Commodities
Mike McCudden, Head of Derivatives at Interactive Investor (www.iii.co.uk), gives his thoughts on the last week of trading and looks ahead to what we can expect this week...
As rising inflation causes concern for savers, commodities and natural resources have been gaining attention as an attractive option for equity investors...
More and more investors report selling gilts, as inflation has overtaken recession as their top financial fear, according to a barometer of investor priorities from financial marketing specialists dianomi...
As rising demand in emerging markets pushed up commodity prices, mining company Xstrata said its full-year profits have risen 86 percent on stronger prices for most of its commodities...
Following Tropical Cyclone Yasi ripping through Australia’s northern Queensland, a region which grows a third of the country’s sugar cane, the storm could potentially cut output in the area by about 50 percent and drive up prices to 30-year highs...
Offshore drilling on the UK Continental Shelf dipped by 9% during 2010, according to the latest oil and gas industry figures released by Deloitte...
As gold prices continue to rise, Paul Duncombe, Head of Multi-Asset Investment Solutions at Schroders, considers what next...
Fears that cold weather could damage the cotton crop have seen the price of the raw material soar. The fibre on Monday hit US $1...
Bordeaux is alive with activity at the moment as the 2010 vendange comes to an end. Michael Baynes a co-owner of Maxwell-Storrie-Baynes the vineyard specialists, said: "We are hearing considerable optimism from the vineyard owners with respect to the 2010 vintage both in quality and volume of the harvest...
Offshore drilling in the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS) has fallen by 20% during the third quarter of 2010, compared to the same period last year...
Agriculture stocks have rallied in recent weeks, prompted by adverse growing conditions in Eastern Europe, Russia's ban on grain exports and BHP Billiton's approach for Potash Corp...
Demand for gold during Europe’s sovereign-debt crisis saw the precious metal soar 36 per cent in the second quarter as investors bought bullion-backed funds such as ETFs which sent prices surging, according to the producer-funded World Gold Council(WGC)...
As high U.S. inventories and a lack of hurricane activity in the Gulf of Mexico countered a weaker dollar, oil stayed close to a six-week low below $74 a barrel...
U.S. oil inventories probably fell to a one-month low last week as imports tumbled, according to a survey for Bloomberg News...
Gold rose to its strongest in more than a month today as pessimism about the global economic recovery sparked buying from investors...
The outlook for world wheat production has been hit after the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) revised down its crop forecast for Russia, saying global production would be 15...
A hedge fund manager has reportedly cornered a large piece of the world's cocoa market after buying 240,000 tonnes of cocoa beans...
The beginning of 2009 saw commodity prices continuing to fall globally, tough price negotiations with customers and challenging market conditions...
Ernst & Young’s Oil and Gas Eye index ended the first quarter of 2010 with an impressive gain of 20%...
A fundamental shift from debt to equity in the global mining and metals industries has been highlighted by Lee Downham, head of mining and metals, UK & Ireland, at Ernst & Young...
By Mike Jones Rising metals prices have triggered an increase in copper wire theft. Thousands of homes have been left without phone or internet connections as thieves steal copper cable...
By Mike Jones In light of China’s continued focus on infrastructure expansion, Jonathan Blake, manager of Baring Asset Management’s Baring Global Resources Fund has increased the fund’s weightings in base metals from 43% at the end of December to 48% by the end of February, with a particular focus on bulk commodities such as iron ore and copper...
By Mike Jones Barclays Wealth is suggesting a shift back towards traditional money market instruments...
By Mike Jones The steep fall in metals deal value continued in 2009 with total value charting a course which took it back to below levels last seen in 2003...
By Mike Jones In 2009 mining M&A saw significant decreases in values and also changes in the characteristics of buyers and sellers...
By Mike Jones Oil prices rose to US $80 dollars a barrel in New York yesterday. Supply worries triggered the rise - with striking French oil workers and tensions over Iran's nuclear programme the two key issues...
By Mike Jones Ernst & Young’s oil and gas eye index made further gains over the fourth quarter of 2009, ending the quarter up 6%, with 38% of the companies in the oil and gas eye universe posting share price gains...
By Mike Jones Following a turbulent 2009 for the mining and metals sector, 2010 will be a year characterised by a greater focus on capital allocation, more innovative deal financing strategies, a continuation of equity raisings, including IPOs and further investment from strategic funds in Asia, according to Ernst & Young’s mining and metals sector transactions report, 2009: the year of survival and revival...
By Mike Jones A significant spike in energy prices has been predicted by the Industry Taskforce for Peak Oil and Energy Security...
By Mike Jones Interdealer broker ICAP has announced new activities in OTC crude oil. Nour Beyhum, previously head of crude oil and options at ICAP Energy will, subject to the receipt of relevant regulatory approvals, develop a new OTC crude oil and refined products broking business based in London...