Commodities Focus

Brazil has shifted to become a net importer of primary aluminum since 2014, but the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the market outlook. Is the increase in Brazilian P1020 exports here to stay? How does this situation impact domestic supply? Adriana Carvalho and Henrique Riberiro of S&P Global Platts look at those issues and more.

Amy Gasca, Daryna Kotenko and Veda Chowdhury of S&P Global Platts discuss West power and natural gas markets and how current market fundamentals are shaping spot and forwards pricing for the remainder of the summer.

Ira Joseph, head of gas and power for Platts Analytics, and Ryan Ouwerkerk, manager of Americas natural gas pricing for S&P Global Platts, look at the other side of the supply-demand equation, ranging from LNG cargoes pricing out pipeline deliveries to the prospects for further demand growth in the oversupplied and depressed pricing environment.

Over a decade after the first flight using sustainable aviation fuel took off, SAF has gained prominence in airlines’ sustainability tool boxes as the industry tackles its collective carbon footprint. Growing consumer awareness around the environmental impact of the transportation industry has added to this global dialogue. SAF has made inroads into the US via California however producers and airlines alike must navigate fragmented environmental policies that this nascent market. Sophie Byron, associate pricing director for agriculture in the Americas, and Ellie Valencia, senior pricing specialist for jet fuel, are joined by Chris Cooper, Neste’s vice president for renewable aviation in North America, to discuss the future growth of the SAF market.

China appears to be almost singlehandedly supporting global metals prices on the back of a return to high levels of industrial activity. But other Asian markets are still slowly emerging from Covid-19 related lockdowns. How is this impacting iron ore, steel, coking coal, scrap and alumina demand and prices? Julien Hall, director of Metals for APAC, S&P Global Platts, and Paul Bartholomew, head of metals news and insight, APAC, Platts, discuss key findings from the latest quarterly spot market trade reviews, and ponder the implications of these on the current quarter. Related special report: https://insight.spglobal.com/story/platts-asia-metals-quarterly-trade-insight/

S&P Global Platts senior natural gas writer Harry Weber and S&P Global Market Intelligence midstream finance reporter Allison Good preview with senior digital editor Jason Lindquist the upcoming release of second-quarter earnings results by companies in the North American midstream sector. The April-June period covered the peak of the impact on demand from the coronavirus pandemic, so this will be an opportunity for the market to see how deeply that impact was felt and what the outlook is for a rebound heading into next year. Many operators have cut their growth spending budgets.

Brian Gilvary spent almost a decade as chief financial officer of supermajor BP until he stepped down in June 2020. In an interview with Andy Critchlow and Robert Perkins from S&P Global Platts, Gilvary discusses a broad range of subjects including his career at BP; the challenges of reducing carbon emissions for hydrocarbons producers; living with $40/b crude and how hydrogen can transform the energy system.

Ira Joseph, head of gas and power for Platts Analytics, and Ryan Ouwerkerk, manager of Americas natural gas pricing for S&P Global Platts, take a look at oversupply in global natural gas markets.

What might the US shale investor risk-reward equation look like as the market shows some signs of rebalancing and as lockdowns begin to ease? How long will it take the US shale sector to repair soured investor confidence? Tim Perry, managing director at Credit Suisse, digs into those topics and more with Jeff Mower, director of Americas oil news at S&P Global Platts.

Jared Anderson, Kassia Micek and Manan Ahuja of S&P Global Platts delve into changing power market dynamics as coronavirus-related lockdowns ease in many areas and look ahead to see where market conditions might be headed for the remainder of 2020 and into next year.