Builds to US oil stocks slow — at least for this week: EIA analysis
US commercial crude oil stocks rose 1.294 million barrels during the week ended April 10, marking the smallest build over the last 14 weeks, according to the latest data from the US Energy Information...
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How falling commodity prices have flattered Chinese GDP in 2015
What’s in a number? Quite a lot when it comes to Chinese GDP. Especially when it’s 7%, which was the real growth rate of the Chinese economy in the first quarter of 2015, compared to the first quarter...
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China’s thermal coal imports overstay their welcome
Ever had a house guest who has outstayed their welcome? It could be a family member, old school friend or acquaintance who has taken up residence in your house for longer than expected. They said they...
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The Paul Revere of ethanol sounds the cry
The imports are coming, the imports are coming! Just two months ago, we were at the National Ethanol Conference in Grapevine, Texas, talking about how the US ethanol industry was “going global.” At the...
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European producers under pressure on softer aluminum ‘all-in’ price
Aluminum producers are expected to be under increasing pressure as the aluminum ‘all-in’ price (London Metal Exchange cash price + premium) has fallen over the last few months on the back of lower...
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The dollar’s impact on US polyethylene
The US dollar has fallen sharply over the past few months following an impressive push upward for nearly a year. This reversal has helped propel crude prices upward and, in turn, petrochemical prices —...
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Deficit, surplus or balance: What are the real fundamentals of the global...
Global nickel market fundamentals have been troubling analysts recently with the market constantly forecast to be about to enter a significant deficit. However, this outlook never quite seems to...
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The Oil Big Five: Waiting for June’s big oil news announcements
There are certain months that have obvious potential for big news, and June looks like one of them. November 2014 was another one, and this month’s iteration of The Oil Big Five follows up on many of...
View ArticleTkachyov: Business as usual or all change at the top for Russia’s agriculture?
Back on April 22, Russia’s minister of agriculture, Nikolai Fyodorov, was put out to pasture in an advisory role to the presidential administration. Despite only being in office for a month, his...
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Steelmakers seek safety in numbers against Chinese imports
The Western world’s steelmakers have joined together to effectively tell China to back off, urging their home countries to take action against the world’s largest steelmaker. In a joint statement by 10...
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US steel welcomes the dawn of a new era of protection
Gay marriage: Legal. Obamacare: Affirmed. Trade Promotion Authority: Granted. With the Confederate flag coming down or off the shelves in many locales as well, last week was watershed week in US...
View ArticleLatin America waits to assess options from potential expanded US crude exports
Platts’ Richard Capuchino has spent the past few months speaking with upward of 40 entities as part of Platts’ Structured Market Engagement Program. He entered into many discussions about the Americas...
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The Oil Big Five: The second half begins
The beginning of July is the beginning of the second half of the year, and just over the weekend I was looking at a calendar and marveling that we’d arrived here already. We started this feature a...
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Nickel imports in China nab a massive increase
China’s imports of refined nickel increased by a staggering 250% in June to 38,545 mt compared to 11,014 mt in June 2014. Quarter on quarter, China’s refined nickel imports increased by 236% in Q2 to...
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Sussing out the ceilings over Russian gas prices
In this month’s selection from Platts Energy Economist, Managing Editor Ross McCracken explains what is currently contributing to Russia’s slipping grip on the European natural gas markets and...
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Australian may buck a trend with new Queensland oil refinery
Australia’s aged refining sector has shrunk by more than half over recent years, but at least one small local player appears to want to buck the trend with ambitions to fill a niche market on the...
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The Oil Big Five: No slowdown for oil
High summer can often be seen as a slow period, when the heat and prospect of a holiday can make it hard to work up the effort to make news. In the Northern Hemisphere, summer is in full force, and...
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Watching the dominoes fall for US steel
The domino theory in global politics — pertaining to the spread of communism, kids — is a thing of the past, but it is getting new life in the global steel arena — not the communism part, the domino...
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Oil pipeline threats add to pressure on Azerbaijan
Oil-rich Azerbaijan is being rattled by disruption and attacks on pipelines, highlighting its tough geopolitical position and adding to worries about falling oil prices. Having been courted by previous...
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Surge in China’s refined nickel imports continues in July
Last month we noted that China’s refined nickel imports increased a staggering 250% in June to 38,545 mt from 11,014 mt in June 2014, and stated that China may well continue to increase refined nickel...
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