Commodities Focus

China’s latest round of oil product export quotas had tightened compared to the same tranche a year ago. However, healthy margins and strong aviation recovery have pretty much cemented jet fuel’s position as the king of the barrel for Chinese exporters, though turbulence remains. S&P Global Commodity Insights’ Asia oil news editor, Neo Rong Wei discusses China’s latest export quotas and export plans, as well as its impact on regional markets with Market Specialist Daisy Xu and associate price reporter Lee Shu Ling, who covers Asia jet fuel/kerosene markets.

The global methanol market is seeing emerging demand for low-carbon transportation fuels, with particular focus on marine fuels, driven by a need to decarbonize global shipping without disrupting supply chains. While conventional methanol has a history of being used as a transportation fuel, there are many new technologies designed to produce methanol with lower carbon intensity than conventional, oil-based marine fuels. However, cost of production and supply availability remain barriers to adoption. Global research lead for methanol and derivatives Olivier Maronneaud and chemicals price reporter Andre Mikhail discuss methanol's potential as a low-carbon fuel, the current production landscape, and the need for effective regulation to bridge the cost gap between sustainable fuels and fossil. Links:International Methanol Producers and Consumers Association conference International Maritime Organization 83rd meeting eMethanol FOB Rotterdam $/mt FRGMD00 Marine Fuel 0.5% FOB Spore Cargo $/mt AMFSA00

Will US tariffs reshape aluminum trade flows? How will new alumina capacity out of Indonesia impact prices? In this podcast, Asia nonferrous metals team lead Jenson Ong is joined by Louissa Liau, associate price reporter for Asia nonferrous metals, and Lucy Tang, market news specialist for Asia metals to discuss the latest developments across the aluminum value chain.  Related price assessments (subscriber content): MMWAU00   MMWAD04   MMXCY00   MMANA00   AAFGA00   JLCAA00   JLCAD00  

Exporters of chicken meat from the US have been mulling what might happen to their trade in the event of a trade war. Mexico is their largest customer, and Brazil is their largest competitor. However, those US exporters supply fresh, brown chicken meat to Mexico, and they’re quietly confident of their ability to hold onto that market. William Bland, EMEA manager of price reporting for agriculture and food, talks to US poultry analyst Kelly Seier and price reporters Luke Lundgren and Beatriz Baltieri about how the market is planning for 2025. Links:  Platts Proteins Price Assessments US Chicken Marker USCM - ATALI00  Chicken Leg FCA Brazil – ATALJ00   

Copper smelter margins have been facing noticeable pressure in recent months as copper concentrate TC/RCs plunged on tight supply, will this mean more production cuts upcoming? Primary copper prices, premiums, and even byproduct sulfuric acid charges, meanwhile, have been rising. Can these offer enough relief to smelters amid record-low TC/RCs? In this podcast, Asia nonferrous metals senior manager price reporting, Mok Yuen Cheng is joined by Asia nonferrous metals senior price reporter Han Lu, minerals and fertilizer associate price reporter Ong Jia Lun, and metals market news specialist Lucy Tang, to discuss the latest happenings in copper and take a closer look at the key drivers in the market.

Brazil's ferrous scrap exports have undergone a significant transformation, driven by a weakening domestic steel industry and increasing demand from India. Brazil exported a record 800,000 mt in 2023, following a decline in domestic scrap consumption. Looking ahead, the Brazilian recycling sector is diversifying and adapting to international standards while navigating the ongoing challenges of stagnant economic growth and global steel oversupply. Americas senior metals pricing manager Adriana Carvalho is joined by Mayara Baggio and Camila Martinez, price reporters for Latin America metals, and Abdi Salad, price reporter for EMEA low-carbon and base metals, to discuss the evolving role of Brazil in the ferrous scrap trade.  Links:Subscribe to Platts Connect HMS 1/2 Containerized FOB Brazil $/mt ABUPA00 Shredded Scrap Containerized FOB Brazil $/mt ABUPB00 Platts TSI Shredded Scrap CFR Nhava Sheva India $/mt AAXRQ04

Beef prices in the US started 2025 at a record high. The world’s largest consumer is also seeing a 63-year low in the size of its cattle herd and is expected to continue calling on supplies from Brazil and Australia, the world’s two biggest exporters. That’s because US farmers have been sending a high proportion of female animals to slaughter before they calved, shrinking their beef operations in response to low prices and higher costs. Luckily, Brazil and Australia are at different stages of the cattle cycle.    In this podcast, William Bland, EMEA manager of price reporting for Agriculture & Food, and Ryan Urie, the global head of meat and livestock research, speak to Kevin Coburn and Renan Araujo about how the market is planning for 2025.    Links: Platts Proteins Price Assessments  Brazil Beef Marker (BBM) - ATALC00  90CL Beef CIF US - ATALB00  90CL FCA Australia – ATALD00 

India's rapidly growing energy demand, the shifting focus of oil producers towards the country, and the transition to cleaner energy sources are key themes at India Energy Week. Delegates will seek insights on how Indian energy companies and policymakers can balance the reliance on traditional fuels with a new energy roadmap. In a comprehensive discussion, Dave Ernsberger, Co-President at S&P Global Commodity Insights, Ranjit Rath, Chairman and Managing Director at Oil India Ltd, and Sambit Mohanty, Asia Energy Editor, will explore key market issues of interest to delegates. They will address India's evolving relationship with non-OPEC producers and outline the strategies India plans to implement in its upstream sector to attract global investors.

Within hours of being sworn in as the 47th president of the United States, Donald Trump issued a series of executive orders, and declared a national emergency with the aim of ensuring reliable energy supplies and position the US as a leading minerals producer. Trump also threatened tariffs on Canada and Mexico -- major exporters of crude to the US. How have commodities markets responded to Trump's actions? What powers do these emergency declarations give Trump to boost production? And how will this reliance on emergencies and executive orders play out down the road as new administrations shift energy policy?  Jeff Mower, director of Americas oil news, discusses the emergency declaration and the executive orders with senior editors Eamonn Brennan, Taylor Kuykendall, Maya Weber and Kate Winston.   Links: Trump’s executive orders on trade, immigration signal dealmaking intent (video) Trump's return to office could raise solar panel production costs (video)  FACTBOX: Trump launches round of executive orders to boost energy output (subscriber content)

Amid sustained supply growth out of Indonesia while higher-cost production shuts down, will the focal point of nickel markets continues to be shifted to the country? Markets looks ahead at China’s stimulus for support to nickel demand from the steel and battery sectors, but will it be sufficient to underpin prices? In this podcast, Asia nonferrous metals team lead Jenson Ong is joined by Wang Litian, associate price reporter for Asia nonferrous metals, and Lucy Tang, market news specialist for Asia metals to discuss the latest developments in the nickel space.