Commodities Focus

A number of major trends are impacting the US power sector, including lower utility load nearly across the board among electric utilities, largely because of milder temperatures this year but also in some cases because of lower industrial load. Some electric utility CEOs have also...

On today's Commodities Focus podcast with Ora Lazic and Miguel Cambeiro: Although Europe continues to be the most expensive pricing region, it is increasingly becoming an importer of competitively priced ethylene and main derivatives from the US —with its new shale-based capacity—, but...

With no end to the dispute in sight and a consensus that the real shocks to the markets could be yet to come, the latest installment of the Commodities Focus podcast takes a renewed look at the impact on trade flows that the ongoing tariffs dispute between the US and China is having on the LNG,...

Today's Commodities Focus podcast looks deeper into the evolving thermal coal trade flows in the Atlantic and what the future holds. Following the recent release of two new Platts assessments that capture these new dynamics, managing editor Jeffrey McDonald is joined by thermal coal pricing...

S&P Global Platts shipping editors Sam Eckett and George Griffiths review the US-China trade tensions, and their effect on global shipping markets ahead of IMO 2020’s January 1st deadline. They are joined by EMEA Coal managing editor Jeff McDonald. As escalating tariffs between the two...

Oil majors across Europe have struggled in the second quarter largely due to weak gas prices while their counterparts across the pond have held up better thanks to the resilience of US tight oil.  S&P Global Platts’ senior oil writer Robert Perkins and head of oil news in London Paul...

This week’s Commodities Focus podcast  looks at the recycled plastics markets in Europe - the current situation and what the future holds in light of new legislation coming into force over the coming years. Join Luke Milner and Ben Brooks from the European petrochemicals team...

S&P Global Platts editors Wendy Cheong and Mark Tan examine Asia's demand for gasoline in the third quarter following a weak first half, with fundamentals in the region pressured by excess cargoes from North Asia.

S&P Global Platts Editors Cheong Su Yeen and Wanda Wang examine the increasing activity on loading middle distillate, especially gasoil and ultra low sulfur diesel, on newbuilding  vessels, such as Very Large Crude Carriers, SuezMax tankers or Long Range 3 tankers, from Asia and the Middle...

Iron ore prices have risen by around 30% since the start of June, putting intense pressure on steel margins. Are Chinese mills contemplating trimming production? How is the third quarter shaping up? And after the recent Baowu-Manshan tie-up announcement, is more Chinese steel consolidation on the...