Analysis: Commodities

Indian gold buyers pile in as prices dip to one-year low

Retail consumers in India continued to buy up physical gold this week as prices retreated to a near one-year low, while lower rates also injected fresh activity in other hubs, especially Singapore. ...

Kashmir's copper craftsmen hope for better times after lockdown ends

The end of lockdown brought some relief for Kashmir's traditional copper utensil makers, renowned for their immaculate craftsmanship, but their industry is under threat and their earnings low. ...

Mali, Emirates facilitated Venezuelan gold trade in 2020, opposition says

Venezuela sent gold to Mali in 2020 via Russian-owned planes to exchange for euros and U.S. dollars that President Nicolas Maduro's government used to remain afloat despite U.S. sanctions, an...

Gold ekes out gains as markets await Powell speech

Gold prices edged higher on Thursday as investors adopted a cautious stance ahead of remarks from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell that might provide further clarity on a recent spike in U.S....

Italian coffee maker Lavazza pays record bonus for work during pandemic

Italian coffee maker Lavazza said on Wednesday it had paid its workers the highest bonus in its history to reward them for ensuring production and meeting targets last year despite the coronavirus...

Gold rises as U.S. Treasury yields soften

Gold prices rose on Monday as a retreat in U.S. Treasury yields helped to bolster its status as an inflation hedge after a U.S. stimulus package moved one step closer to becoming law, but a firmer...

Palm oil in focus as Swiss vote on trade pact with Indonesia

Swiss voters will decide on a free trade agreement with Indonesia on Sunday, with lower tariffs on palm oil imports the main issue in what the polls predict will be a tight referendum. ...

Gold slumps as rising U.S. yields, dollar dull lustre

Gold tumbled 3% to an eight-month low on Friday en route to its worst month since November 2016 as a stronger dollar and elevated U.S. Treasury yields hammered non-yielding bullion's appeal....

Low gold prices spark flurry of activity in India

Physical gold demand in India gained momentum this week as retail buyers and jewellers lapped up bullion at near eight-month low prices, while Singapore continued to see steady interest for both gold...

Indonesia says "ready to fight" EU at WTO over nickel export curbs

Indonesia is ready to fight the European Union's challenge of the Southeast Asian country's ban on nickel ore exports at the World Trade Organisation, arguing the bloc's actions may hinder Indonesia's...

Gold slides more than 2% as U.S. Treasury yields rise

Gold prices fell as much as 2.2% to a near one-week low on Thursday as a surge in U.S. Treasury yields and better-than-expected economic data out the United States dented demand for the safe-haven...

Indian rice export rates ease as supply picks up

Rice export rates in top exporter India eased this week as supplies rose, while neighbouring Bangladesh considered allowing higher imports by private traders as domestic rates continued to soar. ...

On a retro style milk truck, London entrepreneur chases a 'zero waste' future

Heralded by the whirr of its underpowered electric engine and the clink of bottles stacked in crates on the back, Ella Shone's 'Topup Truck' started life ferrying morning milk to the doorsteps of...

Gold subdued as U.S. Treasury yields stay elevated

Gold pared some losses after dipping more than 1% earlier on Wednesday, helped by dovish comments from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, but bullion struggled for traction as elevated U.S. Treasury...

India expected to harvest record wheat, rice crops this year

India is likely to harvest a record 109.24 million tonnes of wheat this year, the farm ministry said, further boosting stocks at government granaries that are fast running out of storage space due to...

Malaysia's palm oil stocks seen below 1.5 million tonnes for most of 2021 - industry body

Palm oil inventories in Malaysia, the world's second largest producer and exporter, will remain low throughout the year and continue to support high prices, the Malaysian Palm Oil Council said on...

Gold eases as dollar recovers lost ground, investors gauge Powell testimony

Gold edged lower in choppy trade on Tuesday as the dollar recovered ground lost in the immediate wake of comments from U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, who said the economic recovery was...

England's sugar beet sector needs gene-editing - minister

Gene-editing could play a key role in England's sugar beet sector, Britain's farming and environment minister George Eustice said on Tuesday, reiterating his support for easing regulations covering...

BofA hikes 2021 Brent price view by $10/bbl on strong oil balances

Bank of America Global Research lifted its forecast for Brent crude oil prices for this year citing tighter supplies due to the Texas freeze and OPEC+ output curbs and unmatched global monetary...