pieces of data are as important for the oil market as the monthly estimate of China’s oil imports released by Beijing’s General Administration of Customs. (more…)

]]> http://www.opalesque.com/Commodities_Briefing/?feed=rss2&p=124487