Commodities Focus

S&P Global Commodity Insights
undefined
Feb 5, 2019 • 7min

Baltic Sea Handysize tanker rates at record highs

S&P Global Platts editor Peter Farrell and senior pricing specialist Arthur Richier discuss the state of the dirty and clean Handysize tanker markets in the Baltic Sea, and how low availability of ice-class tonnage and port restrictions at this time of the year have buoyed rates up to record...
undefined
Feb 1, 2019 • 8min

Polar vortex, shutdown weigh heavy on US gasoline demand

S&P Global Platts analysts think US gasoline demand will take a hit from the subzero weather in much of the country. And then there are the federal employee who just got back in their cars for work. Jeff Bair and Seth Clare look at a topsy-turvy winter for gasoline demand and how the market...
undefined
Jan 31, 2019 • 6min

S&P Global Platts launches Latin American corn assessment as exports gain global relevance

Argentina and Brazil are growing in importance as exporters of corn, with global buyers now having one eye on crop development in Argentina and the other on the second crop planting in Brazil. Join Sophie Byron, senior managing editor for the Americas agriculture pricing team, and Rafael Savoia,...
undefined
Jan 25, 2019 • 16min

China's industrial policies shift global aluminum scrap trade, push prices down

Aluminum trade had a big year in 2018, and while US tariffs got a lot of media attention, China also took action that has impacted nonferrous scrap trade and prices worldwide. Scrap dealers and secondary aluminum smelters in the US, Mexico and Asia have had to grapple with these changes, and will...
undefined
Jan 23, 2019 • 17min

Soybean export markets hold breath on US-China updates

Soybean markets are holding their breath while the US and China discuss a possible resolution of the trade war that shook global trade flows in 2018. As tentative signs of reconciliation begin to emerge, US farmers still hold large stocks of beans while they start planning the coming season....
undefined
Jan 16, 2019 • 12min

How fears of a US recession could impact spending in the US natural gas midstream sector

S&P Global Platts senior natural gas writer Harry Weber and Americas natural gas managing editor Joe Fisher discuss the outlook for the US midstream sector as fourth-quarter 2018 earnings reporting season begins, from the appetite for further major pipeline projects to the markets that will be...
undefined
Jan 15, 2019 • 27min

IMO 2020: Evolution of the refining landscape

Jason Silber, global head of Platts Ocean Intelligence, is joined by Janet McGurty, senior oil writer at S&P Global Platts, and Richard Joswick, head of oil pricing and trade flow analytics for S&P Global Platts Analytics, to discuss the refining landscape as the marine industry faces an...
undefined
Jan 11, 2019 • 16min

Oil market fundamentals: What's driving price sentiment in 2019?

The global oil market has seen major price volatility over recent months and the start of 2019 has proved equally rousing with prices on track to post their biggest weekly gain in over two years. With spot Brent trading over $60/b, the oil market remains acutely focused on the complex balancing act...
undefined
Jan 8, 2019 • 8min

Russia's Nord Stream 2 gas link on track despite EU regulation risk

Russia's controversial Nord Stream 2 and Turk Stream natural gas pipeline projects are still on track to come online at the end of this year, despite risks of EU regulation and US sanctions. The 55 Bcm/year link to Germany and 31.5 Bcm/year link to Turkey could between them cover almost all the 87...
undefined
Jan 2, 2019 • 10min

The numbers behind Trump's talk of cheaper gasoline in 2019

There's a kernel of truth behind President Donald Trump's tweet on cheap gasoline. S&P Global Platts editors Seth Clare and Jeff Bair look at the fundamentals behind Trump's Twitter prediction that gasoline will take a lower budget bite in 2019. Related content S&P Global Platts Analytics:...

The AI-powered Podcast Player

Save insights by tapping your headphones, chat with episodes, discover the best highlights - and more!
App store bannerPlay store banner
Get the app