The HC Commodities Podcast

Information has always been the lifeblood of commodities trading. Today, the sources of data that provides the information and insight have grown exponentially - as has its value. So much so that companies are viewing data as a strategic asset, transforming how they value, collect, manage, and protect it. And once that mindset is in place, it can be transformative. To understand more about this key insight and journey, we are joined by Jason Vogt, Managing Director of Cargill Data Asset Solutions.To find out more about Cargill and Cargill Data Asset Solutions visit: https://www.cargill.com/data-asset-solutionsFor more information and to RSVP for our upcoming HC Insider Podcast Live event on Feb 22 in London visit: https://benchmarkevents.benchmarkminerals.com/TheTradingFutureForCriticalMinerals  

In this episode, Doomberg joins us to discuss their most recent analysis and controversial views of the oil and commodities markets. Why Peak Oil is unlikely to happen and oil will remain cheap and abundant. How US oil production has changed the energy map and the in turn its role in global security – a gap which China is planning to fill. And how China’s grip on critical minerals for the energy transition is tightening at the expense of its environment – “Geopollutical  Warfare”. Doomberg runs the leading paid Substack which is focused on energy, finance and economics (his voice is modulated to match their Green Chicken avatar).For more information on HC Group go to www.hcgroup.globalFor more information on Doomberg and content go to https://doomberg.substack.com/

Singapore has been a leading commodities trading hub for decades. Its strategic location, strong governance and connectivity have spurred the growth of a rich ecosystem of global trading firms in the city-state. How is Singapore navigating the changing world of commodities? Amidst deglobalization, digitalization and the energy transition, how is Singapore staying relevant and keeping ahead of the curve? And how does this impact its long-term strategy and talent development plans? Our guest is Lee Pak Sing, Assistant Chief Executive Officer of Enterprise Singapore, the Singapore government agency that champions enterprise development and supports the growth of Singapore as a hub for global trading and startups.  

In this final bonus episode of Enco Insights, CEO Bill Read discusses the history of expert networks, the genesis of Enco Insights and its aims and goals.For future episodes of Enco Insights, please follow the podcast on your preferred platform. For more information on Enco please visit www.encoinsights.com 

Our 2023 Annual Review is published and ready for download. The review contains key trend and market moves within the energy & commodities world alongside data driven analysis and editorials. Download here or on our website: https://www.hcgroup.global/hc-insider/market-reviews/access-annual-review-2023

What does the future hold for the agri sector and the food our plates? And what does it mean for the sector’s participants and investors? Robert Berendes, Executive Partner of Flagship Pioneering and longtime industry executive and investors sets out his views on the paradigm shifts the sector is going through.  How has the last four years changed the sector and impacted investors? And what are the surprising views Robert holds on the availability of food, land and changing nature of commodity trading. To find out more on HC Group visit: www.hcgroup.globalTo find out more on Flagship Pioneering visit: https://www.flagshippioneering.com/people/robert-berendes 

To start the New Year, in this episode we review the oil markets in 2023 and the likely major themes and trends in 2024. Why were forecasts for 2023 mainly wrong – 100$ oil never materializing? What were the major market, policy and geopolitical events that drove prices and what do these herald for 2024? Will the volatility continue? What are the trends in production, refining, shipping and consumption? Our guest is David Wech, Chief Economist for Vortexa, the ship tracking and data analytics firm  

This week battery metals expert and CEO of Benchmark Minerals Intelligence joins Enco Insights to provide a quick view on Graphite, the indispensable anode material in the energy transition.  

The UN predicts global population will peak sometime in 2080s around 10 billion people. Companies, countries (think global social security schemes) and the commodities sector predicates forecasts on these assumptions. Yet, there is a growing body of evidence that these assumptions are far too optimistic and that not only will global population peak earlier but will subsequently decline much more rapidly. Already much of the West and Asia is in decline and replacement rates of falling at an accelerated pace. Is this a long-range risk no board rooms are talking about? Our guest is analyst, futurist and swine consultant Todd Thurman who has become a global authority on the subject on how it will impact the commodities world. 

In this episode we review the major themes and events for the Natural Gas markets in 2023 and what that might herald for 2024. The gas markets and LNG are now the crucial global energy balancer. What happened in 2023? What were the key market, regulatory and policy actions and how did countries and participants fare? What are the key factors and milestones to look at for 2024 and beyond? Our guest is Anne-Sophie Corbeau, Global Research Scholar at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs.