Commodities
Oil Price Volatility Provides Crucial Test for OPEC+
Oil prices continued to tumble during the first week of February as the coronavirus outbreak intensified, taking Brent Crude futures down nearly 12% year to date and sending OPEC+ scrambling to contain to counter the impact.
3 Feb 2020
Copper Prices Plummet Amid China Virus Fears
The “bellwether” of commodity markets is hitting 6-month lows amid demand-side risks emanating from China.
3 Feb 2020
Growing Non-OPEC Supply Offsets Rising Demand – National Bank of Kuwait
As trade tensions between the US and China begin to cool – at least for now – oil demand is due to grow at a modest rate of 1.2 million barrels per day, up from a multi-year low of 1 million barrels per day in 2019.
31 Jan 2020
Ailing SoEs Pose Systemic Fiscal Risk in Pockets of EM
A new analysis by the IIF indicates that struggling state-owned giants such as Pemex and Eskom remain vulnerable and pose risks to their respective countries’ sovereign credit outlook.
30 Jan 2020
Global Soybean Supply to Fall Due to Lower US Production – ABN Amro
Whilst the phase one trade deal brokered between the US and China is only temporary, it is beneficial for sentiment towards agricultural commodities, argues a recent report from ABN Amro.
27 Jan 2020
Kuwait’s 2020/21 Budget Reveals Record Fiscal Deficit – Marmore
Kuwait has published its budget proposal for the fiscal year 2021, which reveals that the nation’s deficit will climb for the sixth consecutive year in a row to reach a record high.
24 Jan 2020
Lekoil Loan Scam Could Harm Attempts to Fill Gaps Left by Oil Majors
A stunning scam that saw Nigerian oil company Lekoil discover a loan it had purportedly secured from the Qatar Investment Authority was fake could harm Nigeria’s efforts to plug a growing gap left by international oil and gas companies.
24 Jan 2020
Iran, Iraq, Libya, Key Geopolitical Risks to Oil Price - PIMCO
The past year has seen a number of geopolitical tensions flare up that could potentially impede oil production in a number of key producing countries, according to a recent note from PIMCO.
21 Jan 2020
West African Economic and Monetary Union Countries Lead Africa on Growth Amidst Broader Slump
Growth among West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) countries is expected to hold steady at 6.4% in 2020, according to World Bank figures, while growth prospects in some of the continent’s largest economies remain mixed.
15 Jan 2020
Commodity Prices, Regulation & Funding Access Biggest Risks for Energy Companies in 2020 - Moody's
Looking at the year ahead, energy companies worldwide could face challenges from weak commodity prices, regulatory barriers and a lack of access to funding, according to a recent note from Moody’s.
10 Jan 2020