As a UK general election looms, energy security and the transition to net-zero are high on the agenda. In this episode of the Commodities Focus podcast, our experts sift through the policy options, from windfall taxes to licensing bans, and discuss why they matter, not just for the UK, but for Europe and beyond. Nick Coleman, senior editor for oil news, is joined by Gethin Baker, senior technical research analyst specialising in the North Sea, and Stuart Elliott, news reporter focusing on the UK and European gas markets. Related Price Assessments:  PCAAS00 Dated Brent GTFTX00 Dutch TTF Eu ..read more

Pressured by sub-$2/MMBtu prices, many US producers have decided to cut spending on gas-directed drilling and completion activity and to scale back production in 2024. But there are signs of price improvement along the futures curve in late 2024 and thereafter, due in part to the arrival of new LNG facilities, giving operators reason for optimism. In this episode, Jeremy Beaman, natural gas news editor, talks with Bryan Mcnamara and Imre Kugler, directors of upstream research about how natural gas producers are approaching a difficult price environment and what their plans are for 2024 and 202 ..read more

Red sea crisis has forced carriers and shippers alike to adjust strategies. Container freight rates not only reached yearly high after receding throughout 2023 but carriers also seized a profit making opportunity they were looking for after the post pandemic lull. The change in this dynamic has forced shippers to again look for alternatives in the hopes of making their supply chain more agile. S&P Global Commodity Insights containers editor Tanya Kalra speaks with Chris Rogers, Head of Supply Chain and Research, S&P Global Market Intelligence, Greg Knowler, Senior Editor, Journal of Co ..read more

Lithium producers are pushing timelines out for project development in North America as global lithium prices sit near a three-year low after plunging from record levels in 2022. The change in sentiment has cooled off a red-hot market and cast doubt on the future of domestic lithium supply for North America’s electric vehicles and other energy transition applications. S&P Global Commodity Insights metals editor Nick Lazzaro speaks with Viral Shah, managing editor for low carbon and base metals in EMEA, and Adriana Carvalho, senior  ..read more

Wheat prices have been on a largely downward trend since the start of 2024 despite lower production in key exporters, Canada and Australia, and continued logistics concerns due to the wars in the Black Sea and the Red Sea. Does this imply the weight of a larger global supply in the year ahead and that the markets have adapted to a new normal amidst geopolitical tensions? Or are there choppier waves to come?   In this podcast, Vivien Tang, associate grains editor, grains, Victoria Sinitsyna, associate director, Grains Analytics and Nikolaos Aidinis Antonopoulos, senior freight pricing spec ..read more

The Asian copper market saw CIF China copper concentrate TC/RC fall by 65% in just three months’ time, while smelters were still not able to find enough feedstocks to meet their production needs. As copper concentrate market changed from surplus to deficit and copper price is still hovering at $8100-$8500/mt level, our experts discuss what happened behind the price, share the outlook for copper concentrate and copper cathodes.  S&P Global Commodity Insights senior managing editor Mok Cheng speaks with senior copper analyst Wang Ruilin and senior price editor Han Lu about the factors d ..read more

Following on from heavy winter storms in recent years that disrupted power supply across US regions, power markets managed a mid-January 2024 winter storm with elevated prices and a few demand records, but no large-scale power outages. S&P Global Commodity Insights reporters Mark Watson, Jared Anderson, Kassia Micek and Tom Tiernan discuss how grid operators are applying lessons learned from past winter storms and benefitting from policy directives on winterization of equipment.  World Petrochemical Conference ..read more

Over the past 20 years, Brazil’s growth in the production of feedstuffs like soybeans and corn has been remarkable. In the process, it has become a powerhouse exporter. To accomplish this, it took the convergence of Brazil modernizing its agricultural production and transportation systems along with the equally meteoric demand growth of a willing buyer, China.  S&P Global Commodity Insights' chief agricultural economist Paul Hughes speaks with feed and grains senior analyst Anamaria Martins and grains and oilseeds pricing manager Rafael Savoia about the factors behind this astoun ..read more

Asian aluminum markets continue to see lackluster demand and ample stocks pressuring premiums, though the sporadic reopening of the Chinese import arbitrage window is providing support across the region. Further upstream in the alumina markets, flat demand remains a drag on prices globally, but cost pressures and output curtailments are keeping significant declines at bay.   As the market looks at what’s ahead for 2024, YuenCheng Mok, Senior Managing Editor of Asia nonferrous metals at S&P Global Commodity Insights discusses the key developments in the Asian alumina and aluminum marke ..read more

Chinese copper markets are showing signs of recovering from the slump that hit the industry in the second quarter pf this year. The clean concentrate spot TCs are declining on increased demand for cargoes and cathode import interest are improving on tighter spot supplies. As the market heads into negotiation season, YuenCheng Mok, Senior Managing Editor of nonferrous metals at S&P global Commodity Insights discusses the key trends in the Chinese copper concentrate and cathode markets with Jesline Tang, Editor with the nonferrous metals team and Han Lu, senior editor with the team.  Fi ..read more