After watching Crude Oil fall from the $65ppb level to the $58 ppb level (-10.7%) over the past few weeks, we stillbelieve the energy sector is setting up for another great trade for skilledinvestors/traders.We are all keenly aware that Winter is stillhere and that heating oil demands may continue to push certain energy priceshigher.  Yet Winter is also a time whenpeople don’t travel as...Read More

Chinese steel production increased in 2019 amid stronger demand from the construction sector, according to data released by China's National Bureau of Statistics on Friday January 17.2019 outputCrude steel: 996.34 million tonnes, up 8.3%Finished steel: 1.2 billion tonnes, up 9.8% ...Read More

Certain precious metals, Gold, Silver, and Platinum, have shown moderate upside price trending over the past 20+ months while Rhodium and Palladium have skyrocketed higher.  These more precious metals, Rhodium and Palladium, have many industrial and consumer uses.  Rhodium is used in electronics and plating and Palladium is used in a variety of consumer products from Automobiles to Medic...Read More

Precious metals got off to an explosive early start to 2020 astensions between the U.S. and Iran drove safe-haven buying. Of course, gold and silver markets will need more than ageopolitical flare up to drive a long-term bull market advance.The question for investors is whether the fundamental picturenow looks promising or fleeting.In our view, the fundamentals are turning in favor ofhigher g...Read More

Market participants in China say they are not worried by the expected increase in steel imports from the United States, even after the two major economic powers signed the phase one economic and trade agreement on Wednesday January 15. While the agreement does not set out the increase in quantity of US-origin steel exports China will accept, Chinese market participants do not expected the increase...Read More

Central China-based Henan Luoyang Iron & Steel is to sell its 1.04 million tonnes per year of crude steel capacity to a mill in southern China's Guangdong province, according a notice released by the Henan Industry & Information Technology Department on Tuesday January 14.Seller: Luoyang Iron & SteelLocation: Luoyang city, Henan...Read More

The long-term impact of China renaming scrap metal as renewable material remains to be seen, sources said, citing a potential increase in scrap exports from the United States to the Asian nation, although China's scrap import quota system will continue through 2020.The impact of China restricting scrap imports was felt keenly in the US for much of 2019, which saw an oversupplied market with soft d...Read More

Gold COT Report - Futures Large SpeculatorsCommercialTotal LongShortSpreadingLongShortLongShort 376,80957,574137,119221,358571,177735,286765,870 Change from Prior Reporting Period -6,671-3,615-2,24418,90612,6449,9916,785 Traders 22466835759312181 Small Speculators LongShortOpen Interest 61,59731,013796,883 1,0354,24111,026 non reportable positionsCh...Read More

Aluminium billet premiums in Brazil and Japan ticked down on Friday January 17 due to weak demand, while premiums in Europe and the United States were steady on unchanged fundamentals.Brazilian premium falls, but sentiment optimistic Japanese premium declines on slow demand European premiums flat in quiet conditions US premium stable at all-time low BrazilThe premium in Brazil was dampened by slug...Read More

Key data from the pricing sessions in Europe, Asia and the United States for the week ended Friday January 17.China The seaborne price of low-grade manganese ore rose due to deals achieved at a higher price for March-delivery cargoes on Friday. The seaborne price of high-grade manganese ore was stable amid a lack of activity among producers and sellers. China's domestic portside manganese ore pric...Read More

Cobalt prices consolidated at higher levels in the second half of the week ended Friday January 17, with traders continuing to restock and consumers looking for inventory top-ups.The price for cobalt, standard grade, in-whs Rotterdam, rose by 1.55% to $16.00-16.70 per lb on Friday, up from $15.70-16.50 per lb midweek, when it was unchanged from the end of last week.Fastmarkets' corresponding price...Read More

The London Metal Exchange will on February 1 introduce a reporting process that will increase transparency into levels of off-warrant stocks. The exchange announced the plans in November 2019 and aims to attract more metal back in LME sheds. It is controversial, but its passage into the LME rulebook on February 1 follows a consultation last year. Some market participants are now saying the LME sho...Read More

A string of long-term deals for cobalt hydroxide show that bullish forecasts for cobalt consumption from the electric vehicle (EV) sector are coming into play. Glencore will supply battery manufacturer SK Innovation with up to 30,000 tonnes of cobalt contained in hydroxide over six years, it said last week - a deal worth about $1 billion in today's market. And other deals also point...Read More

If you are a producer or consumer, or are active in the physical markets, then you had better be aware of a new set of regulations that will make it all the more important for you to choose the right logistics partner from next year.The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has ruled that from January 1, 2020, the marine sector will have to reduce sulfur emissions by more than 80% by switching...Read More

The three-month zinc price on the London Metal Exchange was higher at the close of trading on Friday January 17, with price action settling comfortably above the $2,400-per-tonne support level despite moderately low turnover across the complex, while a steady incline in LME tin saw prices breach nearby resistance. Zinc's outright price on the LME settled at $2,429.50 per tonne on Friday afternoon,...Read More

Liquidity was high for alumina on an fob Australia basis during the week ending January 17, but prices failed to find any long-term support above $275 per tonne.Fastmarkets calculated the benchmark daily alumina index, fob Australia, at $275.18 per tonne on Friday January 17, down only slightly from $275.93 per tonne on Thursday. The index has traded between $275 and $278 per tonne since December...Read More

Precious metals got off to an explosive early start to 2020 as tensions between the U.S. and Iran drove safe-haven buying.Of course, gold and silver markets will need more than a geopolitical flare up to drive a long-term bull market advance.The question for investors is whether the fundamental picture now looks promising or fleeting.In our view, the fundamentals are turning in favor of higher go...Read More

Seaborne coking coal prices inched down on Friday January 17 because some participants in China have begun their Lunar New Year break early while others were holding off to consider the impact of import restrictions at the country's ports, talks of which surfaced this week. Fastmarkets indices Premium hard coking coal, fob DBCT: $153.07 per tonne, down $2.19 per tonne Premium hard coking coal, cfr...Read More

Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | Email | Stitcher | RSSSilver could blow through $50 like a hot knife blows through butter and then keep on moving, and it could happen very fast...David Morgan of The Morgan Report interviewed by Half Dollar of Silver DoctorsDavid returns to Silver Doctors on Thursday, January 16th, 2020, for a robust discussion on:With th...Read More

Copper has attempted to rebound since early September following a marked sell-off in the summer months where macro and fundamental forces have been prevalent.On the macro front, copper has benefited from a slight easing in US-China trade tensions and more monetary policy easing across the globe - including China, where copper consumption is the most exposed - that has shored up investor sentiment....Read More